Four cats to Brisbane: am I mad to even consider it?

[LouDYorkie]

Some properties may stipulate a pet bond and having to have the home professionally cleaned when vacated.  You problem (as you've identified) is the number of cats

Our landlord wanted a pet bond from us (this is 5 years ago) but the agent said it wasn’t allowed (we are in QLD).
The only thing we had to do was pay for the only carpeted room being specially cleaned when we left despite our dog (and us!) having never used the room, some anti-flea treatment I think?!

[ali]

22 hours ago, LouDYorkie said:

Our landlord wanted a pet bond from us (this is 5 years ago) but the agent said it wasn’t allowed (we are in QLD).
The only thing we had to do was pay for the only carpeted room being specially cleaned when we left despite our dog (and us!) having never used the room, some anti-flea treatment I think?!

We paid a pet bond here in WA but didn't need to have it professionally cleaned.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Hello stranger, I’m just off to sleep, it’s 05.06am have you found what you are looking for? if not message me and I will get you sorted best I can. 

[Juditta]

On 07/09/2019 at 16:10, Siamozzer said:

Hi everyone,

I know some will think we're mad for even having four cats in the first place, never mind trying to cart them all the way to Brisbane (it's a long story, two were planned, two weren't), but that's another topic! 

We had a move to Sydney planned in 2011 (three cats and one kid ago), but life happened and it fell through. (Kate - Pom Queen was a massive help. Thanks again! ) We've become home owners here in the meantime, so it never occurred to me that we'd go back into a rental and pets would be a problem, but now we're suddenly headed to Brisbane (482 with 186 in progress).

I know that some states have made it illegal for landlords to turn down pet owners, but that QLD isn't one of them and 90% of home owners say no to pets. I've seen property adverts saying 'pets allowed (or considered)', but also heard that that usually means one small outside dog. Do you think we have any chance of finding a rental? I'm worried we won't find anything, never mind something in a decent catchment zone for our little one to start school in a year.

I mean, I know and love my pedigreed, indoor-only cats, would be happy to provide pictures of our home to show that they're not destructive and don't spray, provide references to show that they're insured, see the vet regularly, are well-socialised, are litter-robot trained so the house never smells like cats, etc. But even I would think twice about a tenant in my house who said they had four cats!

I'm well-versed in the requirements to get them there, and have caught with the quarantine changes etc. since 2011 too. They've all passed their rabies titre tests, and our 'old boy' passed a blood panel with flying colours and is "in excellent health to fly", says our vet. I know we'd need a licence to have four cats in Brisbane. They're used to being mainly indoors with sometime access to an enclosed garden, and happily spend all day in the conservatory when it goes up to 35 degrees, so the Ozzie lifestyle won't phase them, I'm sure. The admin is sorted, but I'm still in two minds.

The financial implications of taking them are massive, of course, and basically guarantee that we'll have to rent to save again for a house deposit despite selling here.

But I can't appease my conscience! I feel like they're our responsibility and rehoming them isn't an easy option - I'd never stop worrying about if they were being well-cared for. They would have to go to people we don't know (I'd vet them, of course, but you never know). Although they're all pedigreed Oriental cats, none of them are kittens (theyre 10, 8, and 2x5 years old), which makes it less likely someone else will want them. Also, they're a very social breed, so are attached to one another as well as to us. I'll be lucky to even find a home where two can go together. It'll be hard for them, as well as us, if we rehome them.

But if their presence will stop us from even finding a place to live, maybe we have to leave them?

I'd be so grateful if anyone has some advice from experience of actually living in Australia, especially QLD, or just any advice or opinons, really.

Hello again Saimozzer…….I know its a big move for you and your cats, all the way to Australia, but I was like that before we set off for Queensland from the UK, I worried about our cats, about where we might live, etc., etc.,    We have moved into a village about two hours drive inland from Brisbane, and I think half the houses along the road we live in have one or several cats, which pleasantly surprised me.   Our two cats have settled in wonderfully, they love the idea of being able to go underneath the house, as most houses here are on stumps, so my cats think its a great area to dig around in, they don't go far from the house, and are really relaxed about the whole thing.   We are pleasantly surprised at how easily they adapted to such a big change, and such a long journey.  They love the cat food out here too.   We brought our two out in a double cage, with a wire dividing bit, so they could see each other, which I thought would be reassuring for them both.   You obviously love your cats, so try to bring them.  It is a huge and stressful move, but you will only do it once!!!   and it will be worth it.     (SORRY somehow managed to post this twice)

Edited November 3, 2019 by Juditta

[CatMoose]

I'm now back in the UK (lived in Adelaide from 2009 to 2016) and looking to return to Oz with my Aussie cat Ralph. Myself and everyone I knew did not admit to having a cat - otherwise we would have had VERY FEW rental options in Adelaide. For me, I knew I would be an exceptional tenant and I was - in 5 properties. Houses were left immaculately clean and I had no problems with cat, owners or bond returns. Some people might not like it, but ...... had no choice. Bad tenants are bad tenants and won't care about someone else's property irrespective of whether they have pets or not,

[Nemesis]

1 hour ago, CatMoose said:

I'm now back in the UK (lived in Adelaide from 2009 to 2016) and looking to return to Oz with my Aussie cat Ralph. Myself and everyone I knew did not admit to having a cat - otherwise we would have had VERY FEW rental options in Adelaide. For me, I knew I would be an exceptional tenant and I was - in 5 properties. Houses were left immaculately clean and I had no problems with cat, owners or bond returns. Some people might not like it, but ...... had no choice. Bad tenants are bad tenants and won't care about someone else's property irrespective of whether they have pets or not,

So you lied to the landlord and the agent? As someone with a severe cat allergy who always asks if the previous tenant had pets,  I'm glad I never rented a place after you.

The girl who used to live above me was refused a lease renewal because she had a cat and did not tell the agent or landlord. The landlord said the issue was not that she had the animal, but that she lied about it. The cat was unmasked because it got out and attacked a possum in the garden,so a neighbour dobbed her in.

[CatMoose]

I'm glad too...

Meanwhile... if you think I was alone you're very wrong. Most renters I knew had a pet they had to sneak in. If the laws were sensible at the time we wouldn't have had to. Damage is damage at the end of the day. Also, the animal rescue places in SA were in a critical state as so many people were being forced to give up pets. It's this factor and a LOT of lobbying by tenants that eventually led to law changes.

As for my situation? He was a house cat and ALL of my properties were professionally cleaned on leaving them. The last two properties I was given permission.

Cheers

[BusbyBoo]

CatMoose 

not sure if you’re coming back to SA, but just a heads up, some councils are now registering cats not just dogs. So you might want to check that out.