# single ladies: enough with the pets! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 4, 2010, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914 "2010-12-04T06:47:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/21 "2010-12-04T18:38:54Z")
We pet-haters can just stick together. When I was single I dated a lot of women with cats, simply because so many single women have pet cats. It was miserable for me because I’m badly allergic to them. Dogs I’m simply afraid of. Fortunately I eventually met a woman who disliked cats and dogs as much as I did. We’ve been happily married for years now. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/22 "2010-12-04T18:44:41Z")
I don’t hate animals. I’ve had pets myself (one parakeet, several dogs) and lived with roommates who kept pets. I love staying with my brother, who’s had a series of Golden Retrievers, who are outside dogs allowed on the lower levels (finished basement, laundry room) and decks of his home. But these three ladies have policies that give the cats and dogs the run of their entire house, including the bed that they’ve invited me into, and I’ve tried seeing if they have much flexibility in how they choose to share space with their animals. Apparently, none of them have any borders at all, and the relationships were pretty far along before I understood exactly how delusional they were. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/23 "2010-12-04T19:36:42Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Geez… > > Anybody who knows ANYTHING about dogs knows those are referred to as DRMDs. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/24 "2010-12-04T20:25:08Z")
I kind of get where you are coming from. I hate birds. I am of the opinion that birds have no purpose but to be delicious and to leave me the hell alone. I wouldn’t date a man who had a pet bird. I wouldn’t say that man is wrong to have a bird or that his bird is diminishing his dating potential though. Him having a bird would make him a less than stellar dating choice _for me_. Not in general, just for me. The same way that a woman having a couple of cats that sleep in bed with her make her a less than stellar dating choice _for you_. Not in general, but for you. I found a man who loves my cats and the four of us sleep in the bed together very happily every night. I don’t feel like I missed out on lots of potential dates because of the cats, I feel like they gave me a good barometer with which to determine compatibility in a date. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/25 "2010-12-04T20:53:31Z")
Is this a girl thing? I’m trying to think if I know of any guys with similar traits, not coming up with any. I wouldn’t be too happy dating someone who’s not an animal lover, but these ladies sound like hoarder types as mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/26 "2010-12-04T21:08:23Z")
I have a cat. Don’t worry, I don’t want to date you anyway. ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/27 "2010-12-04T21:19:14Z")
We have pets because pets love us better than most men do. We have pets because it’s nice to come home to something that is happy to see us. We have pets because when we are alone in the evening watching TV or reading, we have something to cuddle. We have pets because walking them gives us a chance to get out of the house, get exercise, and maybe talk to our neighbors. We have pets because they make us laugh. And as someone said above, if a man has a dog, he gets extra points. If he has a dog and openly shows affection for it–that’s like +10 points. If a man didn’t like me because of my pets (ironically, I have none right now–my dog recently died), then good riddance. I would choose to keep the dog and lose the dog-hating man every time. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/28 "2010-12-04T21:21:29Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Emotionally? around seven, I’d say. Probably unethical of you to try to fuck them, then. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/29 "2010-12-04T21:22:40Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > I have a cat. > > Don’t worry, I don’t want to date you anyway. I have two cats, so I guess that goes double for me. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/30 "2010-12-04T21:23:45Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Probably unethical of you to try to fuck them, then. And that is why, my friends, a furby costume pays for itself… ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/31 "2010-12-04T21:36:38Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > We’ve added a dog to the family since we became a couple and she’s like our child. More than any hard and fast rule about how many pets, this is the attitude that is a red light to me in a relationship. Pets are animals, albeit animals that deserve care and attention and affection. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/32 "2010-12-04T23:14:28Z")
I’ve always liked cats and I use to like dogs but that was back in the day when people curbed their pets. I don’t want your dog jumping up on me, I don’t want to be kissed by your dog, I don’t want to be painted with dog snot because the perfunctory “good doggy how are you” petting is never enough. Add incessant barking from a neighborhood of dogs and I’m to the point now where I would ban all of them from living outdoors. If you want a security system then install a camera and not an animal desperate for a little affection. If you have a dog then bathe it regularly, teach it basic commands and curb the barking. If you take it for a walk then pick up it’s waste and pull it close in when others are passing by. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/33 "2010-12-04T23:25:10Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > More than any hard and fast rule about how many pets, this is the attitude that is a red light to me in a relationship. Pets are animals, albeit animals that deserve care and attention and affection. I doubt the way we treat our dog is anything like what you’re picturing. I think a lot of couples view their first pet together as being like a child since it’s something small that you take care of together. We still treat the dog as a dog not a person. It’s not like we go to the extremes that we plan our social life around walking the dog like the OP was talking about. We don’t give her people food or make her wear silly outfits either. She is allowed free roam of the house but I only allow that because she doesn’t shed. If she were a shedder I would keep her restricted to the areas the cats are allowed in. I am really thankful I’m out of the dating scene and don’t have to deal with these kind of attitudes. People can be so judgmental and cranky, then whine when they can’t find anyone to date. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/34 "2010-12-04T23:27:58Z")
Some of us girls don’t like pets. Right now my only pet is one gecko. Of course, I am not single, but we’re out there. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/35 "2010-12-05T00:12:45Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > I am really thankful I’m out of the dating scene and don’t have to deal with these kind of attitudes. People can be so judgmental and cranky, then whine when they can’t find anyone to date. :rolleyes: Who’s whining? I’d rather do without, and I don’t complain about it. That said, my cats only had two forbidden places: kitchen counter and the dining room table. There’s a reason God invented cat brushes and vacuum cleaners, you know. 🙂 (My ex and I bought a new, larger, very nice dining room table once, and came home from being out the evening of the day it was delivered to find Zero sprawled out on it, each paw pointing to a corner. “Nice try, cat. Wrong!”) ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/36 "2010-12-05T03:02:41Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Geez… > > Anybody who knows ANYTHING about dogs knows those are referred to as DRMDs. 😃 I see where you went with that…snort! Okay, so… I have one dog, one cat, and a cockatiel…So basically I’ve got one more than is allowed (insofar as still being thought of as sane according to some in this thread), does that make me a pet obsessed kook then? If it helps, the cat is a lazy bum who requires almost no maintenance, so she’s more like 1/3 a pet. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/37 "2010-12-05T03:18:47Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > Okay, so… I have one dog, one cat, and a cockatiel…So basically I’ve got one more than is allowed (insofar as still being thought of as sane according to some in this thread), does that make me a pet obsessed kook then? It does make you an ideal subject for a regular comic strip. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/38 "2010-12-05T03:32:40Z")
I would never trust a man who didn’t like animals. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/39 "2010-12-05T04:03:32Z")
Um … I’m a single guy with a few cats. I like cats. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914/40 "2010-12-05T04:12:36Z")
I use animal-loathing and anti-pet sentiments as a filter actually. You’ve got to love either dogs or cats, preferably both. Everyone in my family owns pets and I have a huge soft spot for guys who love cats. Remember that Youtube guy who posted something about the Physics of Cats or the engineering of cats or something? So cute! I have a higher-needs cat (just one) and I’ve never used it as an excuse to get out of a date. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-ladies-enough-with-the-pets/562914.md?page=3)