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Cat Conundrum

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
We had a cat in a no pet flat. Kept it a secret. Everyone happy.
What cat or dog is not an "emotional support animal", eh.
But gaming the law with a false claim of medical need is fraud.
Sure, one might get a doctor to lie, but it's fraud.
One should ask oneself....
Am I this kind of person?
One who deserves eviction?
 

Left Coast

This Is Water
Staff member
Premium Member
What cat or dog is not an "emotional support animal", eh.
But gaming the law with a false claim of medical need is fraud.
Sure, one might get a doctor to lie, but it's fraud.
One should ask oneself....
Am I this kind of person?
One who deserves eviction?

But am I the kind of person who let's an animal I rescued from a shelter go back there? To live in a cage? Which is the lesser evil? 'Tis the essence of my struggle.
 

Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
What cat or dog is not an "emotional support animal", eh.
But gaming the law with a false claim of medical need is fraud.
Sure, one might get a doctor to lie, but it's fraud.
One should ask oneself....
Am I this kind of person?
One who deserves eviction?
The medical need thing is not a thing in the UK.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
But am I the kind of person who let's an animal I rescued from a shelter go back there? To live in a cage? Which is the lesser evil? 'Tis the essence of my struggle.
1) You can move to a place that allows cats.
2) It might be possible to negotiate a rent
increase for the cat...if the landlord is a
a small operation.
3) Explore solutions with the ex to keep it.

Better to explore the honest options first.
 

Left Coast

This Is Water
Staff member
Premium Member
1) You can move to a place that allows cats.

The least realistic of the choices. Housing options are terrible in my area. I was only able to secure my current place at a reasonable price because of a connection through a friend.

2) It might be possible to negotiate a rent
increase for the cat...if the landlord is a
a small operation.

Possibly, I've thought about this.

3) Explore solutions with the ex to keep it.

We have. His mind is pretty solidly made up.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
The least realistic of the choices. Housing options are terrible in my area. I was only able to secure my current place at a reasonable price because of a connection through a friend.
This isn't your landlord's responsibility.
And committing rental fraud could have
serious consequences, eg, forcing you
to move anyway, causing financial loss
to all parties involved...except lawyers,
who thrive on carnage.
Possibly, I've thought about this.
It's the honest & fair path.
We have. His mind is pretty solidly made up.
You're in a pickle.
 

Curious George

Veteran Member
What cat or dog is not an "emotional support animal", eh.
But gaming the law with a false claim of medical need is fraud.
Sure, one might get a doctor to lie, but it's fraud.
One should ask oneself....
Am I this kind of person?
One who deserves eviction?
Certainly now worse or less honorable than dodging a draft.

If a doctor is writing a note, why would you presume the person lied? Is it really a false claim of medical need?
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Certainly now worse or less honorable than dodging a draft.
Nothing is more honorable than dodging the draft.
Why?
If a country enters a war that fails to inspire
soldiers to volunteer, & uses conscription,
that is a country unworthy of service.
To invade a country, kill people, & destroy
things without valid purpose is utterly wrong.

Russian draft dodgers are today's heroes.
(Even though you'd prefer that they kill
Ukrainians in that "special military action".)
If a doctor is writing a note, why would you presume the person lied? Is it really a false claim of medical need?
This is really just because of the cat's circumstances.
To get a doctor to prescribe medical need would be fraudulent.

Methinks that you & I have different morals.
 
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Curious George

Veteran Member
This is really just because of the cat's circumstances.
To get a doctor to prescribe medical need would be fraudulent.

I am not so sure. If the medical professional is willing to write a note, then it is likely a need. You are assuming that the lying and fraud. A person with adhd can be Rx’d meds but they could also go a different route. Is one route more of a need than another?

an emotional support animal can help with a variety of MH needs. Just because a different route is possible does not mean that it doesn’t qualify as a “need”

I don’t think either of us are privy to the mh needs in this story
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
So the question is: do I take the cat? My therapist says he'll write me a letter for an emotional support animal. But it means I'll have to try to keep him a secret from my landlord as long as possible. And retrain him to be indoor only. And face a fight if the landlord finds out. But I can't stomach my cat being sent back to a shelter. I mean, who does that when they have the means to take care of the animal?

Anyway - recommendations? Constructive and kind ones, please.
If your therapist write you a letter for an emotional support animal does that mean the landlord has to allow you to have the cat, or would you get evicted if the landlord discovered the cat?

Cats that have been going outdoors can be retrained to be indoor-only, especially if you had a bond with the cat before. We used to allow certain cats to go out into a fenced area but now I am alone and I cannot allow that anymore since there are too many raccoons outside and they can climb trees and get into the fenced area. Those cats have adjusted to being indoors all the time and they are very happy.
 

Left Coast

This Is Water
Staff member
Premium Member
This is really just because of the cat's circumstances.
To get a doctor to prescribe medical need would be fraudulent.

Methinks that you & I have different morals.

Whether a patient has a certain clinical need is really the purview of the licensed professional treating that patient. If he is willing to sign his name documenting that need, that is an endorsement that the need is legitimate. I'm not coercing him. In fact it was his idea. I do have legitimate anxiety and depression that probably would legitimately be improved by my cat living with me again.
 

Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
If your therapist write you a letter for an emotional support animal does that mean the landlord has to allow you to have the cat, or would you get evicted if the landlord discovered the cat?

Cats that have been going outdoors can be retrained to be indoor-only, especially if you had a bond with the cat before. We used to allow certain cats to go out into a fenced area but now I am alone and I cannot allow that anymore since there are too many raccoons outside and they can climb trees and get into the fenced area. Those cats have adjusted to being indoors all the time and they are very happy.
They are very adaptable. One of ours was an outdoors stray for years. These days he thinks prising him off the bed once a week for a little fresh air is an act of cruelty. :rolleyes:
 
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