HOMES + I N S I G H T Meet Cooper the cat, a fun-loving and friendly 5-year-old orange tabby cat who has lived with his humans since he was just 2 months old. His humans recently sold their house, and he recalled the experience for us.
Meet Max the Dog, a 2-year-old German Shepherd also had a recent home-selling experience, and he was happy to share it with us.
The whole process was pretty scary. My bed was packed up and put away in the basement and I couldn’t get to it. Some of the doors in the house were closed and I wasn’t allowed in those rooms. We went for long car rides every day, and when we returned home the house smelled different – I could tell that there had been other humans in it while we were out. I tried to warn my humans about the intruders and when they didn’t seem to be listening, I tapped their favourite leather chair with my claws (that got their attention). After a few days, they finally decided that I didn’t need to go for the car rides anymore and they left me in the house while some strange people came in and out. The only good thing was that one of the strangers opened the door for me to take a stroll outside – it was exhilarating!
It was SO COOL! We went for walks and car rides every day, and I got to spend a ton of time with my humans. I love them so much and am happiest when they’re around. I slept the best I’ve ever slept because the days were so full of adventure! When we were out, I was such a good boy (they told me this all the time). I tried to be really good when we were home too, but I was missing a lot of my favourite toys, and my humans seemed to be vacuuming and mopping non-stop, and I HATE Mr. Vacuum, he’s so noisy and chases me around. My humans tried to teach me a new command, but I still haven’t figured out what they want when they say “can you stop shedding?”. They seem pretty upset when I do it wrong, so I hope to figure it out soon.
TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR HOME WITH CATS:
SIMILARLY, FOR DOGS:
If your cat(s) absolutely must remain in the house for showings, their presence should be minimized as much as possible.
• Remove the dog for all showings
• Clean the litter box twice daily, and be sure to empty completely and wash at least once a week
• Store food in an unmarked, opaque container – this will help to keep it hidden from buyers as well as keep the food fresh
• Remove cat and litter box for showings if possible (sometimes this can be as simple as a car ride for the duration of the showings) • Store food in an unmarked, opaque container – this will help to keep it hidden from buyers, as well as keep the food fresh • Remove all scratch trees, beds, and all toys • Ensure that their food area is kept clean and tidy, and remove it for showings • V acuum and dust daily
• Hide all evidence (leashes, food, toys, beds, etc.)
• Thoroughly clean all fabric surfaces (couch, carpet, rugs, bed, etc.) • Keep dog(s) well-groomed • Clean the house regularly • Keep the yard cleaned and patch any bare areas
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