Caught a "stray" cat......

Caught a "stray" cat......

Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes

I have 1 house thats been rented to a middle age woman , I was doing some clearing of brush and vines and I kept seeing this "stray" cat wandering around the house .(I have a NO pets policy) So the next day I brought my "catch em alive " trap baited with wet cat food. Caught the cat in the first hour we were working the next day . My tenant comes around the corner and sees the cat in the trap , and I could tell by the look on her face it was hers, but ....... she asks me what I am going to do with the cat ? Take it to the pound ? Now I wanted to know if it was hers without asking directly . I quickly said no , I have a friend with a big snake . She lost it , told me she has had that cat for 7 years I cant do that .

I then told her she can pick up "her" cat at the pound and handed her her 30 day notice , and told her to read her lease agreement about animals . I called animal control , had them come get the cat so I had a record of the violation .

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Investor · Riverside, CA · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
12y

So funny. Some of you act like you eat off the floor of your rentals when your tenants move out. I love tenants with pets. They have a hard time finding places to live. Since I let them bring their furry kids to my places, they stay full, I get more rent, and I charge the furry little critters a $500 pet deposit on top of the sec. deposit.

Sure, I've had dog holes dug in back yards, cat spray on walls, tore up door jambs, etc. etc. That's what a hefty security deposit is for. You know how you get a nice new looking rental every time you have a tenant change over and you don't want to pay for it yourself? Rent to someone with a pet! Almost 100% of the time, they don't nearly do good enough job cleaning and fixing things and my contractor gets to dip into their money. Now, don't think I'm stealing from these people or taking advantage of them. I am very fair and would love to give back 100% of the security deposit every time. I always offer a pre-move out walk-thru and tell them exactly what needs to be done. They just don't do it. Just the nature of the beast - pun definitely intended.

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  • Urbana, IL · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 425 votes
    12y

    I'm with everyone on the distrust thing. But I gotta hand it to @Aaron Mazzrillo because I'm totally cool with that mentality. Make that deposit cover those repairs you really need to do. If you keep people going in who have 1 or 2 cats they are never going to notice any cat smell or hair and neither will they care. Maybe, if its a super swanky property I'll exclude them but I think I can profit in a market where most don't allow animals.

  • Member since 2011 · 798 posts · 216 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by Michaela Graham:
    But if she's in and already paying, maybe it would be more beneficial to ask for for a pet deposit and monthly pet rent.


    This lady broke the lease.

    If it's a no pet property, it's a no pet property.

    Either she needs to get rid of the cat or move in 30 days.

    I wouldn't allow a cat if I said "no pets."

    Cat pee is terribly difficult to get rid of, and cats scratch everything-- and I'm not going to have a tenant violate my pet policy. If they do, they cdan leave.

    Evictions can be messy and time consuming.

    Why wouldn't this woman just temporarily re-home the cat with her friends/family? How much longer is left in her lease?

  • Member since 2011 · 798 posts · 216 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by Rob K:
    While I absolutely hate cats, I think this could've been handled a little diffrently. Instead of sending her pet to the pound, you could've told her that the cat needs to go to someone else's house. In the meantime, remind her of your pet policy and start eviction if she doesn't abide by it.

    Yeah, I wouldn't have called the pound either.

    I would not let the cat stay, but I would tell her it has to go immediately and she's in violation of her lease-- either she goes or the cat goes.

    Calling the pound is pretty dramatic and wastes resources of the city/animal shelter. So you call the pound when she stands there saying "that cat is mine?" That's really not a good way to handle this.

    She can just go to the pound and pick up the cat, bring it back to her house, and violate the lease all over again.

    Cure or quit notice on the cat is sufficient-- if she keeps it, evict. I have no sympathy for her for knowingly moving into a no pet property, but I also don't call the shelter and waste their time/money to pick up a tenant's pets. I would not let the cat stay either.

  • Member since 2011 · 798 posts · 216 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by Michaela Graham:

    Yes, she lied on her application. But she won't give up her cat, which she's had for 7 years. So, I think it'd be much wiser to negotiate some kind of agreement that lets her stay and gets more money to the landlord.

    If this woman loved her cat and planned to keep it, she should have found a pet friendly home.... not knowingly moved into a no pet property.

    She lied on the application and is in violation of her lease.

    I would not change my pet policy or non-smoking policy for one tenant. My policy is my policy-- if they don't like it, they can live somewhere else.

    Plenty of rentals allow small cats (usually de-clawed). This woman knew she had a cat (for 7 years) and chose to move into a no pet property. Not a smart move on her part, and now she has to face the music. She easily could have avoided potential eviction or rehoming had she just found a pet friendly property.

  • Investor · Riverside, CA · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    12y
    Originally posted by Jon K.:

    Cat pee is terribly difficult to get rid of, and cats scratch everything-- and


    100% Not true on both accounts. Cat pee is easily removed with OdorXit. It doesn't cover up the smell. It has enzymes that break it down and neutralizes it. And cats don't scratch everything. A door jamb or two. Big deal. I get an extra $25-$50/month for pets. Last time I checked, sanding and painting a door jamb didn't cost a few hundred dollars. If so, time to get yourself a new handyman.

  • Member since 2011 · 798 posts · 216 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by Matt Devincenzo:

    While there are instances where the rules can be adjusted or modified, this was not one of them. She lied when she moved in, she broke the lease with her cat and she lied when confronted with the cat in the trap until she thought it was getting eaten.

    Exactly.

    I like pets.

    I don't like tenants who lie and knowingly move their pets into no pet properties. Pets can cause a lot of damage, noise, etc. I don't like tenants lying to me.

    I also don't like people who move or have a baby and casually get rid of their pets as if it's nothing and except other people to want their aged or misbehaved pets. People should find pet friendly properties. If somehow they are no longer able to provide for their pet (pet friendly property or financially for food/vaccines/etc.), then people should try to find a good home for their pet, not dump it at the pound. Pets get put down after a few days or less with owner surrenders at the pound. Older dogs and often larger dogs don't stand a chance. People that think "oh, my dog is nice... someone will want an 11 year old dog from the pound." No, they won't. Your pet will be put down... often within a few days or less.

    Even so, there's zero excuse for this woman lying upfront to get herself approved for a no pet property. She either needs to rehome the cat, temporarily or permanently, or move into a pet friendly property (like she should have done in the first place). If she wants to keep a pet, it's her duty to take care of it-- and taking care of a pet involves finding a place for her pet to live. And that place for it to live has to be a pet friendly property, otherwise she's not property taking care of her pet. She knew what she was getting herself into moving into a no pet property yet chose to lie and try to sneak a pet in. She didn't find the pet a proper home for she and it to live in.

  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    12y

    I am a pet lover.

    I believe it's the PEOPLE not the pets that make things unclean by not caring for their pets.

    I understand about landlords and having pets. I think a huge line to me was crossed in taking her pet to the pound when she said right in front of you the pet has been hers for seven years. It wasn't like it was a feral animal she had for a week that came by.

    So you stick it to the renter and take their beloved pet to the pound causing them further hardship and difficulty in moving?? There are tenants out there that would absolutely destroy your rental in retaliation. I just think I would never go about it like that but everyone runs their business as they see fit. As a landlord the laws have to be followed to a T. If not that gives the tenant legal recourse against the landlord. Where I am usually with animal control they will come out. They ask the tenant to sign a form showing that the animal is theirs. If they refuse to sign animal control takes the pet. I am sure every area is different.

    Sure the lady keeps the pet elsewhere or brings it back. That's called reality with being a landlord. I would have just filed or offered workout options.

  • Urbana, IL · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 425 votes
    12y

    Hit the nail on the head about the owners not taking care of the animal.

    @Aaron Mazzrillo I did see a property this weekend with 3+ cats and now I've seen what cats can do to a carpet. HOLY COW! That was damage but I'm guessing the lady has been living there a long time and has never bothered in training her cats to not use their claws on every living thing. But again, that hefty deposit and a monthly increase for each animal I would think would cover those expenses in the long wrong. This lady was a 1 in 1000 example.

  • Member since 2011 · 798 posts · 216 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by Aaron Mazzrillo:
    Originally posted by Jon K.:

    Cat pee is terribly difficult to get rid of, and cats scratch everything-- and

    100% Not true on both accounts. Cat pee is easily removed with OdorXit. It doesn't cover up the smell. It has enzymes that break it down and neutralizes it. And cats don't scratch everything. A door jamb or two. Big deal. I get an extra $25-$50/month for pets. Last time I checked, sanding and painting a door jamb didn't cost a few hundred dollars. If so, time to get yourself a new handyman.

    Cat pee IS hard to get rid of if it's in large quantities and not cleaned promptly.

    Ever had cat pee seep down into the concrete foundation of a home?

    Yeah, getting rid of that is not fun. You have to remove/throw away the carpet and padding. Then acid wash and seal the concrete foundation. Then new carpet.

    A small amount of cat pee... fine, get some carpet spray to remove the stain and smell. But "real" cat pee everywhere that the tenant hasn't cleaned.... ever... that soaks the foundation?

    Cats can scratch everything. Windows, walls, crown molding, doors, furniture. You can't replace my windows and crown molding for a few hundred. Doors, yes.

    Some cats that are properly trained don't destroy a house, but plenty can. And not all tenants clean up pet pee as it happens.

    Still, a no pet property is a no pet property.

  • Member since 2011 · 798 posts · 216 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by Aaron Mazzrillo:
    And there isn't a state in the Union that requires a cat to be on a leash.

    There are some cities that require cats to be on leashes.

    Dallas, Texas requires cats to be on a leash. So does Baton Rouge, Louisiana. So does Henderson, Nevada. And in Barre, Vermont. I'm sure there are others that also require cats to be on leashes.

    Obviously calling animal control was a huge overstep on the OP's part, and I can't imagine an animal control worker taking the cat to the pound if the tenant was standing there telling them "that's my cat." The cat leash law there must be very difficult and/or the tenant didn't tell animal control directly that it was hers.

    Cure or quit would have been the way to go here-- not calling the pound as the tenant stands there saying it's hers, and evict for breach of lease if not cured.

    I, too, would worry about tenant retaliation here and destroying the property out of spite.

  • Hanford, CA · Member since 2013 · 5k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    12y

    We allow pets. It is "our" niche. We have a large enough security deposit that can cover most of any damage. They also either pay a large security deposit or pet rent. It allows us to get quality tenants that others over look, so we get great people at higher rents who stay longer.

    Plus I find animals if cared for like a child does less damage than human kids.

  • Member since 2011 · 798 posts · 216 votes
    12y

    The OP's county, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, does indeed have a cat leash law that requires cats and dogs to be on leashes.

    That would explain why animal control would be willing to take a pet even if someone standing nearby says that it's their animal. I still call that a waste of animal control resources when the owner is evident and cure/quit is done.

    Maryland has some harsh pet rules for both cats and dogs-- leashes and license tags. That's a pretty rare requirement for cats to be licensed with the city.

    Pet Laws Per Annie Arundel County Website:

    http://www.aacounty.org/AnimalControl/faqs.cfm#.Uo8FfG0g9Ek

    Q. What animals in Anne Arundel County have to be licensed?

    All domestic cats and dogs above the age of 6 months, in Anne Arundel County, are required by law to be licensed. You can only obtain the license and license tag from Anne Arundel County Animal Control. This is not something that you can obtain through your veterinarian. Your pet must be current on its rabies vaccination prior to obtaining the license. Currently you can obtain the license every 1 or every 3 years. The cost varies depending on your personal situation and whether the animal is spayed or neutered. A link is provided below to the application for the Anne Arundel County animal license

    Q. How can I get my animal that was picked up back from Animal Control?

    If your animal was picked up and brought to Animal Control you can redeem him/her during normal business hours. The requirements for redemptions vary depending on your individual situation. However, at a minimum, you must pay fees associated, and bring current identification and proof of ownership of the animal (veterinary paperwork or personal pictures). It is advised that you do call and speak to an associate at the front counter to verify fees. All fees for redemptions are CASH ONLY. If your animal was impounded by Animal Control you will have to comply with specified conditions prior to the release of your pet.

  • Residential Real Estate Broker · Bremerton, WA · Member since 2013 · 494 posts · 142 votes
    12y

    Boo - hiss (pun also intended). There's a thick deep line between having firm standards and being mean.

    I also invite pets for the same reason @Aaron Mazzrillo and others do. Besides, the pets that've been in my rentals have done less damage than children (and some adults).

  • Investor · Vancouver, WA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    12y

    We have a no pets policy too, after de-catting and de-dogging several of our properties. Damage can be quite extensive - thousands of dollars on one of our houses from damage caused by cats. Personally, I find the smell of cats and dogs bothers me quite a bit. Fortunately there are pet friendly places for people who want to live with pets.

    As for tenants who intentionally break the rules and blatantly lie, there should be consequences. One needs to be firm, but fair. What is firm and what is fair can certainly be debated. I appreciate the original poster for being willing to be candid about what occurred and how he handled it. Many opinions and good points made by others too, but there is no need for name calling, please keep insults out of the forums.

  • Landlord · San Francisco / Santa Cruz, CA · Member since 2010 · 13 posts · 4 votes
    12y

    I can absolutely understand kicking this tenant out after she blatantly lied. If it was her cat for 7 years, she should have been a responsible owner and been forthright with her landlord from the get-go. This cat isn't being put out by the landlord, it's being put out by an irresponsible and dishonest owner.

    I was renting no pets of any sort, but a group of tenants that I really liked wanted to rent one of my units. It's an older tiled floor and they were willing to pay a $600 deposit for it. Haven't had any problems with the cat yet.

    My folks had a really bad tenant in one of their rentals (carpeted). It was about an hour and a half away so they didn't check on it as often as they should have and when they did the walkthrough they found that not only did the tenants have a cat against the terms of the lease, but that it had done ~10k in damage. The cat had pissed under the couch and the tenants never cleaned it up, so it rotted through the carpet, subfloor, and the smell permeated into the floor joists. We did the work ourselves, but had we not been able to do the work, it'd have cost the 10k with contractors. Even with us doing the work there was the holding cost and opportunity cost of lost rents.

    I would never allow a cat into a newly remodeled unit, only into a unit with a non-permeable floor. I also don't like the smell, nor want the liability of toxoplasmosis.

    If it's your niche to offer carpeted rentals to tenants with pets, you might want to put a non-permeable layer between the carpet and the subfloor next time you replace the carpets, or require tenants train their cats with CitiKitty (Shark Tank)

  • Investor · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2012 · 20 posts · 6 votes
    12y
    As a landlord, we 'train' our tenants by how we handle lease violations. A no pet policy isn't negotiable. If the lease is modified to accommodate the tenant, the tenant has been signaled the lease is not necessarily something to be followed. But I would worry about tenant retaliation and possible damage to your investment. Regardless of whether you were within your rights, I would suggest a less confrontational way to handle the issue. Doing so will ultimately reduce your potential problems, costs, turn around time, etc., with this and future tenants.
  • Investor · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 465 votes
    12y

    big snake, LOL.

  • Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    12y

    According to a previous post, it was you that took the cat to the pound and not the animal officer coming to your property.

    So, you must have told them that this was a stray cat that you found on one of your properties.

    If that is the case, the tenant will have a papertrail against you as well. And if she googles your name, she'll probably find this post

  • Investor · Portland, OR · Member since 2012 · 266 posts · 128 votes
    12y
    1. The tenant not only lied, but committed fraud. Make no mistake, lying about a cat during contract is a big no-no. This is probably legally grounds for eviction - even if she forfeit the cat (which no good cat owner would do).
    2. The OP was mean-spirited. Being mad is fine. Being mean is entirely uncalled for!!!
    3. In addition to being mean-spirited, the OP probably broke the law. This will depend on local laws, but there are a few possible issues (theft, misleading animal control, did you have a right to trap the cat on that property, etc).
    4. This is probably not good business. The emotional response will cost the landlord eviction fees, probably property damage, and vacancy - all to avoid a situation that had several reasonable no-cost solutions.
    I think that this should go on The People's Court!
  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    12y

    If you are informed about pets you can make better decisions. Pets do not want to live in filth but are forced to sometimes by irresponsible humans.

    Just like young kids the age of the pet is critical. If a cat hasn't been fixed they will spray all over creation in corners and walls. It's a territory thing and not having to actually go to the bathroom.

    Once fixed it's about the litter being used and how often a tenant cleans them out. I have cats but ours are older. The older cats eat, sleep, be loving, and occasionally play with a toy. The kittens are the ones that will thrash a place if you do not get out their energy. Cutting claws is key on a normal basis. We use Dr. Elsey's cat litter and the stuff is awesome. They never go outside of the litter box. Yes this litter is expensive but man it works 100% of the time.

    As mentioned by others there are tenants with no pets who are absolute and filthy slobs who will destroy your property much worse. Ever had an awful roach infestation from bad tenants?? Took months for exterminators to get populations down to be able to rent the place. I had inherited tenants where the kids took toothpaste and wrote on the walls with words and numbers and let it dry. That was just one of the things they did.

  • Colleen F.Pro Member
    Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    12y

    WOW....... I just found a cat in one of my units upon arrival to do a repair. We don't allow pets (especially since this is a student rental). I would not however call the animal control. I just couldn't do it. A growling Pit bull yes, a dangerous snake yes. (something with a clear safety threat of course). But just because it should not be there it just seems excessive immediate course of action.

    For our situation the initial story I got was that I approved the cat , I know that was not true. In the end they came up with an email from the property manager secretary implying that one of his relators approved the cat. A combination of being soft, liking these particular tenants, and knowing that kicking out the cat and the kids would mean a 6 month vacancy given the academic cycle had me keeping a cat. (lease says no pets). No more deposit as it is against RI law.

    It is the landlords decision to allow or not allow pets or let this tenant go or not but i feel it could have been handled better. For us allowing pets is about the property and the tenant type.

    I know first hand it is hard to find pet rentals. I am still thankful to the stranger years ago who offered me a pet friendly rental suggestion as I sat on the curb outside the quick mart depressed after a long weekend search for a place. I was wondering how to manage the cross country move and who would ever take our wonderful dog. Little kindnesses can go a long way.

  • Real Estate Agent · Cranford, NJ · Member since 2011 · 149 posts · 54 votes
    12y

    As a fellow dog owner I understand both sides but as a LL the lease terms were violated. What other terms would she or any tenant violate? Not worth the risk as Matthew mentioned. I commend @Matthew Paul for taking swift and decisive action to protect his interests. Flexing to her violation now points to more trouble down the road and makes it look as if he would bend other rules.

  • Member since 2011 · 798 posts · 216 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by Michaela Graham:
    According to a previous post, it was you that took the cat to the pound and not the animal officer coming to your property.

    So, you must have told them that this was a stray cat that you found on one of your properties.

    The OP says
    "I called animal control , had them come get the cat so I had a record of the violation ."

    The cat was in violation of the no cat leash law in MD. Presumably that's why animal control was even willing to pick it up. I'm still surprised that animal control would pick up the cat if the owner was standing there saying it's hers. MD does have strict cat leash and cat license laws-- lacking either of those can get a cat impounded.

    Obviously I don't think calling animal control is the way to handle this. It's a waste of city resources to send out animal control for this. Cure or quit, then evict her is sufficient. Then bill her for damages that the cat did after she's evicted.

  • Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    12y
    Originally posted by Jeremiah B.:
    1. The tenant not only lied, but committed fraud. Make no mistake, lying about a cat during contract is a big no-no. This is probably legally grounds for eviction - even if she forfeit the cat (which no good cat owner would do).

    2. The OP was mean-spirited. Being mad is fine. Being mean is entirely uncalled for!!!
    3. In addition to being mean-spirited, the OP probably broke the law. This will depend on local laws, but there are a few possible issues (theft, misleading animal control, did you have a right to trap the cat on that property, etc).
    4. This is probably not good business. The emotional response will cost the landlord eviction fees, probably property damage, and vacancy - all to avoid a situation that had several reasonable no-cost solutions.

    I think that this should go on The People's Court!

    Mean spirited ? , I trapped what would be considered a stray cat and handed it over to the proper authorities . The cat had no collar , and no tags ( a violation of the law) Theft ? not by a long shot the cat was handed over to the animal control officer .

    By having animal control pick up the cat , and then the tenant retrieving her cat I have proof of the lease violation .

    As far as it not being good business , Letting the woman keep the cat in the house has the potential to cost me big dollars , especially since she allowed the cat to go outside . I am not worried about eviction fees or property damage , since the tenant has a security clearance .

    I do not allow tenants to unilaterally change the lease .

    My insurance coverage is based on " no pets"

  • Real Estate Investor · South Pasadena, CA · Member since 2010 · 35 posts · 5 votes
    12y

    i hate cats... good move...jp :p

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