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lcw1947

Cat Traffic

lcw1947
19 years ago

Oh my goodness. I have three cats, BabyCat, Gracie and Blackie. They sound like a herd of elephants when they get going. My entire apartment is carpeted with the exception of the kitchen and the bathroom. And they bound and race and ram back and forth. They are so funny and I love them so.

Since we are living here, I find I have to trim toenails all the time. There is no easy way to do it. Having their nails removed is not an option in the event we go back to Mississippi, they would be out door cats again.

Right now, their playing doesn't bother any one because we are the only ones in the building. And I sure hope any future tenets here are hard of hearing. hahahahaha

Do any of you have pets with you in your apartments? Do your pets pose any special problems for those around you? And how do you handle them. (The problems) I guess animals will be animals and they don't really listen when I tell them to stop running. They are so funny. Who ever would have thought that such graceful felines could walk so heavy.

Linda

Comments (12)

  • romy2004
    19 years ago

    From what I can see from your message, your building is unoccupied except for you? When you signed your lease, did it say anything about pets? Most leases are very cut and dry about it- pets are either allowed or not. If they are allowed, how many can you keep in your home? If there is no set number, don't worry about it. My suggestion is to tell your future neighbors that you have pets, and if they get a little rambuctuous, ask them if they heard anything. In other words, say something like "I hope my little babies did not disturb you last night - if so, I apologize". You don't have to seek these people out - just say it when you happen to see them. It's just a good neighbor thing, and people do appreciate that. We did it with our little kittie - she was nineteen at the time. She was not very active, but we felt it was just a considerate thing to do. None of my neighbors ever had a problem with her and felt really bad when she died at twenty years of age.

  • talley_sue_nyc
    19 years ago

    if your apartment allows pets, maybe you'll get a pet owner downstairs. I know if I heard cats over my head, it would make me smile--esp. if I knew what it was.

    If they get to rip-roaring at 11pm, I might interfere--pick one up, or something--so the downstairs neighbors can sleep. But it's not like they got for 20 minutes solid.

  • celticgal
    19 years ago

    Having lived with horribly loud upstairs neighbors, I can tell you hearing cats running upstairs wouldn't bother me in the least. Most cats do not weigh over 15lbs so, I couldn't imagine that your cats would make that much noise.

  • lcw1947
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    Hi again, Yes my lease says pets are allowed if under 30 pounds. It does say one pet. But, but but, before I signed the lease I told them I had three cats and I wrote three cats on my lease when I signed it. They said that was fine. So, far so good.

    My oldest cat, weighed 14 pounds when we flew up here last August. At that time he had been an out door cat. He has been house bound for several months now and his stately figure shows it. He is the worlds longest cat, I swear. But so beautiful. The other two weighed much less but now, all are 'gently' rounded.

    I so hate to stop them when they run and play, it's so much exercise for them. It's either that or (and the do) climb along the base of the sofa.

    There is no apartment beneath me. nor above. It's a simple building with four apartments each a flip flop of each other, with all four kitchens meeting at one corner. There are three such buildings in this project.

    And your right, my kitties do make me smile..

    LCW

  • Andy1975
    19 years ago

    If there's no one that will be living below you, then you have nothing to worry about. I have 3 cats also who like to tear it up about once or twice a day for about 15-20 minutes. My downstairs neighbor (an old woman who loves to complain) has never complained when my cats were running. She does like to bang on her ceiling when I walk to heavy, but she's never done that because of the cats (I am suprised, because mine do sometimes sound like a heard of elephants too).

  • rozzy
    16 years ago

    I was wondering if 3 cats would be too much for an apartment. Right now I have 2 cats, but thinking of getting one more. I live in an 860 sq. ft. condo that on the second floor, that we own. My 2 cats start running around between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. I have carpeted floors and I asked my neighbors below me if they can hear them running around. They said yes, but just a bit, but that they didn't mind at all because they have 2 cats of their own. My cat's energy spurts are brief anyway. So I don't need to worry. I read in Linda's comment above that she has 3 cats in her apartment. So I guess it wouldn't be a problem to have 3. What does everyone else think? How big are your apartments?

  • lcw1947
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    My apartment is very small, I think about 450 sq. ft. three cats might be a little much for such a small place. I live alone so didn't mind having to move one to sit or lie down. Since I last posted, I moved to a different apartment in the same complex. Actually I moved away for a year and have returned. this building is full. I have hard wood floors all thru except for kitchen and bathroom.

    This Senior project is since under new management and they are very hard on the tenets. They allow only one cat or one dog and then only with special terms, what ever that means. One of my cats died before I moved back over here, with kidney failure.

    I have a dyson vacumn which keeps the cat hair pretty much under control. I wish I had had it in the fully carpeted apartment. It's so worth the money. I never really felt that three cats were too much, as far as living with them. I'm very very careful of what kind of litter I use. NO ONE has ever smelled that odor here or anywhere I live. It's extremely important to stay on top of that situation.

    Go with your heart as far as the cats are concerned. Two is actually a nice number. Mine were all strays that someone had abused or left to die that I took in. I did not actively seek to have that many. And now, no, I'd never go that route again.

    Linda

  • felix_the_cat
    16 years ago

    450 square feet is very small for 3 cats. Three cats is doable, but difficult, in a 850 square foot apartment. You need a great vacuum cleaner, like a Dyson or a Miele. If you're apartment doesn't allow cats but you have them anyway, you need to make sure that they're happy and get enough stimulation. *Most* landlords will look the other way if the cats are well behaved and quiet. The key is to keep your cats undiscovered at least until you're an established, quality tenant in the landlord's eyes. If the landlord has never received a complaint about you or a late rent check, then it is unlikely that they'll complain when they discover the cat(s) in your apartment two years later when they come in unannounced to fix a leaking pipe.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Hide Your Cat

  • lori59
    16 years ago

    I would rather have a cat live above me in a good home than one let out and roam the property

  • mike_73
    16 years ago

    as a landlord and owner of two cats I second what felix said. I would not tell a tenant that a cat had to go if they had it and the cat was cared for well and the place was clean and there was no odors of the cat box or complaints. especially if it the renter always on time with the rent. Now if the place were a stinking mess and or the rent was always late that is a horse of another color all together, I would have to say something about it and give them a chance to fix the situation before I ruled the cat had to go. depending on the amount of space 2 cats is usually plenty to take care of. with two they each have a playmate to keep company with and all. more than 3 and you start and some say you are getting in to crazy cat person territory.

  • cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
    16 years ago

    If you are serious about adding a third cat remember that vertical space is counted when figuring how much room you need. Multi-level cat trees and plenty of accessible perches atop various appliances/shelving will help them quite a bit in defining different spaces.

    Your biggest problem will be where to put four litter boxes- rule of thimb is one per cat plus one.

  • lcw1947
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I do have a dyson vacumn. How ever I have laminated floors with only an area rug under my table. I do have to say the dyson is prolly one of the best investments I've made. I rarely use a broom as the dyson takes care of all. When I bought the dyson, I lived in an apartment with wall to wall in the living room and in the bed room, so it was definately heaven sent when at the time I had the three cats. One since had kidney failure and I had him put down.

    The tenets here are allowed only one cat. I use only one type of cat litter. Scoop away. I've tried many over the years and its the only one the NEVER smells. By the same token, I only use one brand of cat food.

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