I've screwed up and now don't have a home for our cat

[Nuralagusregina]

We're in the process of buying a leasehold on a flat. Naively we thought this would give us free reign to keep our lovely cat of three years. However we found out the lease is extremely strict and won't let us have a cat or "any type of creature" for that matter. We are so upset but with a four month old baby we desperately need to get out of a substandard and mouldy rented flat. Our rental lease is up next week and we are going to have to stay in a hotel for a few days until the completion date so we really are at the end.

We've been hitting up friends to see if they could take her but most are in flats which don't allow pets.

I'm going to list the cat on the local online classifieds as a last ditch attempt at rehoming her.

I'm in South London. Battersea seems to have a waiting list. Are there other cat rehoming charities nearby?

Any practical advice?

Oh and we've been neglectful pet parents. She was a stray who moved in with us and we have never had her jabs done or microchipped her. I will of course pay for this to be done for a new owner.

Who are the leaseholders? Are they really going to check? I very much doubt it. I would just ignore whatever it says and move her in.

Even though she hasn't had her jabs I'm guessing you've had her spayed?

All rescues in London (and probably everywhere else) are completely full. I really think you should just keep quiet and move her in.

Is it a housing association? That's a very odd lease.

I'd move her in and if they ask say you're arranging a new home but haven't got one yet and battersea have a waiting list.

Unfortunately it's a new build and the sales team are there every weekend selling the rest of the units.

We are thinking of writing and getting retroactive permission if possible but that would blow any cover for sneakiness.

Ooo yes. I like that idea waffly. But don't say anything at all unless they actually find out about her (which they won't and if they do I'm sure they won't really care).

The sales team aren't going to be coming into your house/flat though surely?

Most Leases allow domestic pets with the Freeholders permission which they reserve the right to withdraw.

Very unusual on a long leasehold not to be allowed consent to keep a cat. And in practise consent would only usually be revoked if there were complaints, or some sort of damage/ nuisance.

when you move you have to keep the cat inside for a couple of weeks anyway. Feliway should calm her down so she's not mewling too much.

Neuterer It's ground floor and she will definitely be in the window watching them show the shared garden. She's very nosy.

We are also worried about the gap between places. We were so stupid about the jabs and now no decent cattery will take her. We're going to see if a friend can take her for a few days. I'm going to book her an appointment with a Vet tomorrow to at least get this started!

You are giving me hope it is possible but she will be impossible difficult to keep away from the windows.

Covenants like that are usually to prevent lot's of pet's in one flat, ask your conveyancer how they could enforce it. it wouldn't be cheap for them.