When you have a cat, you know to look for apartments that accept pets. However, when searching apartment homes for rent for you and your furry friend, there is more to look for in a home for than a landlord who permits pets. An apartment with the following qualities will make life as a pet owner easier and more enjoyable.
Closing doors.
A loft-style apartment or one with an open floor plan may look beautiful, but it's a bad choice for a cat owner. There will be times when you want to lock your cat in one area – maybe when company is over or a maintenance person comes to do work – and if you don't have a comfy room in which to lock your cat, you may end up having to leave him in the uncomfortable bathroom (making it hard to use), or his crate for hours on end.
Short-fiber carpet.
Really plush, long-fibered carpet looks beautiful, until it is riddled with cat hair that your vacuum won't remove. Paying for professional cleanings to get all of that hair out can be a struggle, so look for an apartment with short-fiber carpet. If you can find one with all tile or hardwood floors, that might be even better, as long as you're willing to sweep or dry mop regularly. You won't have to worry about the hard floors absorbing any cat odors or hair.
A convenient place for the litter box.
It's a mistake to not consider, before signing a lease, where you'll put the litter box. A mistake like this may leave you with nowhere better than the middle of the bathroom floor or a corner of your carpeted bedroom – and neither of these are good options. Look for an isolated area like an extra closet with a tiled floor, space behind the door and out of the way in the bathroom, or even a storage cubby you could leave the door open on.
Screens in the windows.
Stay away from any apartment with crank-operated casement windows with no screens. They present a hazard to your cat, who can squeeze through a smaller slot in an open window than you might imagine. Only accept an apartment with screened windows, and make sure the screens are in good shape so your cat can't claw or chew its way out.
If an apartment offers the feature above and the landlord is accepting of animals, then congratulations! You've found a home that is suitable for your kitty's need as well as your own.
