The good news is that having cats is getting easier and easier; many landlords will accept cats when they do not accept dogs.
But the bad news is that, despite the fact that cats are quiet and do not annoy other tenants, many places won’t allow pets at all.
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My landlord, for instance, allows cats, but not dogs. Just a few years ago, tenants kept two dogs in defiance of their lease, did not pay rent, had to be evicted, and the un-housebroken dogs led to not only the carpet being replaced, but some of the floor as well.
This is the kind of tenant that ruins it for all pet-owners; the majority of whom are responsible and trustworthy.
Here’s how to let a potential landlord know which type we are:
Don’t assume No Pets is as strict as it may sound. There are places that are upfront about poor pet potential; they are usually no smoking, no children, no entertaining, no breathing loudly kinds of places, too. Some landlords seem to be upset that anyone is actually living in their property, when it would stay so much nicer if they were not.
It’s rare for me to see an ad that mentions allowing cats; yet I know lots of people who live in cat-only buildings. So while we can feel despair over bunches of listings which say “No Pets,” it can be worth asking if that is negotiable. If we are seen as a desirable tenant, having a cat might not be a deal-breaker after all.
Cat Advantage: Some landlords use “No Pets” as a negotiating ploy so they can turn away large or multiple animals. Our eight pound cat is not what frightens them.
Rental Agencies are more open about pets than they used to be. Thanks to campaigns by humane associations, many landlords are now realizing that renting only to people without pets can be a bad bargain.
Research by FIREPAW shows that tenants with pets tend to stay longer, have strong ties and more loyalty to their immediate community, and make stronger bonds with their neighbors than tenants without pets.
There’s a number of PDF’s that have resulted from FIREPAW’s Companion Animal Renters Program which contain valuable information we can use to show we are the right kind of pet owner to rent to. Just us knowing there’s research can impress people with our obvious intelligence and devotion to our pet.
“Somewhere in the neighborhood of 70% of your tenants are going to have some kind of pet, so you can’t just say, ‘No pets allowed,’” says Fred Thompson, president of the National Association of Residential Property Managers, a trade group. “If you do, you’re going to see an extended vacancy period on your investment and that doesn’t work out long term.” How pets can be a landlord’s best friend
Cat Advantage: Many places have a weight limit cats easily fit under.
Build a resume and gather evidence. Show that we are responsible pet owners by getting character recommendations from our vet and previous landlords. It can be as simple as a statement from our previous rental company showing how little damage we did to the apartment, or that we got all of our deposit back. If we are humane workers or volunteers, get a note from our supervisors or fellow workers.
Take pictures of our cat using their scratching post, or of our untouched couch and woodwork. The Dumb Friends League (in 1910, when they were founded, “dumb” meant non-speaking) has a Pets are Welcome program with resources and ways of finding, and convincing, the rental property.
We can also volunteer that we will be taking out rental insurance. This can ease a landlord’s worries about liability and damage, while protecting us, too.
Cat Advantage: Cats are easier to housebreak, won’t make noises that annoy other tenants, and don’t even get noticed by the rest of the renters because they don’t need to be walked; meaning they don’t use the elevators and hallways except on rare occasions.
This is a transaction. The biggest problem landlords have with pets is not being able to know which kind of pet owner they are renting to; the responsible owner who will take good care of the property, or the nightmare owner who destroys carpeting, plumbing, and walls.
If we demonstrate that we understand the worries of our landlord by offering a higher deposit to cover possible damage, or agreeing to a “probationary period” to see if our pet will work out, we can soothe the fears of a potential landlord who might not otherwise rent to us.
It can be well worth trying such tactics to find an apartment which appeals to us, but has a reluctance to include our cat. Having the lease spell out specific instances that would be a deal-breaker, and our being confident such incidents will not occur, will soothe a worried property owner.
Realize they have a “worst case scenario” in their heads that either happened to them, or they only heard about; and understand that this is what motivates most landlords to declare “No Pets!” A mutual understanding that pet owners are happy and motivated tenants when they can keep their pets will help ease anxiety on both sides of the divide.
All shelter workers know the syndrome of the animal dropped off to simplify someone’s moving process. The sad part is that it might have been unnecessary. Thinking ahead, putting together a plan, and having documentation are all ways we can be more confident of finding a new home.
For all of us.
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There’s more to choosing a cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my CHOOSING A CAT.
