The pet problem, cats particularly
A recent New Yorker had a cartoon that struck me so true to life that I sent it to several of my pet owning clients. It had a couple standing on the front steps of a house, while two huge cat-like eyes stared out the picture window through shredded drapes. Dramatic gouges (4) on the front of the house and a huge ball of yarn in the yard. The caption: “Before we take this up a notch, I need to know where you are with cats.”
I have had several clients lately who have had budding relationships crumble because of cat allergies in their dates. Two were multiple cat owners, and both dates were forewarned of the cat ownership. So why did they allergic ones proceed? Perhaps the blindness of lust, a shred of hope, who knows?
It is a dilemma. Pet ownership is on a long rise, and multiple pets are not unusual. Pets precede the new partner, so it seems to me that it is up to the newcomer to adjust, or at least to screen for objectionable pets and not get involved with an owner of potentially noxious animals. I know that I would think more than twice about someone with a large dog or dogs. Luckily I ran into another cat lover.
I do think that singles should carefully consider the effect of pets on future partners. More than two is really stretching the good humor of a new party. One of my friends has a horse, two cats, two birds, a rabbit, and now a new dog. She is not in a relationship. Another has four cats and two dogs. This woman is in a new relationship, but the pets are understandably problematic. And not terribly well behaved.
