Potential for a long term cottage rental...but

[The Farmers Daughter]

I have the potential for a long term cottage rental of at least 1 month and possibly 2 months. This works out to be about a consistent $85 per day.
It sounds good. A single professional woman who is relocating to the area and buying a home.
Now here is the problem. She has 2 cats. Has anyone ever done a rental with cats? Looking for pros and cons so I can make a decision. Thanks all!

 

[Morticia]

Can she board the cats nearby? Here's why...the cats may never have traveled before. They don't know the territory. They may decide to mark the territory. They may be anxious while she's out all day. Which may lead to clawed furnishings. (OH, that chocolate velvet couch!)
It's a good deal to get the rental but the cats would be a no go for me unless they were not in residence.

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

Can she board the cats nearby? Here's why...the cats may never have traveled before. They don't know the territory. They may decide to mark the territory. They may be anxious while she's out all day. Which may lead to clawed furnishings. (OH, that chocolate velvet couch!)
It's a good deal to get the rental but the cats would be a no go for me unless they were not in residence..

Can she board the cats nearby? Here's why...the cats may never have traveled before. They don't know the territory. They may decide to mark the territory. They may be anxious while she's out all day. Which may lead to clawed furnishings. (OH, that chocolate velvet couch!)
It's a good deal to get the rental but the cats would be a no go for me unless they were not in residence.

I would cover the furniture with slipcovers. The good kind, but spraying is a worry. You can't get that smell out without extraordinary measures. I have considered having a professional outfit come in afterwards. The kind that clean apartments after longtime rentals.

 

[Morticia]

Can she board the cats nearby? Here's why...the cats may never have traveled before. They don't know the territory. They may decide to mark the territory. They may be anxious while she's out all day. Which may lead to clawed furnishings. (OH, that chocolate velvet couch!)
It's a good deal to get the rental but the cats would be a no go for me unless they were not in residence..

Can she board the cats nearby? Here's why...the cats may never have traveled before. They don't know the territory. They may decide to mark the territory. They may be anxious while she's out all day. Which may lead to clawed furnishings. (OH, that chocolate velvet couch!)
It's a good deal to get the rental but the cats would be a no go for me unless they were not in residence.

I would cover the furniture with slipcovers. The good kind, but spraying is a worry. You can't get that smell out without extraordinary measures. I have considered having a professional outfit come in afterwards. The kind that clean apartments after longtime rentals.
.

Would that be worthwhile for you then? If you have to pay for deep cleaning?

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

Can she board the cats nearby? Here's why...the cats may never have traveled before. They don't know the territory. They may decide to mark the territory. They may be anxious while she's out all day. Which may lead to clawed furnishings. (OH, that chocolate velvet couch!)
It's a good deal to get the rental but the cats would be a no go for me unless they were not in residence..

Can she board the cats nearby? Here's why...the cats may never have traveled before. They don't know the territory. They may decide to mark the territory. They may be anxious while she's out all day. Which may lead to clawed furnishings. (OH, that chocolate velvet couch!)
It's a good deal to get the rental but the cats would be a no go for me unless they were not in residence.

I would cover the furniture with slipcovers. The good kind, but spraying is a worry. You can't get that smell out without extraordinary measures. I have considered having a professional outfit come in afterwards. The kind that clean apartments after longtime rentals.
.

Would that be worthwhile for you then? If you have to pay for deep cleaning?
.

I have to look into costs for that

 

[wendydk]

Can she board the cats nearby? Here's why...the cats may never have traveled before. They don't know the territory. They may decide to mark the territory. They may be anxious while she's out all day. Which may lead to clawed furnishings. (OH, that chocolate velvet couch!)
It's a good deal to get the rental but the cats would be a no go for me unless they were not in residence..

Can she board the cats nearby? Here's why...the cats may never have traveled before. They don't know the territory. They may decide to mark the territory. They may be anxious while she's out all day. Which may lead to clawed furnishings. (OH, that chocolate velvet couch!)
It's a good deal to get the rental but the cats would be a no go for me unless they were not in residence.

I would cover the furniture with slipcovers. The good kind, but spraying is a worry. You can't get that smell out without extraordinary measures. I have considered having a professional outfit come in afterwards. The kind that clean apartments after longtime rentals.
.

Would that be worthwhile for you then? If you have to pay for deep cleaning?
.

$85.00 per night for a month and maybe two? That's alot of moola!

 

[EmptyNest]

As much as I like cats, I would be very hesitant here. Yes cats are pretty much self sufficient but....Cats in a strange environment could do all sorts of damage. And..if she is not with them say for hours at a time..watch out. Using your furniture as scratching posts, fur balls, possible spraying to mark territory, use of carpet as a litter box???, plus the dander issue for future guests which would require a really deep cleaning. Is it really worth it???

 

[JBloggs]

Every rental in our newspaper says boldly NO PETS. Not sure why an upscale lovely B&B should be lower than a normal rental. Just mentioning for what's its worth. People have a heckuvatime finding a rental to accept pets and they usually sneak them in.
I know for us here, our cat is the worst offender in the family, and she is a very tidy cat. She still pukes up fur balls from time to time anyplace she wants to, and it eats away the wood finish, destroys rugs and fabric on furniture. We love her still. She is family, 16 years old.

 

[Copperhead]

Check the cost of that deep cleaning and make sure they have the means to remove pet dander and make sure they GUARANTEE there work! Then charge at least that amount (plus any down time) as a pet fee.
This is highly important. I recently have read and heard on TV (think it was Dr. Oz but don't qoute me) that cat dander will linger up to 90 days...
CASE IN POINT - A MUST READ: That info brought me back a few years ago when a fellow innkeeper told me he had found evidence of cat in his cottage after the guest had checked out. He did not allow pets. He said he cleaned the place from top to bottom (since cats like to climb, nothing is out of reach). Two months later, and after many other guests and cleanings, a person with a cat alergy checked in. Minutes after entering the cottage her eyes turned beet red, started watering and she ran outside. When he rejoined her she said 'A cat has been in there'....needless to say it was not a pleasent experience for him.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

FD, just make sure you're covered for and deep cleaning charges. Get a generous deposit that is not refunded until after checkout. And yes, get the slipcovers. Maybe even invest in a cat tower to keep the cats busy.
As an innkeeper, I always prefer not having to deal with guest's pets. Pets are generally just not very inn-friendly for reasons we all understand.
But when I came back to American after living in Central Asia many years ago, I had my cat with me. He was not at all destructive and I still have the warmest memories of the innkeepers who welcomed him as we made our way west.
As LB says, that's a lot of moola. Especially right now. Personally I'd be tempted to find a way to work it out.

 

[Morticia]

Check the cost of that deep cleaning and make sure they have the means to remove pet dander and make sure they GUARANTEE there work! Then charge at least that amount (plus any down time) as a pet fee.
This is highly important. I recently have read and heard on TV (think it was Dr. Oz but don't qoute me) that cat dander will linger up to 90 days...
CASE IN POINT - A MUST READ: That info brought me back a few years ago when a fellow innkeeper told me he had found evidence of cat in his cottage after the guest had checked out. He did not allow pets. He said he cleaned the place from top to bottom (since cats like to climb, nothing is out of reach). Two months later, and after many other guests and cleanings, a person with a cat alergy checked in. Minutes after entering the cottage her eyes turned beet red, started watering and she ran outside. When he rejoined her she said 'A cat has been in there'....needless to say it was not a pleasent experience for him..

Dander lasts years. Granted, in a confined space it's easier to clean up, but overall an animal in your home for the standard lifespan of a pet, means 2 years before you've gotten it all cleaned up. (Of course these cats are not staying for a lifetime and a lot depends on how clean the cats like to be, the cleaner the cat the worse the dander.)
The whole litter box and spraying thing is why I don't take cats.
BTW, that cat allergy, the previous guest could have been a cat owner. It didn't have to be from so long ago. I find a lot of dog hair and cat hair stuck to guests' suitcases and coats. You know that's all ending up in the room, too.
For all the guests who say they have extreme allergies, don't put them in the dog room, there is no way I can tell pet owners to clean their belongings before they come here and sit in the dining room with Fluffy and Fido all over them. The actual pet would be worse, but the clothing can make me wheeze.

 

[seashanty]

this is in the cottage? is the cottage usually a pet zone?
can you switch out the furniture, removing any special or pristine items for the duration, while the cats are in residence? maybe the woman would want to put a few of her own things in there since it's for a month or even more?
some cats don't claw furniture. my daughter has a cat that claws nothing. but some cats do claw and they destroy their chosen chair(s) and they mark.
for that money i would want to try it also.

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

Update: I got my first quote today for deep cleaning to remove dander and urine with a garantee .... $700 - $1000. . . . YIKES!

 

[JBloggs]

Update: I got my first quote today for deep cleaning to remove dander and urine with a garantee .... $700 - $1000. . . . YIKES!.

Update: I got my first quote today for deep cleaning to remove dander and urine with a garantee .... $700 - $1000. . . . YIKES!

I was telling DH about Ryan Air charging for toilet privileges onboard their flights, he wants to fly them and wear a diaper and right before landing when they come around for the trash to take it right off then and there and plop it into the bag the attendant is holding out.

Just to tick them off.
All that to say, NO KIDDING! Put those cats in diapers and you will be good to go.
I have a room sized 200 year persian rug rolled up and folded in half in the basement from our 'full figured fella' who had bladder problems the day he left us. I cleaned it and cleaned it with special solutions, and when the humidity rolled around - barely any as the a/c is always on in summer - I could smell that smell and I was gagging, so it took two of us to roll it up and will have to bring it to a special rug place to clean. This is not the rug the carpet cleaner came in and cleaned while he was here...oh no.
All that to say - cat urine odor is not something that easily goes away, esp male cats or those with diabetes or bladder ailments. ...and yes our bedroom is wood floor only, no rug now.

 

[Copperhead]

Update: I got my first quote today for deep cleaning to remove dander and urine with a garantee .... $700 - $1000. . . . YIKES!.

WOW!!!! Hope you get something more reasonable. You think they were just testing you to see if you would jump? BTW, how big is this cottage? Dang, I think I am in the wrong business!

 

[egoodell]

I would ask if the cats are declawed. If not, a large damage deposit in case you have to replace drapes or furniture. Unless she crates them during the day when she is gone...
Riki

 

[YellowSocks]

You might also want to consider... in many states (not sure about yours, but it applies in both Ohio and Maryland) when you have a rental longer than 31 days the law changes from lodger/hotel to tenant/landlord relations. This can have significant impact if you have no lease and have a disagreement... eviction is a difficult process that must follow certain steps by law.
In Ohio, stays longer than 30 days are exempt from lodging tax. So, the No Tell Motel in town (happily, now gone) had policies that after 30 days you had to check out (or at least, check out of one room and check into a different one...).
It's probably not a real issue, since she's probably exactly what she's presenting herself as... a professional in need of a couple of months. But you should be aware of it anyway.
=)
Kk.

 

[JBloggs]

I thought of this thread at 3am when our cat went on a hairball spewing frenzy throughout our room and family room. I got up just in time to step in it. Man that cat can hurl.

 

[MTLLodge]

I have heard that if you give a cat the oil from a can of sardines once a month this will help with hair balls. It must work cause I haven't seen any hair balls from Tom Sawyer.

 

[EmptyNest]

I have heard that if you give a cat the oil from a can of sardines once a month this will help with hair balls. It must work cause I haven't seen any hair balls from Tom Sawyer..

My cat gets some furball stuff almost every day and he still has them. This time of year I notice more often because he is inside most of the time. I have a friend who keeps a big open jar of vaseline on the floor so her cats can lick it. She said it helps with furballs. Sounds bad to me..no flavor appeal. The Hartz furball stuff I use at least has a salmon taste to it ..and yes I just looked...petroleum jelly is part of it.
Speaking of cats...did you all see this video?