I'm a student and I currently live near campus in an apartment that does not allow cats, and up until I moved here, I have lived with cats my entire life, and I've always wished I could have a cat around. At my parents house about an hour away, I have 8 or 9 cats (don't worry - we're not just crazy cat people - they are indoor/outdoor cats, plus most of them fell into our hands because they were stray/abandoned kittens, and who could turn down a lost kitten?) and I get to see them every weekend when I go home (it's usually the highlight of my weekend).
I enjoy the company of my cats more than the company of my roommate and her friends who are always over (and most people for that matter, which I guess is weird - but seriously, a lot of people are really not fun to be around, and since cats can't talk, they are never as insulting, annoying, boring, infuriating, or stupid). So I really like having at least one cat around because cats are loving, comforting, and entertaining. But since I can't have a cat in my apartment, if I were to keep one here, I would be thrown out and/or I would have to pay a crap load of money for bringing it here. Either way, I just can't have a cat. Even the apartments that do allow cats typically charge a monthly fee, PLUS a deposit (that is sometimes refundable), and it already costs enough to own a cat (litter, food, toys, etc.), plus the apartment I'm in now is the best one there is.
Anyway, I tried pet rats instead, and they were OK but certainly not the same as a cat. When I have a cat to come home to, I'm happy. If I'm stressed/angry/sad, hanging out with a cat usually makes me feel better. If I'm bored, I can try to teach it tricks or just play with it. If I have scraps from dinner, I can take joy in feeding them to my cat instead of just sending them down the disposal. Sometimes my cat even likes to watch T.V. and movies with me, and will tell me when it's time to take a break from my school work, and even wake me up in the morning. Also, depending on the cat, I could actually take it for a walk sometimes.
So as you see, a cat is almost necessary for my well-being. But I can't have one. Why? I know it could scratch things, but I'd keep its nails trimmed and have a thing for it to scratch (and of course I'd repair any damages before I moved out). And I know they can leave messes, but what's the difference if I have to get the carpet cleaned anyway? And I'm pretty sure if my cat started peeing somewhere other than the litter box, I would not let that continue because that is just ridiculous to let happen. So I'm a responsible person! If my roommate can have friends over to party every night without having to pay a deposit or a monthly fee for that, why can't I have a cat for free as well? A bunch of stupid drunk people are bound to do just as much, if not more damage to my apartment than a single cat is bound to do. So what the hell?? Why do apartments tell me I can't have a cat (or make me pay an unreasonable amount for one)?
Let me answer your question:
ReplyDelete"Why do apartments tell me I can't have a cat (or make me pay an unreasonable amount for one)?"
Because they own the apartment
You indicated that your have about 9 cats. Are they all yours? If they are, then you have a responsibility to take care of them.
FYI...1 unspayed female cat + 1 unneutered male cat are responsible for the creation of ~470,000 cats in a 7 year period (if all subsequent generations were left intact). You don't even want to know the 12 year estimations.
So get these damn cats fixed. Some animal shelter will do it for you gratis.
Given your reluctance to even pay the additional cost to have a pet in your current apartment, you probably cannot afford to care for a pet appropriately. I have witnessed far too many pets put down before their time because their owners could not afford to pay for a rather costly health care procedure or operation.
For example, my dog had to have emergence surgery to remove 12 impacted teeth. The cost, even with my pet health care insurance, was $300. My other dog had to have his annual shots, along with flea, tick and heart worm treatment. The cost was $275.00. Vets are not cheap!
My advice to you is that while you are in school, consider getting yourself a teddy bear. They are low cost and very low maintenance.
You can call me Al.
I have to agree with "AL". Pets are a great responsibility and require a lot of cash. Most college students are lucky if they can afford easy mac. Let's face facts, that job at the Taco Bell night shift can't cover pets.
ReplyDeleteI might not suggest teddy bears but perhaps wait until after college to invest in a pet when you can make some more bank or go home more often.
Prof.Chaos
Betty, you can call me Al. Isn't that the line from a Paul Simon song?
ReplyDeleteA man walks down the street
It's a street in a strange world
Maybe it's the Third World
Maybe it's his first time around
He doesn't speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound
The sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterlings and orphanages
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says Amen and Hallelujah!
If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me Al
Al -
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, the owner's ability alone to enforce a no-cat (or no-cat without fees) policy is not in itself a reason for having the policy. So try again. Second of all, I must note that having a dog is very different from having a cat - dogs are much more complicated and difficult to take care of, so it's not fair to compare cats to dogs when it comes to vet costs and such.
I never said I wanted to house all eight or nine cats. And you are wrong about your assumptions - my family owns all of the cats and they are all fixed (we only allowed one female to have kittens, which we kept, one time). The needs of every cat are always met as long as my family can afford it. And, as far as I know, we have never decided necessary health care was unaffordable, unless the cat was rather old with problems that were either incurable, or would cost hundreds or more to treat, with no guaranteed recovery (in which case, we would put the cat to sleep). And we NEVER put any cat up for adoption - although we did give one to my grandma.
Why do you assume I am not responsible? My mom worked at a vet clinic for over 15 years, and has owned cats her entire life. She is quite knowledgeable and responsible when it comes to cats (and many other pets), and I have learned a LOT from her about taking care of cats (cleaning ears, trimming nails, grooming, giving them the necessary shots/medications, feeding them properly, diagnosing and treating illnesses, bite wounds, and dental problems, cleaning up after, etc.).
Also, why do you and Prof Chaos assume that I do not have the money to take care of a cat just because I will not agree to pay extra to keep a cat in my apartment? It's not hard for me (and just about anyone who is smart enough) to spare hundreds of dollars on vet bills, but it is impossible to spare the extra accumulation of hundreds of dollars on rent. Example - I've learned from my mom how to administer all of our cats' vaccinations at home (and you don't need a day of vet school to be able to do this). Also, we have a family friend who is a vet and we get good discounts on medications and supplies, as well as basic operations such as spaying/neutering. I'm pretty savvy when it comes to dealing with veterinarians. They can be very sneaky and charge ridiculous amounts and convince pet owners to pay for treatments/procedures that are often unnecessary or fall into the DIY category (this includes everything from routine check up stuff to major blood work, x-rays to administering fluids, making diagnoses to prescribing medications, and everything that falls between).
So, as you see, I have sufficient means to take care of one cat. What I don't have is an apartment that will permit a cat. And a teddy bear doesn't look at me, make noises at me, jump on my lap, or play with string. It is not alive. Pets are not simply animated stuffed animals. They can be smart and loving, in their own ways, just like people. Not only that, but they can lower one's blood pressure and stress, and even ease depression according to some studies I've read.
A cat can practically be considered a necessity for health-related reasons. So, in that way, it could be considered criminal to prevent one from keeping a harmless cat in their home, even if that home is technically owned by someone else. Everyone should be allowed to have at least one cat if they want to, provided the renter agrees to claim all responsibility for damages and whatnot (which, for some irresponsible people, could mean replacing an entire section of carpeting/flooring).
The owner gave you an option but you refused to pay and now you whine like a little child. I once owned an apartment building and know from experience how fucked up some tenants can be. I had several tenants who fucked up the apartment and moved out at night and left no forwarding address. I am still looking for these sorry folks.
ReplyDeleteThey kept the dogs in the basement and never cleaned up the dog shit. I had to clean up a year's worth of molded dog shit. They never picked up dog shit in the yard, so there was dog shit in both the front and back yards. So when it rained you stepped in wet dog shit.
Another tenant was like you, had six cats, and dumped the litter box in the back yard and it smelled like, you know, cat shit. The cats were not de clawed so they fucked up the screen doors and walls. When these tenants moved out the place was trashed and smelled like sheep shit in shallow water.
So I started charging a fee like your landlord to cover the cost of cleaning up dog shit and cat piss. Once cats start pissing on the carpet it is completely ruined. Cats will piss on anything, including your ass. Dog are also pissers! I have two alpha dogs and they mark like crazy. They even piss on each other.
You cannot make up your own rules to justify having a pet in a restricted apartment. Pay the extra fee and get yourself a cat.
Pick up your tool kit so you can administer vaccination and perform operations. I advise you to not attempt to neuter your cats. That is some real delicate shit so leave it to the professionals or Peta might be coming after you.
I could be wrong here but I assume that are a female, because I don't know many dudes that would relish living with 9 cats.
Instead of a cat or a teddy, try getting yourself a few friends. They are relatively low maintenance. They come by and visit, most don't shit or piss on the floor or require vaccinations, and if they start acting funny or fucking up, you can always call animal control, better known as the police.
Good luck. You can call me Al.
Oh brother Al -
ReplyDeleteNo, my landlord did not give me a choice. Cats are prohibited.
Regardless of where the damage came from, landlords go after tenants for damages left. Period. So the tenants who can't take care of their cats' (or cat's) messes/destruction, get a big fat bill when they leave, and the tenants who can, get treated fairly. Not every tenant is the same. It is unfair to make them all pay for choosing to have a cat, when not all of them act as irresponsibly as the lady with 6 cats. And I'm not asking to have six cats. Just one.
You act as though it is some kind of insanity for one to vaccinate their own pets when they know how to properly administer them. What's really insane is paying up the ass for some overpriced vet clinic to do it when you can order what you need from catalogs for a low price, and easily perform the task. And I'm not an idiot - obviously neutering (or spaying, declawing, sometimes grooming, etc.) an animal yourself is NOT a good idea unless you are a professional, and have all of the proper stuff including the anesthetic, sterilized surgical tools, and the know-how (neutering, spaying, and declawing are all surgeries that require proper professional training and equipment, and it is not safe for a regular pet owner to attempt these things themselves. I've heard horror stories).
Do I sound like I don't know what I'm talking about? Of course anyone who has ever owned a cat knows what cat pee and claws can do to homes. What I'm saying is that places can get wrecked even if pets are absent. I know small children can destroy homes just as much if not more than a cat can - but you don't see extra charges being pushed because one happens to have a three year old. And yes, I will compare a cat to a child, because in many cases, people view their pets as children, particularly when they don't have real children.
Furthermore, I think it is a significant point that a cat can be, in some cases, necessary for one's well being and can be regarded as a health need physiologically and psychologically. Cats can contribute to and help maintain a person's wellness in general, which is vital for some people who have the tendency to be anti-social (or depressed, anxious, etc.) and actually are bothered by people more often than not, which isn't a crime, nor is it not understandable - people really are horrible sometimes, even those who are supposed to be friends. I've learned this first hand and sometimes, people just don't cut it when it comes to fulfilling the need for living company. Sometimes it seems like people act more like animals than animals act like animals (especially if they're drunk running around the apartment like it's a McDonald's play place). Anyway, I have a few friends but I can't have them around 24 hours a day (that would probably get annoying anyway). A cat on the other hand, I would never get sick of and I can always depend on it to be there, and never stop loving me.
And why yes, I am a female. You're going to have to explain the relevance of this, because I'm not sure I get it.
Sounds like no one gets this at all. And no one is actually paying attention to what I've said here AT ALL. I think my cat would understand this better than you people. I should have just sent this to my cat. The quality of feedback would probably be roughly the same, if not better. Hence the reason cats are better than most people most of the time. When cats fuck up, it's more easily understood because they don't know any better. Humans on the other hand supposedly know better and are smarter than animals, but they still piss on each other pretty often.
I think it is a mistake to vaccinate any animal if you are not a professional, or administer any kind iof serious medication or make your own amateurish diagnosis. Leave it to those who have gone to Vet School. By the way, love is a human emotion, so it's unlikely that they love us. There is no denying the fact that there is some degree of emotional attachment but they are after all herd animals, very much like us. By the way, cats and dogs never actually fuck up. They are just acting in accordance with their nature. The solution to your situation is simple, find an apartment that allows cats and MOVE.
ReplyDeleteMicah B,
ReplyDeleteListen to Prof Chaos and wait until you graduate to get a pet and consider volunteering at the animal shelter or cat sitting for seniors in the area. If you have depression and other mental health issues, contact the Dean of Students. You are not alone.
I have a dog and cat. I live near campus. You can come over and play with them and even walk them if you like.
ReplyDeleteEat the cats. Problem solved. Unless you are a vegetarian.
ReplyDeleteI like how no one even attempted to justify my landlord's decision to prohibit cats. Instead everyone just made me out to be a crazy, cat-loving, sociopath who sticks needles recklessly into my pets and maybe even squeezes them to death at night or something.
ReplyDeleteGosh you guys really think that "because the owner has the right to enforce such a policy" is the BEST answer? Be a little creative.
I heard allergies could be a reason because pet allergens and hair can get stuck in places all over the apartment and possibly could cause harm to future tenants with allergies, no matter how much the previous tenant cleans the place.
But everyone just sits around and figures "the owner said cats are prohibited, so there must be a good reason, but we don't care what it is", and so you all just suggest I move or go play with some other person's pet (which is a really stupid suggestion, because I want one I can come HOME to, like I stated in my original post).
Everyone is missing the point, which is that I would consider there to be a legitimate need for some people to own a pet, in some cases. What I want to know is how is a landlord truly justified in prohibiting cats for every single tenant? I happen to know many techniques that can be used to train cats and avoid letting them get in the habit of peeing/pooping in places other than the litter box. It's not my fault if there are some lazy assholes out there housing multiple pets that are allowed to shit and piss everywhere. I'm going to guess that most people who own one or two cats are probably pretty good at making sure shit doesn't get fucked up (and when it does, I'm guessing most people take responsibility).
I agree with you. I live with nine cats myself. I also know PLENTY of males who live with just as many animals. SO I am confused with Al's BULLSHIT.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I don't see what you have written as a complaint. More just as a mere contemplation on why things are the way they are. This is why I bought a place, because honestly my animals are my life, just as my messy four year old (who causes more damages than any cat I've owned.) :]