Airbnb - Cat Included?

[LisaR]

We've used airbnb quite a few times now so I turned to them for an upcoming trip. I have found two places in a row that rent out their entire place and leave their cat there. Am I the only one who wouldn't leave my cat in my home with total strangers? One reviewer noted that the cat loved to jump on the bed, "but after a few gentle nudges, he got the hint and didn't jump up anymore." What if the person renting isn't as gentle as the last person? Would you ever consider leaving your pet with different strangers on a regular basis? I just couldn't do it. I'm afraid to go back and continue looking. I might come across one where kids are included!

 

[morgan98]

Well, I haven't used Airbnb, but I must say leaving the cat behind as part of the rental is wrong on so many levels. I do have two cats and would never think of leaving them at home with strangers they do not know. I would be worried about renting to someone who didn't like cats or tried to harm them. Also are those that are renting expected to feed and clean the litter box too? Not something I would be particularly interested in while on vacation.

Being jumped on a strangers cat in the middle of the night does not sound relaxing AT ALL...lol!

 

[BrianL]

I would not leave my cat with strangers, however I'd be down for renting a place that came with a cat. I know I'll be nice to it and enjoy having it around. I would love it!

 

[LisaR]

Well, I haven't used Airbnb, but I must say leaving the cat behind as part of the rental is wrong on so many levels. I do have two cats and would never think of leaving them at home with strangers they do not know. I would be worried about renting to someone who didn't like cats or tried to harm them. Also are those that are renting expected to feed and clean the litter box too? Not something I would be particularly interested in while on vacation.

Being jumped on a strangers cat in the middle of the night does not sound relaxing AT ALL...lol!

The one guy said he rented for ten days. I had to wonder if he had to scoop the litter box!

At least both places made it very clear that a cat was included so it shouldn't be a surprise, but I still wouldn't trust strangers with my pets.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I also think it's odd that they would leave their cat in the rental. Our 4 legged baby girl passed away , but we've driven from Florida to North Carolina to have someone we trusted watch her, when we went on a cruise that didn't allow pets. It wouldn't bother me to have a friendly, small dog there, if the place was clean & smelled good. I can't imagine leaving our baby girl with strangers though. That would never have happened. We're not cat people, so that would definitely be a deal breaker for us. Some cat people may be fine with it. They're obviously looking for a particular renter that's okay with taking care of cats.

 

[cats mom]

I just did a pretty extensive lodging search and I was surprised at how many Airbnb listings I found where it was clear that people were vacating their own homes for you to stay. I know there have always been some listings like that, but in the past I feel like there were far more dedicated rental units. If you're leaving your own home and you have nowhere for the pets, I suppose leaving them could make sense. You're trusting someone with your home and belongings, why not pets too? If my kids were involved in the decision of where to stay having pets as part of the deal would be a deciding factor FOR that rental. For the record Arbnb prices were just not competitive for me this time. I ended up booking one of those time share hotel units instead. Too bad because I do like the Airbnb concept and have had some good stays in the past.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'd scoop the cat box if it meant I got to have a vacation cat!

 

[LisaR]

I just did a pretty extensive lodging search and I was surprised at how many Airbnb listings I found where it was clear that people were vacating their own homes for you to stay. I know there have always been some listings like that, but in the past I feel like there were far more dedicated rental units. If you're leaving your own home and you have nowhere for the pets, I suppose leaving them could make sense. You're trusting someone with your home and belongings, why not pets too? If my kids were involved in the decision of where to stay having pets as part of the deal would be a deciding factor FOR that rental. For the record Arbnb prices were just not competitive for me this time. I ended up booking one of those time share hotel units instead. Too bad because I do like the Airbnb concept and have had some good stays in the past.

I'm noticing the same thing! It is very clear that someone lives there and just leaves when they can rent the place out. That seems like such an inconvenience for them especially since they now need to crash somewhere else. Haven't found a place I like yet. May have to look at other options.

 

[bethbuchall]

I would not leave my cats with strangers. I have no way of knowing how they would treat the cats, plus my girls aren't comfortable around new people. Also, they like their litter box scooped every day and fresh food and water every day, too.

I would rent a place with cats, though, and take good care of them while we were there. But I wouldn't want to change any of my plans for the cats, so they'd have to be ok with being left alone from early morning to late at night if that was the vacation schedule that I was on.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I would not leave my cat with strangers. I really wouldn't mind if somebody else left a cat where I was staying, I like cats.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Leave my cat with strangers? NEVER!

 

[disneychrista]

Looks like want a house/pet sitter that pays THEM.

 

[wilkeliza]

Sounds more like these AirBnB hosts don't want to pay an animal sitter. I wonder what AirBnBs official policy is on pets being left by the renter. Of course AirBnB was designed to rent an extra room or detached section of a home not your primary residents.

 

[mnrose]

I think there are two kinds of places on airbnb. Places that are designed and used ONLY as vacation rentals, and places the homeowner rents out on a temporary basis. I don't care for the latter, although I do think you get more bang of the buck when you do the latter. It's easy to see the difference in photos. Those that are primarily rentals have a non-personal look in photos. I gravitate towards those.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I wonder if maybe they're renting their house out while they go rent one in another place - kind of a vacation swap idea?

 

[mom2rtk]

Leave my cat with strangers? NEVER!

Yeah, I could never do that either. And in all honesty, I probably wouldn't be thrilled about renting with someone else's cat there. I've seen too many episodes of "My Cat From Hell" lately to just assume it would be as friendly as our own cats.

 

[aejammers]

Look on VRBO or HomeAway if you want a whole house/condo dedicated rental. Some are obviously people's vacation homes that they rent when not being used, but I've yet to find one that was someone's primary home. Of course, we use them to find places in vacation destinations, do maybe that's the difference.

 

[Poohlove]

I don't have a cat but if I did I wouldn't leave it with strangers. On the flip side, I am on vacation, I don't want to clean a litter box. I clean up enough doggie diamonds at home, why keep up the poop duty when on vacation???

 

[princesspiglet]

When we searching for a place in Paris last June we found lots of rental where cats were included! I was shocked. I have two cats at home and can't imagine renting my place out and just leaving them there?? And my cats are a PITA...so there was no way I wanted to rent a place that included what I was getting away from! I really liked a certain place and was totally set on it until I read about the cat. I was required to feed it, give it water and let it out on the balcony for his "grass pad" 3 times a day. Seriously?? Of course I said no to that place!

 

[Diznygrl]

NO.

In fact I find the whole concept of renting out one's primary home (not a vacation home) really weird and not something I would ever ever do, cats or no cats. Maybe I'm just a private person but I would absolutely not be comfortable vacating my home so that complete strangers can have run of the place. No way no how.