Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Pet Policy for Cats in Co housing community

[Lynn Nadeau / Maraiah (welcome]

RoseWind Cohousing, long built in Port Townsend WA. Small town, 9 acre site 
with 24 homes. 

We allow up to two cats or dogs per lot "who sometimes go outdoors". Dogs need 
to be on leash, fenced, or under voice control. We recently fenced an area of 
commons as a dog park, for members who want to exercise their dog(s) there, 
while socializing with each other: that has proved very popular. 

Cats can run free. Four or five of our households have outdoor cats. Eight have 
dogs. Only one household has complained about people's pets, but frankly these 
are people who complain about almost everything! Our outdoor cats are all in at 
night: coyotes prowl through the neighborhood. Of course neighbor cats roam the 
site as well. My cat has bells on her collar: that seems to keep her from 
success with most birds. Rodents seem oblivious to bells. Just as well. 

We have more contention about the abundant deer roaming our yards, than about 
cats. I happen to love the deer (I even had a little fawn walk into my kitchen 
once!)  But others fence and want more fences, and mumble about venison. 

Maraiah Lynn Nadeau