| | Pets and loversPage 3 of 7 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) | Speaking for those who do have allergic reactions to some pets, it's not that easy to just take your meds when you around someone else's animals. I've taken antihistamines that knock me out for hours, and there are some that claim to be 'non-drowsy', which I have also tried. Some simply aren't effective and getting itchy eyes, sneezing, and wheezing is not my idea of having a good time, no matter who I am with. These side effects can adversely affect your driving ability and sense of well being. So, no thanks, I'd rather not be in frequent contact with a source of irritation, even if they belonged to Mr. Wonderful, sorry, but I'll pass.
BonBon | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/1/2006 7:29:37 PM | | I can deal with a girl that smokes. If you don't like pets, especially cats, don't email me. I think one of the best charities to give to is your local animal rescue or anything to do with homeless animals. | |
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ab_qt
| | Joined: 5/7/2006
Msg: 53 | |
| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/1/2006 7:31:26 PM | | I'm allergic to most pets, so I'd never be in that position. As for the role being reversed, I'd never ask a guy to choose his pet over me. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/1/2006 7:43:31 PM | | I put it right into my profile that I have cats for those people who have allergies to them. I feel its proper to warn them right away so they can make up their mind to either respond back or not. Many have thanked me for putting it there so that they knew before we met. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/1/2006 7:46:47 PM | I look at it this way, I have 3 cats, 10, 12, and probably 14 (a stray, don't really know). The oldest has cancer in his mouth (its been slow, but the vet's answer was to try and get it all would mean cutting 1/2 his jaw away, I can't see making him lose his dignity - and me having to spoon feed him - and its been 2 years since and he's still here), he might last another year, or not. How would you feel if I was in a relationship with you for the 6 or 7 years I've had him, and you got cancer and I abandoned you? What would that say about me?
For the right person, sure, I would consider not getting any more pets when these ones go, and realistically thats maybe 5 years from now for the youngest. But would I give them up for someone? No, I made a committment when I got them. And I view that as the same committment I would make to the right person in a relationship. Abandoning either would, to me, be a lack of my committment to take care of them (or her). | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/1/2006 7:51:41 PM | | Anyone who sends their pet away to a shelter or spca because some love interest deserves to be shot and pissed on. If someone wanted that from me they'd have about the same chance as a cool, salt air breeze in hell. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/1/2006 8:13:32 PM | | @ msg 71 ....... wish you weren't so young ;) | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/1/2006 8:18:24 PM | my kitties come first. i don't think i'd even date a guy with a dog, unless it was a dog used to cats. my babies are also very skittish. i adopted two cats in dire situations. cabbit had been a stray street kitty and katie had been abused. i don't even like to bring friends over cause i know my ickle babies get scared of strangers.
i decided to take them in and take care of them. it wouldn't be right to shirk that responsibility. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/2/2006 6:32:51 AM | | My dog is more like a child to me than a dog...he's there to listen, always glad to see me, and all he asks in return is to be loved and fed. In my opinion, love me, love my dog. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/2/2006 7:11:58 AM | I have three cats but would love a guy with a dog. I want one but want to have more time and space before I get one. Meeting a guy I like with a cool dog is a bonus, that way I could still be around one until I get my own. Love dogs. I am not jealous of em, in fact most dogs end up favoring me as much as or more than their owners...
Of course his dog would be living with him, so it really wouldn't affect my cats at all. They'd probably smell each other on our clothes but that's about it. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/2/2006 7:18:19 AM | | the more people i meet, the more i love my cats! and they've certainly shown me far more unconditional love and affection than any man i've ever dated! | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/2/2006 7:21:41 AM | Like any other situation compromise works.
In our house I'm allergic to cats, he's allergic to dogs. He was a cat person - I was a dog person. I even sensed somewhat of an aversion to dogs on his part, although I did have a barn cat.
Right now there are 4 adult dogs and 8 six and seven week old puppies in the house...but they are downstairs in the rec room & kennel area - and never sleep in the bedroom. He's been dragged to major dog shows on the east coast and down in the states. He's been helping raise two litters of "poo monsters", as he has christened them. And the funny thing is coming home and finding one of the dogs loose upstairs in the office with him...I think they think that they are more his than mine now. I guess that should be "ours".
Our barn cat required life saving surgery and ended up staying in our office for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, my allergies go beyond sneezing and runny eyes to complete wheezing/asthma. Since he is more of a cat person than a dog person I tried to compromise by having her go downstairs, but the dogs were too much for her. So I agreed to let her come in and out as she wanted, but since she has gone back to the barn she hasn't once asked to come back into the house.
The horses...well they are outside and don't bother either of our allergies.
We are keeping Benylyn and Claritin's financial statements in the black between us....but we are also working it out. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/2/2006 7:35:22 AM | men who don't care for cats always come to love mine, even going so far as bringing toys, treats and fresh catnip when they (the men) come over.
they (the cats) have excellent jerk-repellent, as well. they hide from ***holes, regardless of how well the individual presents. they snuggle up to people of whom they approve.
allergies present a different dilemma. fortunately, i've not dated anyone with a feline allergy. the feline allergen is practically weightless and comes from the saliva. since cats wash so much, it becomes airborne and damn near impossible to eliminate.
i do use an airsource (shaklee), which helps a bit, as i'm allergic to them myself.
but if someone found it intolerable to spend time around my cats and hesitated to become involved because of them, well...sorry, but...the cats were here first. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/2/2006 4:29:12 PM |
That's quite a handsome guy there in the car
Glad you like him Shangrilah, that is indeed my boy, my baby big dog, my bud for life. Now if he'd just quit f@rting at my feet, I could breathe so much better. Stinky but oh so very handsome.
:))
Witchy | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/2/2006 4:41:54 PM | | I tell men straight up that I have pets. There is no question - I would choose my pets. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/2/2006 5:05:02 PM | | Your pets are young souls that you have agreed to nurture as part of your path on this dimension. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/4/2006 1:49:31 PM | OK animal lovers, hold onto your hats because you're probably not going
to like this........but that's never stopped me before!
FIRST of all.......the question was NOT would you DATE someone who
doesn't like your pets.....there are other threads that do ask that question.
The question here was more along the lines of, would you leave
THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE for your pet? I would take the "love of your life"
to mean someone who would love you and you would love for the rest of
your life. "The one".......your "soul mate"......the one with whom you're
"meant to be"........your "one and only"......I know......you get the point.
If you would choose your pet (which will likely be around for 10 - 15 years)
over that person you are INSANE and NO WONDER you're single!
You should be prepared to be single or with the "wrong" person for the rest of your life........not that you will.......but you should be prepared just in case.
AND......just to throw some burrs in your cat and dog loving britches......
every cat lover I've dated has "claimed" that their cats don't get on their table
or their counters.....and they ALL do......so after raking their feet through a litter
box of their own poop, they spread it all over the areas where you prepare and
eat your food......that's disgusting!
I dated a dog-lover that was offended that I wouldn't let her dog lick my face.
Of course she claims that a dog's mouth is SO clean......but.....not 5 minutes
after watching that dog lick his own ass he was licking her right on the mouth!
Now I don't care HOW clean his mouth is it's got dog poop in it! You may as well
just go on over there and lick his butt for him. You could wipe that dog's butt
with a diaper wipe, and then rinse that diaper wipe out with alcohol, and you're
still not wiping my mouth with it.....and I'm sure it's cleaner than that dog's tongue!
More disgusting stuff.
I love having animals, I take good care of them and Im never cruel to animals,
but I'd sure rather have the love of my life if I had to choose one or the other!
Consider the pot stirred, not shaken.......ok...maybe a little shaken!
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/4/2006 2:31:45 PM | I'm repeating myself, but......I wouldn't consider someone the "love of my life" if they didn't/couldn't accept my pets.
How can someone be the love of your life if you can't agree on something that basic? | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/4/2006 2:46:33 PM | | I tell a man from the get-go I have pets. If he chooses to continue the pursuit..he must do so with the acceptance of my animals. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/4/2006 4:24:11 PM | Did you even READ the origional question? | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/4/2006 5:12:43 PM | for the record, I've read the original post, which, for some animal lovers, runs perpendicular to our way of thinking. I've tried dating someone who had allergies to my pets, and it was disastrous. Not only that, but I don't think we'd have much chance even if she wasn't because she was hateful and unkind to my animals. Nevertheless, I intend to enjoy animals all of my life. IT IS a way of life for me. Now, while I may occasionally have to leave my pets behind for vacations, etc. I look forward to coming home and to them being here. They brighten up life and make me smile. I find that rewarding and worth every bit of energy it takes to raise them.
I recently met a young lady, who had a yr old dog, and she liked bringing the dog over. She was disheartened when I asked if she could leave him at home, primarily because he wasn't fully house trained and it appeared she cared less. Well, another one bites the dust , but that's not to say I won't keep looking. But doing without animals in my everyday life would seem like a part of me is missing as I've hafd them in my life since very young, , and if I tried to do so, I'd be miserable. Further, if things arose that were conflicting to our relationship, I'd also be resentful to the woman because I gave up something I gained pleasure from in order to date her. It just doesn't make sense. I'm an animal lover, and anticipate finding someone who loves them equally as well as I do, because no matter who she is, if she doesn't like animals, namely mine, we're just not meant to be together. And I dont' think it requires I give up a life of bliss to keep my animals around.
It would seem arrogant as all get out if I met some girl who had a farm with horses, dogs and cats, fish, etc. , and then suggested she give them all up in order to be with me. She'd laugh me right off her property, in short order, and perhaps, rightly so. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/4/2006 6:01:11 PM | The question here was more along the lines of, would you leave
THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE for your pet? I would take the "love of your life"
to mean someone who would love you and you would love for the rest of
your life. "The one".......your "soul mate"......the one with whom you're
"meant to be"........your "one and only"......I know......you get the point.
If you would choose your pet (which will likely be around for 10 - 15 years)
over that person you are INSANE and NO WONDER you're single!
I guess I'm missing part of the assumption here, does the "love of my life" have an allergy? Some medical condition that would make living with pets impossible??
If you make the assuption that the above is not true (ie, no medical condition), then I would have a hard time if the "love of my life" for some reason demanded I get rid of my cats, especially the oldest one, who is 14 and has cancer, and probably only another year maybe of "comfortable" life (its been pretty slow, but getting worse) before I'll have to put him to sleep. He certainly is not good "adoption material" because of the cancer, most people would not want a pet they know probably won't live more than a year. I would not abandon him in his "last moments", any more than I would abandon a friend/family-member/girlfriend in that situation, because I made that committment to him to give him the best life I could for what little he probably has left.
I agree with cattilac in that respect, I wouldn't consider anyone who demanded I give up a pet, especially my aging ones, "the love of my life". In fact any relationship is about compromise, and I wouldn't consider anyone who sat their demanding *anything* without being willing to compromise someone that even loved me in the first place. My 3 cats are 10,12, and 14 now, and I agree with your "10-15 year" lifespan (I haven't had a cat live past 15 yet), in which case the assumption is in 3 years I'll be down to one, and in 5 years none. Would I consider not getting more after that? Yes, I've already thought about not getting more after these guys to have more freedom to, say, take a month off to travel and not have to worry about boading/pet-sitters, etc. Would I consider that "permanently" for the right woman? Probably. But as I said, it would be something to be *discussed*, not something to be *demanded*. | |
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| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/4/2006 6:26:20 PM |
Please keep in mind, on-the-shelf allergy medication does not work for many people in controlling pet dander allergies - they are not designed to do so. Usually, someone would have to get allergy shots.
Would you expect them to get regular injections to date you?
Very true about the medicine, but then would you expect a person to get rid of their pet simply to date someone? I wouldn't do that, as first, they're not disposable items, and also who knows if a dating relationship is going to last. If two people care about each other and develop a relationship, they can compromise on how to handle allergies, IMO. There are also a number of things one can use in their home today to get rid of the dander that is generally what causes allergies. I'm allergic to dander and yet I have 2 cats, and have also had dogs. I deal with it and enjoy their company and companionship...and they've given me a lot less grief than some of the men in my life, lol. | |
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Anno41
| | Joined: 10/2/2006
Msg: 75 | |
| Pets and lovers
Posted: 11/4/2006 8:30:24 PM | | Well, as it sits with me, I am allergic to pets and I own three dogs. I take zyrtec D twice a day and I am fine. I acquired the third dog due to a woman getting married to a man who was allergic to her (her dog). I can't tell you what an awesome dog she is and I can't imagine anyone parting with her. That is just crazy. I put the fact that I am a dog owner and lover in my profile so that there are no surprises. I will never choose a human over one of my dogs. Aint gonna happen. | |
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