Would I be rude to sniff the floor?

Have an inspection due at my townhouse and the tenant has an illegal cat. I have inspected the place once and it all looked perfect, except for the cut in the doorscreen she tried to blame on the previous tenants, and the bent slat in the venetian blind over the sink which was obviously the cat sitting in the sun behind the blind. But, my main fear is the cat could be weeing on the floating floorboards and it will eventually stink. I am going in with the agent, do you think I could get him to take her outside and then sniff the floorboards, or failing that just do it in front of them. I think near the back door would be a good spot thinking the cat might not have been able to get out at night. Would the place be easily smelt if it had been weeing?? -without me getting down on my knees?? (I have to admit I am laughing as I write this, but I am serious)
 
Most (but not all) Cats will not wee on the floor if they are provided with fresh kitty litter. My cat's won't even even wee outside - the kitty litter is the only place they will go. The exception being undesexed males who spray.

I wouldn't stress too much. If they have a cat who wees (sprays) everywhere you will either smell it without trying or their will be a strong chemical smell, where the tenants have tried to clean it and cover it up - in which case you will probably still smell the problem without actually putting your nose on the floor. Just bend down to tie up a shoelace ;)

You could always try doing what the tenant has avoided and be upfront with them. Tell them you are aware they have a cat, and then ask them about it and inform them that you will be requiring them to sign something to ensure they leave the premises minus any pet damage (which includes smells) when they leave.
 
I like rugrat's advice. Be upfront and honest and they will probably be so relieved that they don't have to hide their cat any more they will be happy to oblige.
 
Ive had cats all my life so I know what Im talking about here. Oh, and rug rats right about the kitty litter thing.

Cats wont wee in front of the door if they are stuck inside and want to get out. They will wee behind something.... like the TV (if it is a free standing one), a cabinet, between pieces of furniture, the corner of the room, behind a box. They like to feel secure when they do it.

If the cat has been weeing on the floating floor, believe me, as a non cat owner, you wouldn't have to sniff the floor to smell it!

If the cat is toilet trained, it will always use the litter tray inside (or go outside) UNLESS the litter tray is very dirty (they dont like a dirty litter tray any more than we would like a dirty toilet).

If she is otherwise a good tennant, and the only way you can tell there is a cat is by trying to smell the floor, I'd suggest that you dont have alot to worry about. Make her aware that you know, maybe get a pet bond and make sure you go over the place with a fine tooth comb when she leaves.

Rentals that allow pets are hard to get and this tennant may stay longer than others.

I have an IP rented out to a young couple (a chef and a nurse) with 2 very spoilt cats. The place is kept immaculently, they pay on time and dont whinge.

I have another that was previously rented to a woman (a nurse) with no animals, but who had 2 feral teenage kids. She didnt pay the rent for 8 weeks the first time she was breeched, 3 weeks the second time before we kicked her out, one kid was an emo and trashed his room and I had a hell of a time getting the POT smell out of the walls and carpet and she smoked continuously and I had trouble getting that smell out too.

So on paper middle aged woman with a good established job, 2 teenage kids (supposedly working) and no pets Versus 2 adults in their early 20's, just starting out in their careers with 2 cats.

Alot of land lords would dismiss the cat owners without a second thought and go for the second middle aged woman. My experience has been to give the pet owners a go IF they stack up otherwise.
 
Ive had cats all my life so I know what Im talking about here. Oh, and rug rats right about the kitty litter thing.

If the cat is toilet trained, it will always use the litter tray inside (or go outside) UNLESS the litter tray is very dirty (they dont like a dirty litter tray any more than we would like a dirty toilet).

I am another cat lover, having had cats for all my life.

It is rare to find a cat that will not use a litter tray. As Bespoke said, they really don't like a dirty tray, and will soil elsewhere if it is not kept to their standard (which can sometimes be quite high).

I would not make a fuss at all and would definately prefer a cat owner than a baby/young child.
 
Under no circumstances get the PM to take the tenant outside while you sniff the floors or do anything else you like.

There is no way I would go outside and let a stranger loose inside my home.

You will be prime suspect if anything cannot be found in the next month or so. An accusation of theft would not be pleasant and you would be in a very vulnerable position.

If you are concerned then crawl around the floor all you like - just be sure the tenant (or PM) is not filming you to put the video on Youtube.
Marg
 
...... my main fear is the cat could be weeing on the floating floorboards and it will eventually stink. ....... (I have to admit I am laughing as I write this, but I am serious)

Fernfurn

IMHO - You are stressing yourself!!!

If the cat is weeing on floorboards you will be able to smell the 'urine odour' without getting down on the floor.

The odour of urine INCREASES as it comes into contact with air IMHO.

I would expect the kitty litter area eg. laundry may be a bit 'wiffy' but if floor tiled, this will be OK.

Tell the tenant the rental agreement will be updated next time to include pets clause and they are responsibile for any pet damage, of course rent will have to go up too [ but don't mention rent going up ]!!!


Regards
Sheryn
 
Have an inspection due at my townhouse and the tenant has an illegal cat.

Just re read your first post.

An illegal cat ?.................. I have images of a cat dressed in black with a black balaclava, darting furiously about the place as it smuggles itself (on a fake passport) and its illegally imported sardines into the house.:D


Sorry, I'm in a silly mood this afternoon.
 
If you are concerned then crawl around the floor all you like - just be sure the tenant (or PM) is not filming you to put the video on Youtube.
Marg
Was thinking along the same lines.

What would you say if the tenant walked back in and caught you on your knees sniffing the floor, lol? Suppose you could always say you have a floor fetish.

Regards
Marty
 
just don't be caught sniffing the chairs ... :D

i'm with the mob here ... if the cat is messing then you'll be able to smell it the instant you walk in, otherwise it is a well behaved and looked after cat. let it be. have the pm let the owner know they suspect there is a cat, that it is okay to stay but you will require a cat bond to be paid.
 
Why not just ask for a slight rent increase and let them keep the cat openly? I've got 4 cats and I can promise you, provided you keep clean litter for them they will use it. They are clean animals by nature and will only go elsewhere if forced to or sick. My 15 year old is very sick and he misses the litter - even then, he always pees in the litter.
 
I've had a few cats over the years and have always got rid of the kitty litter after a few weeks, by training them to use it inside first and then outside, before removing it altogether.

My cats will meow and scratch at the door to be let outside to pee, and in the event that I don't (they'll meow till I do :rolleyes:) or get locked in, will hold on for hours or go on the laundry or bathroom drain. I figured this must be because they smell earth???

If the house does not smell like pee, I'd say it's because these cats don't want to pee in the house. A trained cat would get very distressed if not allowed to go where it is used to going.
 
My tenants have oodles of cats and dogs inside - the people are making more mess than the animals. The animals stay in the tiled rooms with litter trays and run of the backyard (which has patches that look like a cat toilet, but whatever). The people have spilt drinks in the carpeted rooms, not a good look.

And I'd agree about cats vs kids, my toddler pees on the carpet and the cat goes outside. My partner sheds far more hair than the cat. I'm forever cleaning up toddler-induced stains on the carpet - the worst the cat does is leave the occasional half-rabbit around the house ...
 
I have seen a few agents on their hands and knees sniffing the floor before lol. There is a device that people in the industry have that detects urine easily.

I went in a house last week that had been vacated and stank to death of urine, the tenant had one of those invisible cats lol.

Anyway the owner and agents were both crawling around trying to locate the source of the very strong smell. I took the urine meter along and after probing every square inch of the place finally found a very small patch of urine. About the size of a dinner plate but it went through every room in the house and was so strong that nobody could tell where it was coming from.

The problem was fixed and came out of the tenants bond as did the flea treatment that was needed for his invisible cat.
 
so your worried about a cat , an illegal cat ? this is in no way being childish in my remarks but grow up! and think of the big picture! so what! if there is a cat peeing in the floors , you have somone paying off your mortage, they don't know what you are trying to achive, but you do, having folks in there for ten years might give you ?? $300,000 in capital gains , and your worried about a cat? think bigger... ? move on........:rolleyes:
 
Back
Top