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General Landlording & Rental Properties

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Cody Barrett
  • Phoenix, AZ
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What is worse, dogs or cats?

Cody Barrett
  • Phoenix, AZ
Posted Apr 28 2016, 17:26

Any landlords with some history with pets feel more strongly towards a pet vs the other? Say dogs vs cats?  Does one cause more damage or make it more costly to turn over units?

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Monique Bell
  • Plano, TX
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Monique Bell
  • Plano, TX
Replied Jan 13 2017, 22:57

As a landlord of over 20 properties, I would MUCH rather rent to a cat owner than a dog owner although I love both animals. Dogs tear up yards, fences, plants, landscaping. They are more likely to pee or poo where they're not supposed to, not to mention some breeds bark a lot, causing annoyances with neighbors. I've seen quite a bit of damage done to my properties, both inside and out, to my dog owning tenants. Cats, however, may scratch on furniture, but that doesn't effect my property, only the renters. Some cats may spray, but usually only if they are unfixed males, which isn't s problem as I don't allow any intact pets whether dogs or cats.  I can honestly say I've had no problems with the cats in my properties. I do continue to allow both as pets are family members, although I have considerably raised the deposit for dogs.

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Lu Chen
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Replied Jun 9 2019, 07:37

Prefer to have dogs than cats

I experienced both.

I got tenants violated the lease to have 9 dogs in house. After the moved out, the odor was strong. But we are able to get rid of it . Dogs chews some wood. But it can be replaced or paint over to cover up.

Cats. We bought rental without knowing there were cats before. After a while, tenants constantly smell the cat's pee. It looks like everywhere in the house and air and we could not identify the spots.House was remodeled. There was a room just full of strong smell after 5 years we bought the house. So I found out it was all over under the sub floors. We spend hundreds to cover the smell. It was good for one summer and smell come back again. Now we are planning to change sub flooring/pull odor killer. Guess how much it will cost. And also, there was a strong odor from the yard. Cats deposit can't even cover our first time short term solution. 

Now we are planning to get rid of all the carpet in the bedrooms, change subflooring, use hard floor ( laminate, tile or vinyl) to make it pet friendly rental. But I don't want to accept tenants have more than one cats. Cat pee or whatever can still leak through any gaps of the grout.

All are real experiences.  All the tenants claim they are responsible pets owner before they move in. But don't count on others ! We learned real lesson.

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Dennis M.#5 General Landlording & Rental Properties Contributor
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Erie, pa
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Dennis M.#5 General Landlording & Rental Properties Contributor
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Erie, pa
Replied Jun 9 2019, 18:59

Cats are horrible . Keep them out of your properties