I think I mentioned that one of my roomers moved up to an apartment. This was the widow with an 8 year old who was making roughly $ 40,000 a year. She mentioned that she would like to get a cat and I told her that I would let her know the requirements should she want to move forward. Today she calls me to follow up. She want to get a female kitten for her daughter for Christmas. I have my pet registration fees and pet rent set, but I wanted to give her some requirements that I need help on. Here's what I'm coming up with:

1) Evidence that the kitten has been given all recommended shots and immunizations by her vet. I figure that I need this at inception and then annually.

2) At least 2 litter boxes provided that are cleaned daily. She has a small two bedroom apartment.

3) The cat has to be spayed. It's my understanding that female cats can be spayed as young as 8 weeks of age.

4) An inspection regime instituted by me to ensure compliance.

This apartment has VCT throughout the lower level and a carpet in fairly decent shape on the upper level. My concern is the carpet. It's been down at least 6 years or so and will probably need to be changed upon the turnover. I suspect this person will be in the unit for a long time particularly with the pet.

My registration fee will be $ 200. Pet rent will be $ 25 bi-weekly.

I would push her towards getting an adult cat, not a kitten. Everyone thinks they want a kitten but they are very high maintenance and could cause more damage. And there are plenty of adult cats that need a home.

I just had people move out who had cats (one authorized and one they brought in without permission). These people were not cleanly but there was no cat damage when they moved out. Maybe I just got lucky though? The house has all tile floors. I had a carpet ruined by dog urine though so I think you have to assume you may be replacing this carpet at move out if you allow the cat.

Kittens can be quite playful which means possible issues with running up and down curtains (if you have these). Adults cats tend to be somewhat more sedentary.

If the kitten is from a rescue it is likely to be vaccinated and spayed/neutered prior to being adopted out. My rescue group can get this done when a kitten is only about 3 pounds in weight (the 3 pounds is so they also get a rabies vaccination) and we do it when they are still so young because so many people want kittens.

Along with the litter box encourage your tenants to provide one of those small "trees" where the kitten can work on sharpening their claws (to save any woodwork). Many vets (and rescue groups) now frown on such procedures as declawing cats.

I too would suggest an older cat. There are plenty in the shelters so picking a laid back one is easy. Shelters will usually spay them and give their shots before releasing them, they also check out the the people they are giving the animal to. So if they can pass the screening there, it will be better.

If this is an indoor cat only (which is recommended) then fleas are not as much of a problem. Animals have to be outside or with other animals to get fleas, they just don't appear.

I love cat's and I'm a cat person. But if a tenant want's to get a kitten, this means trouble! Big time. I don't mind an older cat that has been house broken. But a kitten is going to make mistakes. And a person getting a cat is also going to make many errors.

If a cat box hasn't been cleaned, like that day, then a cat will make outside their litter box. Cat urine is the worst for damage and smell.

People always say, when I was a kid we had cats and dogs. Sure, their parents took care of the pets, kids seldom take on the day to day responsibility of caring for an animal.

I've never had a kitten that didn't immediately use a litter box. Kittens are great fun and really, my adult cats do more damage to my stuff: scratching and such. As kittens they didn't do this.

I would insist on spaying, and emphasize the DAILY cleaning of litter box at a minimum. Otherwise I wouldn't worry at all.

Don't ask for too many shots at once. Rabies is important. Too many shots makes them almost brain dead and they lose their personality. Happened to my poor mothers poor cat. Think about giving kids too many shots also.

Everything else sounds good and I would ask for a not spayed deposit that you will refund to her when you have a vet certificate that the cat is spayed.

"Kitten is not a problem as far as I am concerned. Some shelters try to push older sick cats with diseases that cause diarrhea"

As someone who does cat (and puppy) rescue, there are far more issues with kittens and Upper Respiratory Infections than with adult cats (even kittens who have started to have their FVRCP vaccinations). That is because kittens have more compromised immune systems at these young ages.

I personally prefer fostering adult cats. Some of the URI's in kittens are becoming more difficult to treat and it is not unusual to lose a kitten because of this. Faded Kitten Syndrome is terrible to view.

A young (say, eight to 24 month old) cat still has plenty of energy to play with a child .

Sadly, it is often the adult cats that are overlooked in shelters and these are the ones that tend to be euthanized for no reason other than they are no longer in the "appealing" kitten stage.

Gail

Our lease states NO CATS. Cat urine will dissolve nails in subfloor and the smell is almost impossible to get rid of. I would rather have a dog poop on the carpet than a cat pee on the wall.