# Landlord Woes :'-c



## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

I'm having a very difficult time with my landlord. She's been sending over people A LOT to fix random [email protected] in the house. This means I have to hide my cats in their taxis and put them in the car. It hurts because now my cats think every time I reach for them they're going to get caged; so they run from me and hide in places I can't reach them. Plus I have to crate up the doggies. 

I'm lucky she gives me at least 24 hour notice though... 

Sorry for complaining but this issue is draining me to the core. It also gives me so much anxiety that I can't breath or talk to her properly. I'm constantly afraid that she'll see me taking my cats out to the garage. I recently found out that her mom lives nearby and that she is really good friends with our/her neighbor. Despite the fact that I don't like this house, I'm not privy on moving. No one will allow the amount of pets I have in their home/rental/apartment. Right...?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Why do you have to hide your cats? Leave the crates out and put food in there. That way when they see the crates, they will associate it with food.

Are these things that actually need fixing?


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

How big is your home? I have my workroom blocked off so that the dogs can't get in - with a huge cat tree, lol - and I have a bunch of comfy spots where my cat can sleep. She's fed in there too, so if she's not out getting attention, I can always find her sleeping in her room. Maybe you could do something like that, and just close the door when the people come over?


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

Could you possibly talk to her about maybe consolidating the repairs , as it makes you uneasy to have strange people in the house with you and it becomes very disruptive to you and the pets (she knows about).
It's nice that she is giving you notice though. Could you maybe confess to her about the extra kitties? I think she knows that you a taking care of her property, maybe she would be ok with it?


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

Jax08 said:


> Why do you have to hide your cats? Leave the crates out and put food in there. That way when they see the crates, they will associate it with food.
> 
> Are these things that actually need fixing?


I have to hide my cats because she thinks we only have 2 but we have 6. :c

I don't feel like these things need fixing. They're city inspectors that come by and continually want things 'fixed'. She 'seems' fed up with the inspectors but I'm paranoid that she just wants to 'check in' on us. Sighh...

I know I'm complaining. I have a lot to be thankful for but this is one of my biggest woes right now...


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## ShoshanaRVT (Dec 28, 2011)

Double check your area rental laws and city bylaws. In Ontario, Canada we are very fortunate that tenants have, "The right to companionship". We are permitted by law to keep pets as long as they do not disturb other tenants or damage property and the number and type are within city bylaws. This is even if you sign a "No pets" agreement! It's always good to know your rights. As for the kitties, perhaps put them in a feline daycare instead? With my landlord I will put all my pets in a locked room that s/he is not working in. Although my landlord knows my pets, he has a healthy respect of the Doberman and GSD on the other side of the door being less-than-impressed with the stranger stomping through their home while we're away. 

Also be thankful that your landlord actually does his/her job at maintaining your apartment!


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

ShoshanaRVT said:


> Also be thankful that your landlord actually does his/her job at maintaining your apartment!


This is very true. And thank you for the advice...


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

city inspectors? I wouldn't think they would come around unless she is on their list to check...as in maybe she owns some houses that are not up to code? Check your local ordinances. It's possible you can make them coordinate their visits.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

She is only allowed a certain number of cats if I am not mistaken. 

Zeeva: here it is bluntly....you CHOSE to keep more cats than you are allowed according to your lease. You also do not own the house and you are VERY lucky that you even get to keep pets in your rental. It's not easy. I have had friends make heart-breaking decisions to get rid of pets because they would be homeless otherwise. 

So you get to act in two ways. Either rehome the animals you are not allowed and follow the rules so that you can reduce your anxiety level. Or you can move and find another place. 

It's her house and she has every right to maintain it properly. She gives you the appropriate amount of notice in advance and seems to be very understanding. And, how many landlords even bother fixing up the rental when there is a renter already there? Most put it off until they have to polish it up before renting to a new person. 

My family and I own some properties that we rent out. No matter how much anyone begs and pleads (and even though I live for my dogs and understand how pets are family), we still do NOT allow pets in our rentals. Why? It's not worth the headache for us. The last house that was rented to a pet owner was years ago and required 10k in repairs. It's been a huge mess in the past and we don't want to repeat that again. So you will have you put yourself in your landlord's shoes and EMPATHIZE with her predicament. She is trusting a total stranger to stay in her house and care for it properly. Her house, her rules. 

I'm sorry that this situation bothers you, but you need to approach it in a logical way. You have two ways to act and you are not a prisoner to anything. Decide one way and be at peace with it. But realize that we CANNOT have it all in life. That's just the way it works.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

There may also be laws about how many animals one can keep, cats and dogs combined.
If this is the case you may not only be potentially pissing off the landlady, but also breaking a city ordinance. 
That ordinance may be part of why the landlady said you can only have X-amount of pets.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

You can come rent from me! We're either selling or renting the house out next year...


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

msvette2u said:


> There may also be laws about how many animals one can keep, cats and dogs combined.
> If this is the case you may not only be potentially pissing off the landlady, but also breaking a city ordinance.
> That ordinance may be part of why the landlady said you can only have X-amount of pets.


I never considered this. I looked it up and you're right. It's 4 total for a city nearby. Pretty sure it's 4 for my city as well because she got upset when she found out about our other doggie :c.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

DJEtzel said:


> You can come rent from me! We're either selling or renting the house out next year...


Lol you'r so sweet I think I'll just move in with you  but you're also 3 hours away


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

Zeeva you need to make a decision to either move to a place that will allow all of your animals (maybe outside the city) or rehome some of the cats. When my husband and I were renting we had to move to a house that was outside of the desired area we wanted to move in because we couldn't find a rental house in the middle of the city that would allow us to have our 3 dogs at the time,plus the many foster dogs that come through. We rented a farmhouse about 30 minutes from town,but it allowed us to have the animals,and I eventually fell in love with it so much so I wanted to buy it when we were ready to buy,but the owners didn't want to sell it. 


My point is that if keeping your animals and being LESS STRESSED is really important to you,then you need to make some decisions because no one is making you more stressed,but you.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Zeeva said:


> Lol you'r so sweet I think I'll just move in with you  but you're also 3 hours away


That's just a short drive.  You can relocate.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Gharrissc said:


> Zeeva you need to make a decision to either move to a place that will allow all of your animals (maybe outside the city) or rehome some of the cats. When my husband and I were renting we had to move to a house that was outside of the desired area we wanted to move in because we couldn't find a rental house in the middle of the city that would allow us to have our 3 dogs at the time,plus the many foster dogs that come through. We rented a farmhouse about 30 minutes from town,but it allowed us to have the animals,and I eventually fell in love with it so much so I wanted to buy it when we were ready to buy,but the owners didn't want to sell it.
> 
> 
> My point is that if keeping your animals and being LESS STRESSED is really important to you,then you need to make some decisions because no one is making you more stressed,but you.


Excellent post. 
Zeeva, I totally agree. Please try to find homes for 4 of the kitties, or move.

If you try to find homes, you could ask a local rescue to list them for you as a courtesy post.
We recently did this for a woman who's roommate moved and left behind more cats than she could care for.
She did manage to rehome, 3-4 I think. She was the contact, and did all the legwork, we just listed them for her on our petfinder page.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Gharrissc said:


> Zeeva you need to make a decision to either move to a place that will allow all of your animals (maybe outside the city) or rehome some of the cats.


 
Just want to mention I'm way outside of any big city in the middle of nowhere and we still have county limits on the number of animals. We are allowed 3 dogs unless you get a special permit.


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

I thought about it after I posted,but didn't want to make another post. It is different for different areas. Here in South Carolina,we have some pretty lienient laws in most areas as far as the number of pets you are allowed to have as long as the animals you have are being provided for.




shepherdmom said:


> Just want to mention I'm way outside of any big city in the middle of nowhere and we still have county limits on the number of animals. We are allowed 3 dogs unless you get a special permit.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

So I've contacted a few no kill shelters and left messages as well as emails hoping to partner with someone to help me find homes for my kitties. I'm wondering how long it'll take to find homes. It seems shelters are so overwhelmed these days with pets.

I also have signed up to volunteer on Saturday morning with Paws (PAWS Chicago | Chicago's largest No Kill humane and adoption organization). I'm hoping this will relieve some of my stress and give me something to do besides think all day...

I don't want to start a new thread so I'm just going to ask here. 

Can you that volunteer at rescues and shelters tell me about your experience? Do you basically clean poo all day? What are the requirements for volunteering at one? How much time commitment do you give? And most importantly does it feel rewarding?


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

City of chicago does not have pet limits, neither do unincorporated areas. Every suburb that I know of does. Has there been any complaints about the building?


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

llombardo said:


> City of chicago does not have pet limits, neither do unincorporated areas. Every suburb that I know of does. Has there been any complaints about the building?


I'm not in a building I'm in a house. Also in the suburb of Norridge...


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Zeeva said:


> I don't want to start a new thread so I'm just going to ask here.
> 
> Can you that volunteer at rescues and shelters tell me about your experience? Do you basically clean poo all day? What are the requirements for volunteering at one? How much time commitment do you give? And most importantly does it feel rewarding?


I have worked at numerous shelters and volunteered at a few too. It will totally depend on the place. At most shelters, you'll walk dogs or play with cats and only clean if you feel compelled to. Some make you schedule to come regularly on set times to do this or special tasks that you may volunteer to do. Some let you come any time in a time frame of the day. Usually the only requirement is that you sign a liability waiver, wear closed toe shoes, and aren't an idiot with animals. Again, sometimes they'll ask that you commit to a time-frame or say regularly, too. It's always rewarding though.


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## Alyalanna (May 28, 2011)

Zeeva said:


> I'm not in a building I'm in a house. Also in the suburb of Norridge...



From Village of Norridge, Illinois - FAQ's, "Q.	How many cats and dogs are allowed in each household?
A.	*A maximum of three dog and/or cats total are allowed.* All dogs/cats must be licensed. Animal license tags are renewable every May 1st. A current proof of rabies vaccination is required."


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Zeeva said:


> I'm not in a building I'm in a house. Also in the suburb of Norridge...


 
By building I mean house, apartment, etc. Look up on the city of Norridge's website to see what the rules are. Is the house your in for sale?


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

This was on the village website....

The Building Department has been performing single-family rental inspections. If you are renting a home, condo, or apartment, please contact the Building Department if you have not yet scheduled an appointment. An application, copy of the tax bill, and your drivers license is required to schedule the appointment. Failure to respond will result in a mandator court appearance.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Alyalanna said:


> From Village of Norridge, Illinois - FAQ's, "Q. How many cats and dogs are allowed in each household?
> A. *A maximum of three dog and/or cats total are allowed.* All dogs/cats must be licensed. Animal license tags are renewable every May 1st. A current proof of rabies vaccination is required."


 
3 is about the same number allowed in most suburbs of Chicago


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## Kaity (Nov 18, 2009)

Zeeva said:


> I have to hide my cats because she thinks we only have 2 but we have 6. :c
> 
> I don't feel like these things need fixing. They're city inspectors that come by and continually want things 'fixed'. She 'seems' fed up with the inspectors but I'm paranoid that she just wants to 'check in' on us. Sighh...
> 
> I know I'm complaining. I have a lot to be thankful for but this is one of my biggest woes right now...



I'm sorry, but if your landlord finds out you're keeping way over the amount of pets in their home.. don't be surprised to be evicted.

I find it EXTREMELY disrespectful of you to have FOUR more than you said. I moved into my apartment, where I had one dog, one cat. I was over the city limits, and nor my landlord or myself knew. I had another kitty, he passed away but he wasn't a problem in the apartment. 

It's safe to say a lot of us are animal lovers on here. But if you can't afford to buy a home to keep all on your pets, don't go outside of the limits. That to me, is being irresponsible and putting your pets at risk. 

As for people fixing stuff in your apartment, it happens. Ask for at least 24 hour notice, as that is legal in Canada to do.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Kaity said:


> I'm sorry, but if your landlord finds out you're keeping way over the amount of pets in their home.. don't be surprised to be evicted.
> 
> I find it EXTREMELY disrespectful of you to have FOUR more than you said. I moved into my apartment, where I had one dog, one cat. I was over the city limits, and nor my landlord or myself knew. I had another kitty, he passed away but he wasn't a problem in the apartment.
> 
> ...


 
I agree with this somewhat. Who says its fair for the suburb to set limits? The city of Chicago doesn't have a limit, so why do the suburbs? And all of the suburbs are different, so it can be difficult to keep up with. If a person is a responsible pet owner and they take care of their pets, then this should not be an issue.


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## Kaity (Nov 18, 2009)

Because they are blatantly lying about their pets. It shouldn't be a problem, if they are responsible owners. I don't think lying about the number of pets is being responsible..


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## Alyalanna (May 28, 2011)

llombardo said:


> I agree with this somewhat. Who says its fair for the suburb to set limits? The city of Chicago doesn't have a limit, so why do the suburbs? And all of the suburbs are different, so it can be difficult to keep up with. If a person is a responsible pet owner and they take care of their pets, then this should not be an issue.


I understand what you are saying but I agree with Kaity. In this case, the landlord obviously has limits and they have been exceeded by at least 4 animals. Since it is their property I think the landlord's choice to have animals or not, and to set limits or not should be respected. If the OP owned her own home then the argument about the fairness of the city/county/state to set limits on the number of pets would be more pertinent.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Kaity said:


> Because they are blatantly lying about their pets. It shouldn't be a problem, if they are responsible owners. I don't think lying about the number of pets is being responsible..


 
In this case she came from another state because her husband had to come here to secure their future. I have lied numerous times to save my animals from going to the shelter. Some rules are made to be broken, especially if its going to save a life. The OP is feeling bad for lying, the landlord doesn't know what she has. The OP had a home where they came from, so now she is in an unfamiliar place with different rules. I will cut her some slack.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

llombardo said:


> In this case she came from another state because her husband had to come here to secure their future. I have lied numerous times to save my animals from going to the shelter. Some rules are made to be broken, especially if its going to save a life. The OP is feeling bad for lying, the landlord doesn't know what she has. The OP had a home where they came from, so now she is in an unfamiliar place with different rules. I will cut her some slack.


Thanks. You said what I wanted to say but was afraid to...I don't want to start a brawl over this. I wish people wouldn't pass judgement but I also do understand where she's coming from.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Why is this conversation even happening? OP says I hide my cats, next person says you shouldn't have that many cats if not allowed, OP responds with Ok, I'm going to rehome 4 and have taken action to start the process.

And the rest of the conversation is attacking the OP on how many cats she has. Do ya'll think she has the point yet? Or should you repeat it one more time?


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

llombardo said:


> In this case she came from another state because her husband had to come here to secure their future. I have lied numerous times to save my animals from going to the shelter. Some rules are made to be broken, especially if its going to save a life. The OP is feeling bad for lying, the landlord doesn't know what she has. The OP had a home where they came from, so now she is in an unfamiliar place with different rules. I will cut her some slack.


This is one of the main reasons landlords quit renting to people with pets.

The other biggie is pets doing damage.

I think zeeva is great but whatever caused her to move with her pets is not the landlords problem.


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

Jax08 said:


> Why is this conversation even happening? OP says I hide my cats, next person says you shouldn't have that many cats if not allowed, OP responds with Ok, I'm going to rehome 4 and have taken action to start the process.
> 
> And the rest of the conversation is attacking the OP on how many cats she has. Do ya'll think she has the point yet? Or should you repeat it one more time?



Oops.


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## jang (May 1, 2011)

I lived in a small apt many years ago..the lease clearly stated "no pets"..but of course I figured I could get a kitten an no one would ever ever know..WRONG..The dang kitten sat on the back of the couch to watch the landlord trim the hedges..EVICT OR GET RID OF THE CAT..I took the eviction..kept the cat ..that I have no idea even what happened to her..the move also compleetly changed my life. ..Funny when you reflect back..What if and the like...I guess the moral of the story is to be a person who keeps her word..follows the rules..respects other peoples property...and respects oneself for doing so..


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Kaity said:


> Because they are blatantly lying about their pets. It shouldn't be a problem, if they are responsible owners. I don't think lying about the number of pets is being responsible..


 
Well then I'm one of the most irresponsible people you'll ever meet. I am 100% honest about my dogs, but I have lied about my cats...mainly because idiots keep dumping them and I end up with them permanently or at the very least a couple months. I have had to move before because I got an additional dog and I would do it again if it meant saving an animal. And I also think more people then you might think lie about the number of pets(at least cats) they have. I guess we are all irresponsible then


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## jang (May 1, 2011)

llombardo said:


> Well then I'm one of the most irresponsible people you'll ever meet. I am 100% honest about my dogs, but I have lied about my cats...mainly because idiots keep dumping them and I end up with them permanently or at the very least a couple months. I have had to move before because I got an additional dog and I would do it again if it meant saving an animal. And I also think more people then you might think lie about the number of pets(at least cats) they have. I guess we are all irresponsible then


Oh..I don't think you are irresponsible ..and I did not mean to imply that about the OP..Just sharing my life's experiences..


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

jang said:


> Oh..I don't think you are irresponsible ..and I did not mean to imply that about the OP..Just sharing my life's experiences..


 
I just saw your post...I didn't write my post about you either


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

Jack's Dad said:


> This is one of the main reasons landlords quit renting to people with pets.
> 
> The other biggie is pets doing damage.
> 
> I think zeeva is great but whatever caused her to move with her pets is not the landlords problem.


P.S. I think you're great too even though you think I'm in the wrong right now ...


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## jang (May 1, 2011)

llombardo said:


> I just saw your post...I didn't write my post about you either


COOL..:hug:


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Jax08 said:


> Why is this conversation even happening? OP says I hide my cats, next person says you shouldn't have that many cats if not allowed, OP responds with Ok, I'm going to rehome 4 and have taken action to start the process.
> 
> And the rest of the conversation is attacking the OP on how many cats she has. Do ya'll think she has the point yet? Or should you repeat it one more time?


 
I don't even think she has to rehome them...I would keep them until I couldn't any longer. That is just my opinion. But I am an irresponsible rebel cat owner


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Personally, I think she should rehome them but not because of the landlord. I think, from other posts, she needs to reduce her stress and anxiety level. And having to deal with this is creating a high level of anxiety for her. I also wish she would post more pics of her wedding because they were awesome!!


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## Kaity (Nov 18, 2009)

llombardo said:


> In this case she came from another state because her husband had to come here to secure their future. I have lied numerous times to save my animals from going to the shelter. Some rules are made to be broken, especially if its going to save a life. The OP is feeling bad for lying, the landlord doesn't know what she has. The OP had a home where they came from, so now she is in an unfamiliar place with different rules. I will cut her some slack.


Things happen. We all have to move because of one reason or another sometimes. I would personally only re-home my pets to people I knew, where I could keep up with their care, if at all. I had to move on 2 1/2 weeks notice, paid out my rent for where I was living, paid half months where I was going and had to move into a crappy place because I couldn't find anywhere else near my work that would take my pets. I said I worked with a dog trainer, the pets come to work with me and I work them while at work. Quiet dog.. puppy is being trained for service work. Most annoying responses I got were 'our place isn't big enough for two people, two dogs and a cat.'.. well, who are you to judge how much space we need and use, first of all..

My pets aren't registered with the city, but I'm within city requirements. You should always ALWAYS look up the limits for cities or you could land yourself and your landlord, in trouble. If you were put in the position of a home owner who was okay with pets, but preferred not to rent to people with pets and you found out a tenant sorta cheaped you on on it, would you be open to renting to tenants with pets again? Perhaps OP could've found temporary foster homes for her cats. If all the pets are causing her anxiety and stress for any reason, if she has a lot more going on maybe it's best to figure something out for the kitties. Yes, it's hard to re home your pets. I don't doubt that OP provides proper care for them and everything.. I think I read OP lives in a house, not an apartment or suite? If it's a whole house, maybe the landlord would have been okay with it vs. a smaller suite? I think most of us have told a fib or two to keep from rehoming our pets or to find a decent place, but if I were the homeowner, I would be a little taken aback if my tenant neglected to tell me she had four hidden cats. Hopefully she can get through it and be in a better place to home all of her animals, with the homeowners consent.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Jax08 said:


> Personally, I think she should rehome them but not because of the landlord. I think, from other posts, she needs to reduce her stress and anxiety level. And having to deal with this is creating a high level of anxiety for her. I also wish she would post more pics of her wedding because they were awesome!!


I kinda agree with this, but it can go either way. The stress of getting rid of a pet can be just as bad


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

Bear GSD said:


> Could you possibly talk to her about maybe consolidating the repairs , as it makes you uneasy to have strange people in the house with you and it becomes very disruptive to you and the pets (she knows about).
> It's nice that she is giving you notice though. Could you maybe confess to her about the extra kitties? I think she knows that you a taking care of her property, maybe she would be ok with it?


Your post made me think of something...in passing once, the landlady's father said to my husband "we don't care if you have 10 cats". I don't know how literally I can take it but I'm not the type to risk it so I'm looking to rehome rather than tell.


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## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

I share the landlord angst with you Zeeva....fortunately mine rides a Harley, plays drums in a band.......and figures since his step mom who was running the properties while he came of age (held in trust until he was 40).......never replaced any carpet since 1986....yep! 1986!

What's a few dogs and cats? 
I am not replacing the old cat though when she goes on to the next life.

The SF Bay Area once made CNN's top ten most pet unfriendly places to live in the country list. You seriously have to pay the rent/cleaning deposit/ and pet deposit which if it says "pets negotiable" that means usually about $1500 bucks cash, which is I guarentee not claimed on any tax papers when you hand over a stack of one hundred dollar bills.
Simply Amazing....it's part of the reason that I wanted an AKC Good Citizen for my dog at one time.....it's like being married; that piece of paper is darned important to insurance people and landlords.

*Sorry, that sounded really cynical but historically; being an Irish person tends to give you a basic mistrust of landlords....
Plus I've had a really long night with Alice...or an early morning.

I hope sincerely that you are doing better; I missed your other thread due to computer issues.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Jax08 said:


> Why is this conversation even happening? OP says I hide my cats, next person says you shouldn't have that many cats if not allowed, OP responds with Ok, I'm going to rehome 4 and have taken action to start the process.
> 
> And the rest of the conversation is attacking the OP on how many cats she has. Do ya'll think she has the point yet? Or should you repeat it one more time?


Ditto. 

It's also why we ended up buying because we did not want to put up with landlords any longer.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

After living in a rental where the landlord's dogs came and beat up my Libby, killed our cats, and finally attacked another one of our dogs (despite us having fenced the place, their dog jumped over the fence), and the landlord's son STOLE from us, we finally purchased our own home. 
I will never rent again as long as we can help it.


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

Zeeva said:


> Your post made me think of something...in passing once, the landlady's father said to my husband "we don't care if you have 10 cats". I don't know how literally I can take it but I'm not the type to risk it so I'm looking to rehome rather than tell.


Could you maybe talk to your landlady and tell her that you are fostering a few kitties for a friend and ask what the possibility of it being permanent? That you would be willing to give her extra security deposit?
If she says "no" then you know you will have to rehome some of them and if she says "yes" then you can go on without feeling stressed.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

We rented for a long time but did everything legit. Maybe I'm a rare one that didn't have landlord issues. We were up front about how many pets we had, how they were trained, etc. We paid a normal security deposit (equiv to one month's rent) and then an additional $100 deposit per pet. I added a few pets while we lived there and each time got permission from the landlord, added another $100 deposit, and printed out a page to add to our lease. We even proposed putting up a fence that we would pay for and not permanently attach. The drawing plan for the fence also went into the lease agreement and when we moved out (not having anything to do with the landlord) we kept our word and removed the fencing. Where we lived there was a limit of 3 cats and 3 dogs and we were never over the limit. We had our own renter's insurance which offered a minimal liability protection as far as dog bites. My dogs did a little bit of damage since I raised three puppies in that house, but our deposit covered it all and then some, so we got money back and didn't challenge any of the repairs. I allowed the landlord to use a few photos I'd taken of the house while we lived there, since I'm a clean freak and had it decorated nice and I helped them list it for rent when we moved out. No ill feelings either way and I never had to worry about hiding my pets.


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