Tips to get around the “no cats” rule
Posted by admin on February 6th, 2009 filed in GeneralCats are abandoned every day for pathetic reasons like "I’m moving and I can’t take my cat" or "landlord won’t allow" or "I’ll be in an apartment." Unless you’re moving abroad, these are weak excuses for surrendering an animal you committed to caring for throughout its entire life.
Moving to an apartment or a new town is not an excuse to leave your cat behind or to drop him off at the nearest shelter. The chances that a cat will get adopted within a month are close to zero. Many landlords do have rules that cats are not allowed or that you have to pay a high pet deposit or have your cat declawed. However, it is very easy to get around these rules. I’ve done it four times.
Here are some tips for sneaking a cat into your apartment:
1. Ask about the pet policy anonymously over the phone.
When you ask in person, it’s difficult to lie. You will probably end up admitting you have a cat and paying the $300 to $600 pet deposit. When you ask over the phone without saying who you are, you can get all their policies and then decide from there what you want to do. If the property does allow pets, then ask what the deposit is and what the restrictions are. Does the cat have to be declawed? Do they need a veterinarian’s verification? Do they need proof of vaccinations? Is there a limit to one cat? The list could go on and on.
When I rented apartments in Grand Forks ND, I never mentioned I had a cat because I did not want to deal with all the ridiculous policies. Instead, I just had a cat and never told anyone.
2. Even if cats are allowed on the property, don’t admit you have one.
As long as you know cats are allowed, then you should be pretty safe. Your landlord probably won’t remember who had cats and who doesn’t. So unless he or she has a real reason to look up your information, it will probably never be an issue. You will get away with not paying a pet deposit and notdeclawing your cat.
3. If you get caught with a cat, say it’s just visiting.
It works to say you are taking care of the cat for a friend and that it will be gone the next day. If pets are allowed on the property with a deposit, then you could say you got the cat that week and the deposit will be included with your next rent payment. The chances of getting caught with a cat are pretty small, but if you do, it’s good to have a plan for what you will say.
4. Put the cat in a kennel if the landlord or maintenance team visits.
If your cat is trained to stay in a kennel for a half-hour or even half the day, he will probably sit in his kennel quietly and the visitor will never even know your cat is there. Of course, you’ll also want to put the litter box, scratching posts and cat toys out of sight. Another option is to put your cat in your car if you expect the landlord to be stopping by. Just don’t leave a cat in the car if it is too hot. If it’s cold, the cat will probably be fine, just leave it a blanket to curl up in or put a blanket over a kennel for extra warmth.
I’ve also learned that the maintenance team usually does not care what you do and will not report anything as long as you are not bothering them. This might be different if your maintenance person is also your landlord.
5. Don’t bring your pet when you check in.
Keep your cat at a friend’s house, your old apartment or at least in your car while you check in with your new property manager. Obviously they are going to see your cat if you bring it along right away when you move in.
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