Neighbor has Cat in No Pet Coop

Is this a noise problem, or a cat problem? It sounds like you're a little annoyed about the rules violation (and suspected cover-up), but mostly about the disruptive noises from above -- whether neighbor movements or cat movements or dropping things. You don't mention the cat causing damage, allergy issues, etc.

Noise is both inevitable and manageable, but more importantly it's something you can more easily approach your neighbor about. That way you're not accusing her of a clear rules violation, but instead beginning a conversation about how to optimize living in close quarters.

And if you take this to the managing agent (probably preferred) or the board you can frame it in terms of the noise, which avoids putting them on the spot about the cat specifically. They can then work on enforcing the usual carpeting rules and so on, and if they discover and banish the cat that's their initiative.

Where is the cat running on the stairs? Inside or outside the apartment? Cats usually are pretty quiet and you shouldn't be able to hear them meowing between apartments. I have one who is a "talker" and you can't hear her between the apartments or out in the hallway.

It might be a kitten, they pounce around and bat things around, and they meow often. As the kitty gets older they get quieter and become almost invisible pets, usually. (Except for our cat Mr. Tuxedo, who remained a hellion all his life.)

Since other noise bothers you, most likely your neighbor doesn't have the required 80% carpeted area. This is NOT required by NYC, but it is in every lease and house rules I've ever heard of, so people actually think it is a NYC reg. It's not.

Carpet would solve the noise problem, if that is your problem. If you just don't like rules violations (I'm with you) or you just don't like animals (I'm not with you) then that's another story.

NYC has The Pet Law. As an animal lover I hate to spill the beans, but the deal is, you must make a formal complaint in writing within 90 days of the pet moving in, or the pet stays and not even your co-op board can do anything about it, most likely. There are lawyers in town who specialize in winning pet law cases.

The pet's presence must be open and notorious, which is clearly the case here, but I was told in one situation, merely putting cat food cans into recycling was evidence enough of open and notorious pet ownership.

Pets bring a lot of comfort to people and do very little damage in the vast majority of cases. When I was a professional landlord I always let my tenants have dogs and cats, and they were often my best tenants. I would ask the neighbor to buy a rug, if I were you. Stroud Braided Rugs online are inexpensive and ship quickly.

Possibly one of the larger size glue traps might work in this situation.

You refer to the neighbor above as "tenant". Could it be possible that this person has a "grandfathered in" pet for a tenant that was allowed pets when they moved. If that is the case, forget the cat and speak to your neighbor about the disturbance and if that does not work, then talk to the board. Cover yourself so that you do not come off as a mal content which I don't feel that you are.

In my building, we're allowed 2 pets, cats or dogs. We have one neighbor whose red tiger cat seemed to get out in the hallway all the time. Someone from the building staff went into the apartment and discovered that there were actually NINE red tiger cats there. They were so much alike that you couldn't tell them apart. That's one way to beat the pet rules!!!!! You couldn't tell that she had so many cats - no odors, no noise.

My main problem is the noise. That the cat runs around (and the tenant as well) at 2 or 3 am when I'm trying to sleep. Or that things are being dropped overhead and I can't get a good night's sleep. The lady upstairs apparently is retired and never leaves the apartment. Our building has bad acoustics between floors so you can hear everything from one floor to the next. I had her stomp around one time when I had a cold and was coughing so it goes both ways. I talked to the super when I first moved in about her stomping and he claimed she had rugs everywhere. They really don't seem to be helping much. I've heard this cat for about 2 years ever since I've moved in so I'm pretty sure it's here to stay and that the neighbor is entitled enough to feel that she can let it run loose. Maybe I will talk to her or the super tomorrow about the noise and if it continues I will write a letter to the president of the coop board.

Oh dear..........what a tough situation.

I was kvetching about my apartment on this board a few months back, and somebody on the board wrote: you should just move.

So I pass that advice along to you. We moved out in mid Sept and are enjoying the peace and the quiet in the new place.

although I don't think it's too reasonable to have an issue with cats given how docile they are, I do think that if you bought in a 'no pet coop' then you have the right to have pet-free neighboring units !!

yes fuitistic - if your board doesn't follow its own bylaws, you should probably just move. sounds like they will cause trouble down the road for you in the future anyway.

You know what they say, don't obey the cat policy, everything's up for grabs.