Apartments and Declaw Rules...rant

novemberflowers

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I will be starting a new job, so I am apartment hunting in a new city and called "cat friendly" apartment after "cat friendly" apartment and they all said they require declawing...it's so ridiculous that, while my cats are trained to scratch their scratching posts, apartments would still impose that rule. And if, god forbid, the cat scratches the wall or something, would the pet deposit and extra-charge-per-month in the rent cover the repair?

Anyway, the story will have a happy ending though because I expanded my search and found a couple of great possibilities that are truly cat friendly....I'll drive a little farther to work, but the cats will be happy.

I wonder if there has been any progress made in the big picture about educating people about declawing....it just seems like it is so normal and necessary to most people.
 

jen

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you could also see if they allow you to put soft claws on the cats instead of declawing them. then you can leave them off unless your land lord comes and visits or something lol. Have a set or two handy just in case.
 

EnzoLeya

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You are very right about people thinking it is completely normal. Almost everyone who I have spoke with about the kitties have been flabergasted that they still have their claws. "What!!! But they'll scratch you and tear up everything!"


I will admit that I'm very thankful for finding TCS because my kitties would be declawed
I had no idea what a horrible surgery it is!

As for the apartment thing. I can't believe they EXPECT you to declaw your cat! What are they going to do to the apartment?! Enzo did tear up the carpet a bit in our last apartment, but that was because it was cut and matched up badly. The vaccume went over it a few time and started pulling strings and Enzo thought that was the best toy!
 
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novemberflowers

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It seems like apartments requiring declawing is a geographical thing (and by geographical, I mean it seems to vary city by city)....in my current area, I didn't run into that problem at all....in the area where my new job is, I was running into it a lot...then I went south a little, and I found most places did not require it. I made it clear to the management that required it that I would not rent from them just because of that issue.

I don't know how they would even check that (I wouldn't let them mess with my cats to look at their paws), but I am scared of signing a lease and then the management telling me I need a vet letter that they are spayed and declawed or something. It would be interesting, though, to see how they would respond to a little education about Soft Paws.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by novemberflowers

I don't know how they would even check that (I wouldn't let them mess with my cats to look at their paws), but I am scared of signing a lease and then the management telling me I need a vet letter that they are spayed and declawed or something. It would be interesting, though, to see how they would respond to a little education about Soft Paws.
you could download some of the pix of the kitties here who have them on, so they could see them. also have a few loose ones with you to show them how they work.
 

urbantigers

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I'm glad you've found a truly cat friendly apartment


It's possible though that some of the landlords and agencies that require declawing just don't fully understand what they are asking. Maybe a bit of education might result in a change of mind?
 

littleraven7726

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My experience is it does vary from city to city. The city I live in now, a few require declawed cats, but definitely not the majority. Most just require spay/neuter and up to date shots. One of the more expensive places also requires a giant pet deposit and pet rent.
Our current LL only asked about rabies vaccinations. Which I keep up to date due to county law. The previous city we lived in, everyone required declawed cats.

As for educating the management companies. Good luck. They usually don't budge on pet policies.

My cats were declawed by previous owners, so it's not an issue for us. I do feel bad for people who don't want to declaw and live in cities that are so pro-declaw.
 

kelicat

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My Dh and I just rented our old house out, the prospective tenants at the time when they applied, we clearly apprehensive to tell us they had 4 cats. They asked if the house was "cat-friendly". My DH, ever the kidder, tells them "Well the cats won't get hurt in it I don't think"
LOL, idiot.... Anyway, I was pleased when they said that one of the cats was declawed, but they thought it was too "mean" what that cat when through, so the other three weren't and they'd really rather not do it.


Long story short, we told them it was just fine
Hopefully someday, everyone will catch on....
 

beck4582

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I agree about asking about softpaws. I have them on Pepper and she can't hurt the carpet, but she can still climb into her cat tree...
 

ekekekek07

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my complex requires declawing, but my landlord did not mention it at lease signing. i told her i was planning to adopt and she said i'd have to remove that cat when the exterminators come b/c i have a studio apartment. there's no where safe for the cat. she did not mention the declawing. a few weeks later, i contacted her and told her i was adopting and she said she'd get me the addendum, but gave me permission to adopt. my cat was adopted before i received the addendum, and i was very upset about the declaw rule. i have not declawed him and I WILL NOT DECLAW HIM.
 

jcat

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Originally Posted by laureen227

you could download some of the pix of the kitties here who have them on, so they could see them. also have a few loose ones with you to show them how they work.
Good idea! This whole business about only allowing declawed cats really burns me up. We live in Germany, where declawing is illegal, and also rent out a house and some apartments. We have tenants with kids, dogs, and cats (with claws), and the cats definitely do the least amount of damage.
 

jack31

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Although I haven't come across the declawing issue--my husband and I are having a terrible time finding a house to rent that allows pets at all. We've only had Jack about 4 months and we refuse to give him up just to rent a house. I think some people would be surprised to know that pets do a lot less damage than children.

Leslie
 

strange_wings

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^ When my father first started dating his now wife, her kids were younger and she didn't have the best control over them... one daughter had ripped the door off her bedroom and the son had several holes stabbed, punched, and kicked into the walls. (ADHD terrors - thankfully the two have went on to become more responsible. Step brother is going into the army
)

That certainly makes a bit of scratching look harmless. Keep looking for homes. In a more rural community it's usually more acceptable for people to let their cats outside so you may find homes that the owners are expecting that and wouldn't require you to declaw. You may have to drive a little bit, but you may be able to find a larger home for a bit cheaper. DH and I are renting from family right now, so we're lucky. We're hoping to buy soon as we will not have anyone telling us what we can and cannot do with our pets. (and we want snakes
)
 
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