How many times as an inspector or real estate agent do you go to a home and find a note about the pets? The most prevalent is not to let the cat out. Dogs are almost always taken away or crated.
Funny thing is most of time you never see the cat. It is cowering under a bed or closet somewhere in the house afraid of all commotion and strange voices. Once in a while you get one that is quite social and hangs around the whole time being cute.
The other day I was inspecting a small one floor condo which had a small section of basement at the front of the unit. There was the cat note on the door when I arrived. It said there were two cats inside.
After we got in the house one of the cats cautiously came out and became very friendly. Progressing through the inspection the where abouts of feline number two became a topic of conversation. Eventually there was a search mounted in case the scaredy cat had some how slipped out the door.
After some looking around under beds and in closets no cat was to be found. There was one place that had not been checked, the basement.
One of the agents said with a shudder there was a place in the basement where she was fearful the cat might be. We all went down stairs and went over to a large covered object against the wall. I pulled back the cover and saw this.
We never did find the cat and that snake had a mysterious lump in his belly.
Jim, LOL, lets hope not!! I went into a house that was full of snakes once, the agent was trying so hard to get the owner to put them elsewhere. No such luck... took a long time to sell that sucker, most buyers ran out of the house screaming!
Creepy thought! I had an agent friend who had a lawsuit over a cat that got out during a showing and was found dead the next day. That was a nightmare.
Cats are the most elusive of the showing creatures we have to deal with. The notes on the door can sometimes be confusing. Once in a home with two cats we encountered a note that said don't let the inside cat out or the outside cat in. Except there were two cats inside the house and they both wanted out. Boy we were confused!
Chasing after someone's pets while trying to show a listing is a real nuisance. Went into a property once and there was the sign, we went through the house without seeing the cat. Got up to the master bedroom all well presented, bed made with extra throwpillows on the bed, when all of sudden the pillows start to float around. This lump starts moving on the middle of the bed. The cat had hidden itself under the bedspread and got confused as to how to get out. Like one of those old cartoons with the moving lump under the rug.
Ewwww...give me a cat anytime ! We have one who would follow anyone room to room and help give the tour...and the other one...all Black and named Magic...will disappear at the sound of a footstep...just like people..they all have their own personalities.
I saw Kathryne's comment. I have cats as pets and like them. I would hate to see anything happen to them. But realtors need to let their sellers know that the home inspector and buyer's agents CANNOT babysit and second guess the pets. They need to be away that day, in cages or something. Often then lock them in some room. If that is the case, I exclude the room more often than not. I once thought a cat got out. Another time dogs did get out on realtors. This job is hard enough without trying to keep track of pets like cats that might be under the couch, under the bed, on top of the refer....who knows.
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Jim, LOL, lets hope not!! I went into a house that was full of snakes once, the agent was trying so hard to get the owner to put them elsewhere. No such luck... took a long time to sell that sucker, most buyers ran out of the house screaming!