Pets and Moving

[shihtzulover]

Hi Everyone
We are putting our house up for sale next week.
Just wondering what we should do with the cats when there is showings?
We can take the dog out with us, but the cats hate the car. And only go in it to go to the vet.
The real estate agent said we can leave them home but I am just nervous. I am very protective and hate the thought of lots of people touching them and picking them up.
Has anyone ever sold their house and left their cats home?
Sorry if this sounds so stupid but its just my nerves.

[heidiho]

Board them during the day??

[Missy]

What we did when we moved a few years ago was to inform the real estate agent that we had cats in the home that were not to be let outside or bothered so that she could watch out for them during showings. Then, to be on the safe side, we put a sign by the front door by the shoes that notified people that cats were in the house and were not to be let out or disturbed.

I don't know what your cats are like but ours were in their golden years and were nervous around strangers and so they tended to hide while people were in the house. Except for when they came into take pictures of the house and then we ended up with a picture of the kitchen that had my one cat sitting on top of the stove glaring into the camera

Now, if you are having an open house then I would definitely ask a friend to look after them for the day or board them.

Good luck!

[Iggette]

I agree at an open house cats should be gone but I also sold a house when I had 5 cats and told both the agent and veiwers the same in a note just as Missy did and had no problems

[Iggette]

And NO your not being stupid just shows you care alot for the well being of your pets

[wAggie]

some ppl have allergies to pets...

I would let them know ahead of time, or tell the real estate agent...

and of course keep the cats in the house

[BamaRama]

When my family sold their house a few years back my mother would, during open houses, board our cat for the day, and if it was just a last minute house-showing, she had a little carrier in the laundry room that she would stick Pookie in until the people left.

[shihtzulover]

Thanks for all the responses.
We are not going to have an open house so we don't have to worry about that.
I hope that when there is showings they will hide, But my luck it will the one time they are nosey and want to meet people.
I had the agent put it right in the listing not to let the cats out.
I think it will all work out. If after one time I am not comfortable I will load everyone in the car for a family drive

[CarlaD]

We just finished going through this.

We have two dogs, and most times we would take them out with us for a walk or something. But during the day the real estate agent would come over (ours, even though she was not showing) and put them outside and then wait around the corner while the people looked at the house and then came back to let them in.

When she first mentioned this to us, she said that she did it for people all time. Noah for some reason asked what people do that have cats (strange because we don't have cats) and she said that, she puts a bulletin on the listing so that other agents see it and then she gives the clients a nice sign that she makes to put at their front entrance so that the people are aware of the cats.