Homemade 2nd story catwalk escape grounded by homeowner association

Cat doors usually lead to the front porch, but this Colorado couple's goes out their second-floor unit's window to a wooden plank catwalk. The homeowner's association, however, is forcing the couple to take it down. 

In this April 17, 2013 file photo, Gus, walks across the catwalk near Durango, Colo. The couple who constructed the catwalk is giving up their fight to keep the 13-foot escape route for their cats outside their apartment.

Jerry McBride, The Durango Herald/AP Photo

May 13, 2013

A Durango area couple is giving up their fight to keep a 13-foot escape route for their cats outside their Colorado apartment.

Martha Spence and her husband built the catwalk from a window to a nearby tree to allow their two cats to go outside from their second-floor unit whenever they wanted. The Durango Herald reported that they agreed to take it down Thursday at the request of the development's homeowners association.

The couple had planned to appeal the board's request, but Spence said her husband wasn't able to take off work to pursue it.

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Neighbors objected to the look of the catwalk and also worried children would try to use it. In addition, the association says its regulations bar pets from roaming free in the development.