Cats on Leashes

My home owner's association is requiring that I have my indoor-outdoor cat on a leash when he is outside. I think this is rediculous and was wondering if anyone had any experience with similar requirements.

No - but I know from experience that most cats do not take well to a leash. Does your documents specifally require cats be on a leash when outside, or is this just a "rule" the board came up with? Unless cats on a leash is already addressed in your CC&Rs, this is not a type of rule a board has authority to impose. They cannot, without members vote, impose "new" rules. Harold

The association rules state that all "pets" have to be on a leash. At the time we moved in, we logically assumed that meant dogs...cats by nature do not wear leashes...where is the logic in this? Honestly, has anyone actually EVER seen a cat on a leash? The animal has done no damage in the community, and they said the complaint was that he is a "menace to the dogs". Well, now I think I've heard it all...

I would like to know from anyone out there how to fight this...do I do a neighborhood petition perhaps? Thanks for any and all help.

Roger wrote + "the Board can create and enforce Rules and Regulations which include restrictions which amplify or clarify the Declaration."

Roger - Did you read my post? I asked Virginia if that was in her declaration, and yes the board can add rules that clarify the declarations, but if the subject in not already in the declarations, they cannot "make" a new rule without members voting on it. I'm not sure they can "amplify" a declaration. Please give me an example of amplifying" Harold

many cities are heading (or have gone) to the "all animal" leash law, requiring dogs, cats, ferrets, etc. to be leashed when in public.

Even more cutting edge are those that simply state that all animals in public must be under the physical control of their owner/handler... this allows people who carry those rats they claim are dogs in their handbags or backpacks, cats or ferrets in travel crates, etc.. leashes are physical control, "well trained" is not upheld by courts as physical control.

I for one have never understood why my dog had to be leashed, but my cat could wander all over the neighborhood and pee and poop everywhere. I think they should both be treated the same.

Most counties and cities have a leash law for both cats and dogs but for some reason, most people believe leash laws only pertain to dogs. Our biggest complaints to the HOA....barking dogs, dog owners not cleaning up after their dogs and cats using a neighbors flower bed as their litter box. We refer them to animal control as there is nothing in our documents on this to enforce.

As an owner of four cats, I can never understand why someone thinks it is o.k. for cats to run around loose outside, or why they think cats need to be outside at all. I would be devastated to find my cat dead in the road because it was hit by a car, I don't want to deal with fleas or the expense of medications, I do not want my cat getting into cat fights that require medical attention, picked up by a hawk or coyote, nor do I want them contacting feline HIV & Leukemia and everything else that is out there. Additionally, I do not want my cats killing birds and other wildlife, using the neighbors flower bed as a litter box and I especially do not want to risk the danger of my cat being hurt by humans who find it entertaining to injure an animal. I once had a cat who liked to be outside and I would keep him on a harness collar and lead in the yard. Additionally, cats can be trained to walk on a leash like a dog, just for some reason, humans refuse to believe this is possible.

Out of respect for ones neighbors and your pet, all pets when outside, should be on a leash or under the owners control and not left to roam. To do so, in my opinion, is being irresponsible.

Have I ever seen a cat on a leash? Yes....I lived in an apartment complex and every night, a guy would be walking his cat and it was on a leash.

When we had cats they were always on a leash when outside. We believe to not do so is irresponsible and you believe it is bizzare to do so. This illustrates the problem with restrictions - which ones are not reasonable? Each of us has different values based on our life experiences.

Virginia:
You have a right to have a cat, dog or any animal you want. But, along with choosing to have an animal comes the responsibilities that goes along with having the pet.
Suppose your next door neighbor chooses not to have a pet. Suppose they hate pets, do they then, have to put up with your pet being in their yard or where ever your cat or dog chooses to roam?
You said you read the documents about leashing pets, yet you decided to move into the area.
You can't move in with the understanding of the rules of the community then feel other homeowners should over look your breaking the rules.
Not meant to be critical but, you have to understand owners who do not have their own pets maybe just don't
want to share yours.

Jim:

Virginia, I recommend that you seek the advice of your veterinarian. I am 99% sure that they will recommend keeping your cat totally indoors, or if allowed outdoors, then on a leash or lead.

You have the right to own a pet but you are also required to be a responsible pet owner in respecting your neighbors and also protecting your cat. It is obvious that your cat is behaving in a manor that has created a problem or you would not have received a letter from the association.

On another note, can someone please tell me why it is necessary for a cat to be allowed to roam outside? We don't expect this of dogs and children.

I appreciate all the feeback from the HOA "experts"...my choice seems to be move, or have my cat, who has enjoyed four years in my neighborhood without any trouble, put to sleep. Two "great" options. Thanks but no thanks. Can't think of when I've gotten any worse advice.

VirginiaC: Your last post where you resorted to name calling and posted your phone number has been removed. Please don't do either on this forum.

Our posting rules (see link at top of the forum) state: "(1) Post any relevant topic you like, but please keep it clean, positive and friendly."

After re-reading every post on this thread, it's clear that no one was rude to you and people were simply politely posting opinions on your situation and trying to help. There are many helpful people here and yes many "Experts". You would be well served to review their advice because they are correct.

In a 30 second search on Google I found many articles that back up the opinions here. For example, this one by 2 veterinarians:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=0&siteid=1&acatid=214&aid=105

Here's some quotes from the article:
"And, frankly, the outdoors has many potentially dangerous situations. In fact, the average life expectancy for an outdoor cat is about 3 years, compared to twelve for an inside cat."

"Don't let cats out without a leash ... Consider teaching your cat to walk on a leash. Many cats can satisfy their desire to be outside with a daily walk."

Best Regards,
HOATalk.com Support

You do not have to have your cat "put to sleep" (kill it). Keep it indoors, it will adjust just fine.

You asked the "experts" for advice and you got it. Apperently you did not get the advice you wanted to hear. Don't be angry with the responses, you asked for them. If you want better advice, see a lawyer.

I just can't understand why anyone would make the biggest purchase of their lifetime (a house) and not read and understand any restrictions beforehand. And then complain about enforcement afterwards. And then threaten to kill the cat. I have no sympathy.

Let me tell you what I did.

At age 60+, I had never lived in a community with any CC&Rs, HOA, or regulations except for local laws. I didn't know what a CC&R was. I had heard horror stories about them, though. I have a 24' trailer boat that I wanted to keep on my property. When looking for a new home (I retired and relocated 500+ miles away), I made sure the real estate agent knew about the boat. I looked at a few properties without CC&Rs where I could do anything I pleased with the property. The neighbors already had done this; junked cars, piles of rubbish, "lawns" that hadn't been mowed for weeks, etc. I also looked at communities with CC&Rs and HOAs. Some didn't allow boats at all, some had dedicated boat and RV storage areas. When I found a house I liked, one with an obvious place to store a boat, and in a neighborhood with a few boats and RVs parked behind fences or "screening", I asked my real estate agent to get me a copy of the CC&Rs. I studied these documents very carefully over a period of several days. I decided I could live with restrictions on when the trash could be put out, what type and color of mailbox I could have, etc. Based on the other boats and RVs in the development, I felt reasonably certain that an application to move a gate and store the boat would be accepted.
Only after this study, did I make an offer on the house.

I bought the house, the application for boat storage was approved (I stored it off site until it was) and about a year and one half later I was nominated and elected to the BOD.

A person who would spend several hundred thousand dollars on something without researching it is a ............

That's the tricky part. Our welcoming committee isn't really functioning. When I moved in, there was a gentleman about my age who walked the neighborhood for exercise. He stopped by one day when I was working in my garage unpacking and introduced himself we talked for a while and had common backgrounds. A few days later he dropped by with a "condensed" version of the CC&Rs (nothing I hadn't already read). My next door neighbor on the other hand, claims that someone came by shortly after they had moved in, handed them some papers and said "here's the rules". I suspect she's exaggerating, but it's a little touchy meeting someone for the first time and "handing them the rules".

If you've got any suggestions to make it easier or more pleasant, please let me know.

Brian, Good point. One solution our community website customers use is to post governing documents on the public portion of their websites. Some communities also have exit signs with the website address so potential buyers, Realtors and owners will know what the website address is. Here's one of our customer's websites with a public Documents section: www.LakesideAtValVista.com

You will also note the Terms of Use link at the bottom spells out that the documents may not be perfect (for liability concerns).

We have the "short version" on our website and an offer to e-mail the complete set, but I suspect someone who fails to ask for a hard copy before they make an offer on a house will also fail to check the website.

We're working on new signs to notify residents of changed (holliday) trash pickup days and I thought about posting the website also. It's good to know that others are doing it.

VirginiaC,

Great post! I have been reading the responses as they have been posted and I would have to agree with the majority of what has been posted. It, perhaps may be very rare or uncommon to have or to see a cat on a leash but not Bizarre!
My CC&Rs state “all pet”. These are written in this way to eliminate any discrepancy a homeowner my have. You here about these grey areas all the time, well they didn’t say my, turtle, frog, ferret, or pigeon. It is summarized as “pets” Like the majority of the CC&R and by-laws written are not in black and white they are intended to be interpretive as a shady grey.

My opinion was confirmed after reading the article posted by HOATalk
(http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=0&siteid=1&acatid=214&aid=105)

Which I would highly recommend reading the above article. I respect your belief about the leash, but by saying you only have two choices was a bit harsh, don’t you think?
I would simple suggest keeping the cat indoors, with a liter box in the garage. You could ever put in a doggy door. To save your pet’s life, the cost, labor and difficulty of installing this door is irrelevant.
If this isn’t an option then you could simple put them on a leash, taking him/her for their daily exercise and to relieve him/herself. I wouldn’t think this would be too much of an inconvenience, to you as “cat lover”.
If you care about this cat, I would think you would use “putting the cat down”, or “too sleep” as a very last resort!

I’m sorry you feel the “advice” you were given was in your words. “Can't think of when I've gotten any worse advice”. I don’t feel these suggestions were given to you as advice they were presented to you as opinions. Never an option I would never consider what I just read to mean to “kill” or to have to move.

I feel as a homeowner having any sort of pet, would do all they could before ever even considering, death or relocating.

Save yourself a lot of heart ache and train your cat to do one of two things.
1.) Train it to walk on a leash
2.) Teach it to use a kitty litter box.

I hope you can use these options, appose to death or moving.
Best of luck
Chuck W.

And from our CC&Rs:
"SECTION 11 - Livestock. No animals, livestock or poultry shall be raised, bred or kept on any lot. Dogs, cats, and other household pets may be kept provided they are not bred or maintained for commercial purposes. Pets must not constitute a nuisance or cause unsanitary conditions. Pets must be kept on owner’s lots and will be considered a nuisance if allowed to roam on other lots or streets unless leashed."

I think it is great that someone mentioned a welcoming committee and going over the rules & regulations/bylaws. When I moved in I was stared at, monitored and the minute I did something they "thought" was wrong, they came flying over with all their books and squaking. (I had brought in wood, (baseboards) and they thought I was building something outside). No Hi, no welcome, just rude condo commando's.

It's wise to know the bylaws, know your city ordinances and then adjust to them or point it out to the accusers if they in error. We had a board dog hater at my place and she threatened many of us with fake ordinances etc... Until I copied the ordinances that she quoted.

Being a cat owner for 20+ years, they may be doing you a favor by asking for a leash rather than your cat being hurt by a car or some cat hater. There are too many mean people out there and it isn't worth the risk.

I can't believe this cat topic went 2 pages!!!

Of course the thread on dogs is longer.

dogs are better than cats.

*Ducks quickly, to avoid the flames and dirty looks*

I will be leaving now...

(in case anyone can't tell, it's a joke... I love dogs and cats equally, and in my house currently are two dogs (former fosters), and six cats (three former fosters, three current fosters).

Oh yeah, even though my cat was trapped by my neighbor, it's OK for all the dogs in the neighborhood to pee and poop on my yard. (And I'm allergic to dogs...)

You have two options here: Bring it to the attention of the HOA (provide date/time stamped photos if you can) or bring it to the attention of your county/city/town animal control department.

Keep your cat inside.