Instruction: Write a friendly letter to my landlord, convincing them to let me get a cat. His name is George and my name is Steve. I live alone in Unit 2C and I work long hours. Include details regarding my rental contract that currently only permits dogs under 25 pounds and caged animals and requires pet deposit and rent. Give him examples as to why those animals are not ideal (include my dog allergy) and why a cat is better. Let him know I plan a robotic vacuum and mop to keep things clean. Tell him I've already found a potential pet at the local animal shelter, who is a two-year-old shelter cat who is housebroken and friendly. Remind him that Unit 2C does not have any carpeted floors and a tiled bathroom which is good for the future litter box. Convince him I'm open to a conversation to discuss further.


Response: Hello, George,

This is Steve in Unit 2C. I hope your day is going well. I have a request I would like to ask of you.

As you know, I live alone. I have been considering getting a pet for companionship, but after reviewing my rental contract, I noticed the only permitted animals are small dogs and animals that can be kept in a tank, like hamsters and fish.

I am hoping you would reconsider these restrictions and allow me to have a cat. I am more than willing to resign a rental contract to include the requisite pet deposit and pet rent.

I thought about a dog, since those animals are already in the contract, but I don't want a dog. Since I work long hours, it's not ideal to have a dog in my unit. My unit is small and could be claustrophobic for a dog who has a lot of energy. I also don't want to leave a dog alone because it may bark and disturb the other tenants in the building. Dogs also urinate and defecate in the shared yard around the property, which is gross, considering not everyone picks up after their dogs. Also, I am allergic to dogs, so this rules out dogs.

I also considered a hamster or fish, but I am reluctant to have either of those, as well. Firstly, they do not offer the same cuddly companionship of a cat. If a hamster got loose, it could cause far more damage to a unit than a cat could -- the hamster could defecate in many areas, chew electrical wires, and chew through drywall. Fish pose a problem if the tank cracks or breaks, which would cause lots of water damage to the flooring.

I recognize there are drawbacks to any pet, including cats, and I understand that some landlords are reluctant to permit cats, because there is an impression that cats may be more destructive, such as peeing in inappropriate places. However, I believe a cat is the least-destructive option of all. As my unit is not carpeted, I don't believe persistent urination stains will be an issue. Cats are easy to litter box train and I plan to put the litter box in the tiled bathroom where there is no opportunity for urine to get into the subfloor. Cats are less destructive than dogs, because they don't chew on things like furniture and doorways. Cats also are not nearly as loud as barking dogs. 

I have already looked into pets at the local animal shelter and found a possible new roommate, who is a friendly two-year-old cat and is housebroken and box-trained. This is an ideal pet, since I don't have to risk accidents with box-training a kitten, and it's unlikely the cat will be destructive if it's already housebroken.

I believe a cat would be the ideal companion for me, given my work schedule and my preference for my ideal pet. I am happy to discuss my desire in person and further elaborate my plan on how I will continue to maintain a clean and tidy unit with a cat, such as purchasing an automatic robot vacuum and mop to ensure an extra clean space.

Please consider my request. I look forward to your response. 

Sincerely,
Steve