I’ve noticed in the “kitties on the furniture” thread that some of you don’t think animals belong in the house. Ever. Is it that you don’t like animals, is it a health issue, is it a housework issue, is it a “free-the-furry-creatures” issue? Please share!
Wife and I used to have cats. I’m allergic to cats. I have asthma. I had an attack and could have died (for many reasons other than just the cats, of course, and all of them pretty much my fault). We don’t have cats any longer. I’ve never been a dog person. And I’ve sworn that my house will be a pet free zone, mostly due to the responsibility, aggravation and cleanliness (or lack thereof) of pets in general.
Everyone tells me when the kids get all doe-eyed asking for a new puppy, I’ll cave, but I swear I won’t!! And no birds, hamsters, turtles fish or anything that needs to be cared for. Because if the kids don’t do it, I’m not gonna do it and I don’t want my wife to have to do it and I don’t want any pets to die.
So there. I guess that means I don’t like animals, with a little bit of health and housework thrown in.
I don’t see the point of taking an animal into my life and not having it in the house with me. My pets are part of the family. They are definitely worth the extra housework. I don’t like the cats on the kitchen counters or the table, but they have free reign over the rest of the house. Same goes for the dog. I DO wipe the dog’s feet when she comes in from outside, though.
I don’t think cats should be let outside to roam, but that is another thread and has been argued to death, so let’s leave that one alone.
I sure do! Medium rare, please.
More than most people.
I love animals. I lived with family dogs and cats while growing up, and I loved them very much. I absolutely do not want one as a pet though.
I have allergies. I hate hair all over the house and my clothes. I’ve been a SAHM for the past five years and I never want to clean up shit again, human or animal. I never want to pick another disgustic tick off.
My mother’s cats have pissed and shit on every square inch of her floor, clawed her furnature, gone into her neighbor’s house and pissed in there, and now one has diabetes and she can’t go anywhere overnight without paying the vet to board him. My father’s dog hates men so much they have to board her anytime they have guests.
I really don’t want to have to deal with these kind of problems, henceforth no cats, dogs, or ferrets in my house.
Well, I do have one pet, my little hermit crab Ginger. She doesn’t make me sneeze, she doesn’t shed, and she doesn’t whine when she can’t go outside 
My friend and I are getting a pair of Sugergliders for our apartment next year. Adorable little guys, like flying squirrels. I want a dog, but we’re going to have to find a place that allows them. Cats are alright, but I want a pet that’s going to be affectionate, dammit, and not in the “let’s leave dismembered rodents on the doorstep” variety.
As mentioned elsewhere, my house is fast becoming a zoo. My daughter and I like most animals; hubby is primarily a dog-lover. He does not really care for cats, and were it up to him, we wouldn’t have them. However, I would cheerfully have ten, and my daughter thinks twenty cats is not too many. Hubby loves me and our daughter very much, so we have three.
And our kitties are very very affectionate - I really haven’t encountered too many of the stereotypically aloof cats.
Another animal-lover checking in.
I grew up in a house with two dogs, a cocker spaniel and a dauschand.
Today, we can’t have dogs or cats where we live. However, we do have a hamster and are also gerbil-sitting for two little beasties whom we have named Satan & Beelzebub.
Zev Steinhardt
I’m more of a dog person. Trouble is, my apartment won’t allow them - they will allow cats, but… Nah.
Used to have a dog, but hewas killed by a pit bull.
I think this thread might be aimed at me, as I was one of the first to post “No critters in the house!” with the exception of the parakeet. Strictly a sanitary issue. Animals are dirty, simple as that. They like to eat/roll in thier own shit, mud, other animals shit, dead animal corpes and other nasty stuff. I don’t want to share my living space with them. Other than that, I don’t mind them too much. We certainly have enough of them around, thats for sure. (see wife’s website below. she’s a critter-nut!)
I suppose if the wife had any “normal” pets, I may reconsider the rule, but she has the smelliest menagere around. She used to have a boatload of ferrets (worse smelling than my ass after a 200 mile desert race!) that prompted the establishment of the critter-ban. Since they are all gone and an exception for the parakeet has been made already, it might change (but I doubt it) Jo-Jo the parakeet is pretty clean, or at least keeps his mess and excretment contained in one nice, little area.
In related critter news: The first Wallabie Joey is almost ready to be removed from the pouch for hand-feeding (to make them tame and suitable for pets). I imagine this may end up in the spare bathroom or laundry room for a time. Deposits are being taken!! 
May the mediocrity of several greeting-card salesman inhabit your soul like unmatched buttons in a empty mayonaise jar.
I love animals. I have 3 cats and 3 dogs in the house. if you clean up after them, it’s no big deal. I know a lot of people who are dirtier than my animals. I also have a horse, and if the codes allowed it, I’d let her live in the house too. In a stall, with a turn out paddock so she could go out when she wanted. I am one of those people who think ‘horse’ is one of the greatest smells in the world. I love barns, the smell of shavings, the smell of horse. Meat eating animals (cats & dogs) have smellier poo, but the dogs go outdoors, and the litter boxes are cleaned daily and usually there is no odor at all. The hair is a problem, but brushing and lots of vacuuming takes care of that. Plus, I have long hair myself and don’t freak out about it- it won’t kill me.
My sentiments, exactly.
Wow…I have minor allergies to cats (sneezing, but thats about it) and I STILL have a kitten and have pets at my parents house. I’d have a dog too, but we don’t have the time/space/money right now…eventually though.
I’m allergic to many a variety of animal, some of which were almost life-threatening when I was a child.
None of this stopped me from being a vet tech through high school and college, and I currently have a dog and a cat. I’ll certainly have more pets in the future, of many different sorts. Like many folks’ pets here, they’re part of my family and are always indoors (luckily my allergies have subsided greatly as I’ve gotten older).
I also think that pets should be well trained (yes, even cats ;)). As much as I love animals, it is quite frustrating to have another person’s mud-covered dog leaping all over you, etc.
Some may like to if given the chance, but I always walk my dog on a leash, and so he never does any of this.
I acquired a step-cat when I married Mrs Alien three years ago. Lupert Greystreak Shadow Plum Divine, or Loopy to his staff. I’ve always liked animals but was never besotted with them. How things can change. He has certainly taken to me and follows me around the house wherever I go, completely ignoring Mrs Alien.
In the mornings Loopy gets up with me, whether it’s earlier or later than Mrs Alien, it doesn’t matter, always with me. (Mind you, once he’s been fed it’s straight back to bed if Mrs Alien’s still there.) If we are sitting in different chairs, he’ll sit by my feet or on the arm of the chair of my chair. (Loopy doesn’t “do” laps, thank goodness. He weighs seventeen pounds.)
Whenever either of us comes home, Loopy is always at the door to meet and greet and makes a big fuss. He’s a dear and we both love him to bits.
Another animal lover checking in!
I have a cat for about 7 years and in that time she has always lived in my house. She has her favourite chair and every so often she picks a different bed to sleep in. At night she prefers to sleep downstairs and in the day upsairs. The only bad thing about it is that she has white hairs that are always falling out and it takes forever to clean them but she is worth it 
And as for her being dirty, I don’t think so. She refuses to use the kitty litter if it hasn’t been changed in 2 days (she goes out the back before any of ye think that she does it in the house )
Do we love animals?
And we have a lizard, a fish (both from the county fair), two rescued Greyhounds, four cats that are our direct responsibility and a godawful number of freeloading cats who stop by for food and affection.
4 cats and a dog here. All in the house. Mine don’t roll in corpses or eat shit either. The cats never go outside, and the dog is either in the back yard long enough to poop or he’s on a leash. We try not to keep corpses in the house for rolling purposes.
I don’t know if I could sleep without a cat on my pillow.