With over 42 million American households owning cats, with an average of 1.8 cats per household, it’s no wonder they are part of the family. Unfortunately, not all homes are pet friendly, and the ones with guidelines that your feline furbaby will have to adhere to.
Pros And Cons
Homeowner’s associations (HOAs) have some pretty good pros to them, but when it comes to pets, it can be difficult to understand everything they want you to conform to. There are plenty of cat rules and restrictions, and HOAs generally have a zero-tolerance policy. Every HOA may have unique rules, but these are some general rules you’ll typically find when it comes to your cat.
Read The Documentation
The most important thing you can do that’s in the best interest of your feline family member is to thoroughly read the documentation you’re given before signing it when you find a new home. There, you’ll find any pet-related restrictions and rules that come with the place. If you find any over-the-line rules, at least you haven’t signed them yet.
Pet Details
Even when an HOA claims to be pet-friendly, it will have all sorts of restrictions on what kind of pet is allowed. This comes down to fine details like your cat’s weight, height, and even breed. Some HOAs also restrict how many cats a homeowner is allowed to own.
Register Your Cat
In some HOAs where the homeowners’ properties are separated and don’t have joining walls, an indoor cat may not count towards the limit of pets. Make sure to consult your HOA representative on this, but regardless of their answer, register your indoor cat just to be safe.
Outdoor Cats
Outdoor cats, with few exceptions, count towards your pet limit. As long as they don’t get into trouble with other animals, they should be allowed to be outside.
Spayed or Neutered
Beware that some HOAs will enforce a “no outdoor pet” rule and in the past some have threatened to call animal control if they see any roamers. If your cat is allowed to be outdoors, make sure they are spayed or neutered.
Don’t Leave Food Out
Some owners may want to leave food out for their pet if it is an outdoor cat, but in some HOAs, leaving food out is a violation as it can attract stray cats. Rather, leave food just inside where your cat can get in.
Violations
As best as you might try to follow all of the HOA’s rules, mistakes can and will happen—just don’t panic. Once a violation occurs, a resident generally gets a notice of the violation with a call to action on how to rectify the problem. Just follow the instructions, and you should be able to breathe easily again.
Mistakes Happen
Despite the bad rap HOAs get, the majority only seek compliance and don’t want to make your life harder. Residents who make mistakes shouldn’t worry about immediately being kicked out. Generally, representatives are friendly or, at the very least, understanding. Try to be courteous, and they may be the same.
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HOA and Cats: Common Rules and Key Information
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