Whether you have cats or dogs, or both, there are many pet-friendly landlords and apartments out there today. The good news is it is becoming much easier to find available apartments, privately owned condos and houses that will readily rent to people with pets. So have faith, take your time, don’t give up, and know that you will find a warm welcome mat for you and your pets.

I recently went through the proverbial search for a rental for myself and my three cats due to a divorce. Every single apartment and condominium I looked at in my town accepted multiple cats (up to three). Times have changed and I was pleasantly surprised to find how much the marketplace had been transformed since the mid 1990s when it was all but impossible to find a rental willing to take one cat let alone multiple cats. Every apartment I considered did require a small monthly pet deposit for each cat ($50 per cat). But the two personally owned condominiums I was serious about renting did not require a pet deposit, however did require a full damage deposit equal to my rent. Some landlords will require you to pay a special pet deposit per month ($25-$100 per pet) or will charge a single upfront fee ($50-$1000 per pet) when you sign the agreement, but others will not charge any fee. So have faith that you will find the purrrrrfect pet-friendly home for you and your fur family, because they are out there!