Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Real Estate > Renting
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 01-28-2012, 11:57 PM
 
7 posts, read 11,488 times
Reputation: 11

Advertisements

For the past 2 years we have been renting out our parents home to finance their nursing home bills. The nextdoor Neighbor (who is wheelchair bound) has been a friend of our parents since moving there 25+ years ago.

The Neighbor has cats. A lot of them. My parents never complained because they didnt want to cause problems. However, the Tenant (our 2nd) has complained since moving in about the urine smell from the cats. We have done everything we can think of to deter the cats from coming into our yard with no success. The Tenants declined the offer of humane traps.

A call was received from Neighbor. Allegedly, Tenant shot and killed 2 of the Neighbor's cats. Only hearsay as to who pulled the trigger - but judging from the number of complaints from Tenant, not unlikely it was them. Other neighbors have been there 20+ years with no issues w/the cats. When I tried to suggest that possibly there are too many cats in the neighborhood, nextdoor Neighbor got very upset.

Neither party has 'clean hands' in this. Neighbor is a cat hoarder and the cats come onto our rental property and spray. Tenant is tired of it. If I call the humane society (I am a former employee!) they will come and take Neighbors animals and possibly condem their home. If we evict the Tenants we wont have the funds for parents nursing home.

Thoughts? Suggestions?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 01-29-2012, 12:10 AM
 
1,378 posts, read 4,342,106 times
Reputation: 1767
If there are that many cats I think you should call the Humane Society. It is not a healthy environment for the cats, their owner or your tenants.

Are your parents in such a state they could receive and understand a call from your neighbor if he were to call them and complain you did something to his cats? About how many cats does he have? Does he live alone or have family you could talk to?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-29-2012, 02:22 AM
 
17 posts, read 47,472 times
Reputation: 25
Does your "cat neighbor" provide litter boxes INSIDE his own home for the cats that seem to be around and "his", or does that cat neighbor just feed them all and many of them are feral?

Does the cat neighbor take care of any veterinary needs of these cats or are they just running loose, mating, making kittens, and spraying and leaving their poops all over the neighborhood?

Cats spray, and that smell is strong and stinky. Your tenant has a right to complain and expect something to be done. Your tenant has the right to call the humane society himself, as well.

I'd suggest *you* call the humane society. As Braves Fan said, it's not healthy for the cats, the cat neighbor or your tenant, and you are contributing to the problem by not actively addressing it.

If the cat neighbor's home is in such a state as it may be condemned, then it's not likely a safe place for that person to live, especially if he is in a wheelchair and things are as bad as I'm reading into this.

If something happened, a fire or an accident that took the life of your wheelchair bound neighbor, I think you'd feel terrible. While we are generally not, really, strictly speaking, in this day and age, our brother's keeper, we DO share the planet and are all interconnected in the big scheme of things.

You and your parents' long-time relationship with the cat neighbor begs the question of his needing help of some kind, and that should count for something to be done on this neighbor's behalf.

If you do nothing, the cat neighbor remains in a house that should be condemned because of hoarding and safety issues (I'm guessing), you are perpetuating the problem of cats, cats getting shot, and you risk losing a tenant which apparently you cannot afford to do because the rental income helps pay for your parents' nursing home.

Why on earth would you EVICT the tenant? Because he (rightfully) complained about the smell of cat spray/pee and the number of cats? That may land you in big trouble with the court system if the tenant wanted to take you to task for an illegal eviction.

Doing the right thing can be difficult. Sitting back and doing nothing, hoping the problem will solve itself one way or another, is easy but not really right.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-29-2012, 06:23 AM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,424,020 times
Reputation: 26726
I'm appalled that your tenant would shoot and kill the cats or that anyone would even be allowed to shoot a gun in a neighborhood without repercussions. Before casting stones at the neighbor, I would want to have a lot more information before suggesting that the humane society or anyone else be called. You had a previous tenant who obviously had no problem with the cats, other neighbors have no problem with the cats ...

Without knowing exactly how many cats the neighbor has and whether they're fixed or not, any suggestion of "hoarding" has to be held in abeyance. Some consider more than one cat to be too many. A suggestion to rush in and call the authorities based upon not just one person's objection but his allegedly having gone so far as to shoot two of them is cruel and unreasonable. As long as the other neighbors have no problems with the cats, I would get rid of the tenant as quickly as possible and find another whose solution doesn't involve shooting or otherwise killing someone's pets.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-29-2012, 07:53 AM
 
Location: NJ
17,574 posts, read 45,971,621 times
Reputation: 16266
Quote:
Originally Posted by Landlord93906 View Post
Neighbor is a cat hoarder and the cats come onto our rental property and spray. Tenant is tired of it. If I call the humane society (I am a former employee!) they will come and take Neighbors animals and possibly condem their home.
Seems pretty clear to me. You know there is a problem and aren't doing anything about it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-29-2012, 08:19 AM
 
27,204 posts, read 46,522,862 times
Reputation: 15656
I would cal Humane society.....this is also creating health issues forth cat owner as well as for your tenant and property.

The cats might get a better suitable home...win, win situation. You need to act and do something!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-29-2012, 08:43 AM
 
10,746 posts, read 25,861,673 times
Reputation: 16022
We used to shoot feral cats and dogs all the time. But, that was when we lived in farming country and they were killing our livestock...food off my table and money out of my pocket.

Anyway...call the humane society and get those cats under control...if I was the tenant ( and no I wouldn't shoot them ) I set humane traps and turn them all in to animal control where they can be spayed, neutered, put down and found a new home.

Evict your tenant? On what grounds? He doesn't want to smell cat **** ( which when from an unaltered male is unbearable) or have cat crap all in his yard? Not to mention the diseases that are and can be spread by these cats.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-29-2012, 10:04 AM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,424,020 times
Reputation: 26726
Quote:
Originally Posted by bentlebee View Post
I would cal Humane society.....this is also creating health issues forth cat owner as well as for your tenant and property.

The cats might get a better suitable home...win, win situation. You need to act and do something!
There is no indication that the cats are causing any health issues. A "more suitable and better home" away from the elderly handicapped person who cares for them (since there is nothing to assume otherwise)? Too many assumptions.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kim in FL View Post
We used to shoot feral cats and dogs all the time. But, that was when we lived in farming country and they were killing our livestock...food off my table and money out of my pocket.

Anyway...call the humane society and get those cats under control...if I was the tenant ( and no I wouldn't shoot them ) I set humane traps and turn them all in to animal control where they can be spayed, neutered, put down and found a new home.

Evict your tenant? On what grounds? He doesn't want to smell cat **** ( which when from an unaltered male is unbearable) or have cat crap all in his yard? Not to mention the diseases that are and can be spread by these cats.
These are obviously not feral animals and no assumptions can be made as to whether or not they are spayed/neutered unless there are continual litters of kittens adding to the mix. We don't even know how many cats there are!

One complaint from one tenant in years of nobody else making a murmur and a whole bunch of assumptions are being made based on one post. Good grief.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-29-2012, 10:16 AM
 
16,376 posts, read 22,356,267 times
Reputation: 14391
Why are you the "police" of neighbor disputes?

Leave this alone and let the neighbor and tenant deal with it. No way should YOU call the humane society. You can (if you choose to) suggest to the tenant that one of the many options they have is to call the human society. They could also research sprays or moth balls or products that pets stores might sell to deter cats. Or spray them with a water hose.

What's next, if someone 3 doors down plays basketball hoops in their driveway past 10PM, are you going to have to fight the battles of the tenant then?

Since you have no proof that those cats were shot by the neighbor, you really should just leave that whole issue alone. You are not the police and if the neigbor wants to call the police about his cats being shot, then he is free to do that. Maybe, however, the neighbor will decide to keep the cats indoors if someone is shooting them. Again, this is something that the neighbor and tenant are going to have to deal with in their own ways. Don't rush to judgement and assume the tenant shot the cats, just because they have been complaining about them.

Who cares what the neigbor is complaining about...it isn't your problem to solve all his problems.

My suggestion....play dumb and ignore these issues and let them be big boys and girls.

Last edited by sware2cod; 01-29-2012 at 10:55 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-29-2012, 10:29 AM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,424,020 times
Reputation: 26726
Quote:
Originally Posted by sware2cod View Post
Why are you the "police" of neighbor disputes?

Leave this alone and let the neighbor and tenant deal with it. No way should YOU call the humane society. You can (if you choose to) suggest to the tenant that one of the many options they have is to call the human society. They could also research sprays and such that pets stores might sell to deter cats. Or spray them with a water hose.

What's next, if someone 3 doors down plays basketball hoops in their driveway past 10PM, are you going to have to fight the battles of the tenant then?

Since you have no proof that those cats were shot by the neighbor, you really should just leave that whole issue alone. Maybe, however, the neighbor will decide to keep the cats indoors if someone is shooting them. Again, this is something that the neighbor and tenant are going to have to deal with in their own ways.

Who cares what the neigbor is complaining about...it isn't your problem to solve all his problems.

My suggestion....play dumb and ignore these issues and let them be big boys and girls.
The neighbor isn't complaining - the OP's tenant is. A hose is an excellent deterrent but since the tenant has already allegedly taken the matter into his own hands and shot and killed two of the neighbor's cats I don't think he's going to go for the hose routine ...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:

Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Real Estate > Renting
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top