# Your boundaries with pets in your home **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 16, 2010, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356 "2010-12-16T13:59:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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 16, 2010, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/1 "2010-12-16T13:59:51Z")
the thread [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=587949&page=3) degenerated quickly from a mild complaint about some women I’ve dated recently and their lack of boundaries with their pets into a bashing of all pet-haters, particularly men like me who make unreasonable demands that their women forswear all loyalty to pets so as to devote all their earthly attentions on said unreasonable men. But genders aside I wonder how people feel about pets in their households. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/2 "2010-12-16T14:05:07Z")
My cats aren’t allowed in the basement or in my bedroom while I’m sleeping. Otherwise, the house is pretty much open to them. ---
**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 16, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/3 "2010-12-16T14:10:25Z")
I’m a no-pets now, would set up rules if I had pets, kinda guy. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/4 "2010-12-16T14:18:28Z")
Our dog is allowed anywhere in our house except in the bed while we’re sleeping. The dog we had previously used to sleep under the covers at our feet, so this is really just a space issue. She’s not allowed to put her feet up on the table or kitchen counters, but I’ve never seen her actually try to do that. She’s weirdly uninterested in human food. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/5 "2010-12-16T14:18:28Z")
Cats more or less have the run of the house, except the kitchen counters (and [THIS](http://www.multivet.net/en/products/ssscat/index.asp) is a fabulous counter surfing deterrent!). The dogs are only allowed up on the couch if invited, & are not allowed in the bedroom at all. (Stems from having elderly cats and a rambunctious puppy, cats needed a puppy-free haven. I discovered that I slept much better w/out nocturnal dog noises) The horses aren’t allowed in the house at all, though they are quite frequently allowed to mow the lawn 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/6 "2010-12-16T14:25:16Z")
More or less free rein, but no getting up on furniture, or going into the kitchen (open-plan). This is obviously only enforceable when we’re around; we’ve often come back to find our dog slinking off a chair with a very, very guilty expression. I don’t mind having pets around when I’m sleeping, but not in the bed. This is hard to enforce for cats, so they stay out of my bedroom when I’m asleep. My sister, on the other hand, hugs them and loves them and calls them George, and I find that incredibly annoying, but hey, it’s her room and she can do what she likes. ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/7 "2010-12-16T14:31:31Z")
Pretty much free reign - they even sleep in our bed. However, when we’re not home, we shut some doors so they can’t get in the bedroom or my library. We have dogs, so they can’t get on the counter; when we had cats, we did our best to keep them off the counter. Neither of us like them in the bathroom with us. I’m afraid that them noticing (smelling) that we are peeing and pooing in the house will let them think they can - maybe I’m nuts. ETA: I’ve already decided that when our boys pass away, the next dogs will NOT be allowed to sleep in bed with us. They take up too much damn room. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/8 "2010-12-16T14:33:31Z")
We own two rabbits, and because of the risk of them chewing on power cords, they’re limited right now to cage, playpen, or monitored (as in sitting right there and playing with them) playtime. I’d love to let them just run around while we’re home and awake, as they’re litter-box trained, but it’s too dangerous for them. I’ve been working on making things that will block off the worst areas, like behind the TV, and I really need a huge spool of aquarium hose to use as cord covers (slit down the length of the tube, slip over the cord). ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/9 "2010-12-16T14:35:51Z")
I keep tank or caged pets only. I do not like pets having the free run of the house. I certainly don’t complain about it in other people’s houses, whatever floats your boat, but it totally grosses me out when I see cats being allowed to stroll merrily along kitchen counters, or whatever. Yuck. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/10 "2010-12-16T14:42:54Z")
The cat is allowed free reign everywhere EXCEPT for the master bedroom. A Maine Coon, I don’t want her abundant cat hair or me sneezing in bed. If she even takes a step toward that hallway, I’ll glare at her and she hauls ass in the opposite direction. She knows. ETA: She never hangs in the kitchen so that’s never been an issue. If she was jumping up on counters then yeah, that would definately be a problem that would get addressed. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/11 "2010-12-16T14:46:46Z")
#4 & #6. No counters, but welcome in bed and in the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/12 "2010-12-16T14:53:14Z")
I have an indoor cat, and she is allowed everywhere except the kitchen counters, kitchen table and coffee table. Everywhere else is good. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/13 "2010-12-16T14:56:51Z")
Two indoor cats, not allowed in the computer room (husband doesn’t want cat hair in the components) and the bedroom (I like the bedroom to be cat hair free). Of course, they are not allowed on the counters (although they rarely try to get up there). I’m trying to break my adventuresome Siamese of jumping up on the dining room buffet, he scratched it. I’m reading the sssscat link with interest! ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/14 "2010-12-16T15:11:49Z")
We have a large dog. He is allowed in most rooms but not on any furniture. That is just gross. The reason I really don’t like cats is that they get everywhere. When I’m at someone’s house and see their cat walking along the kitchen counter … urp, gag … thank you, I’m not hungry anymore. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/15 "2010-12-16T15:16:35Z")
> [@Glory](#): > > Two indoor cats, not allowed in the computer room (husband doesn’t want cat hair in the components) and the bedroom (I like the bedroom to be cat hair free). Of course, they are not allowed on the counters (although they rarely try to get up there). I’m trying to break my adventuresome Siamese of jumping up on the dining room buffet, he scratched it. I’m reading the sssscat link with interest! The thing works great, but when they get spooked they generally spin wheels getting out of there, so you might want to put some protective padding on the buffet. Those hind claws can dig trenches! ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/16 "2010-12-16T15:22:47Z")
We have a cat and the only places he’s not allowed are the kitchen and on the tables. Otherwise he does what he likes which includes sleeping with us most nights. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/17 "2010-12-16T15:26:08Z")
We have three dogs, a cat, and we’re currently fostering a mother cat and her kittens\*. Oh, and I have five chickens, which are never allowed in the house (see, I have boundaries!) The cats are not allowed on any counters except the small area where their food is (I wipe the counters down before I cook, anyway, though) and the dogs aren’t allowed in the basement because that’s where the litterbox is and they need to stay the hell away from the litterbox. Other than that, they’ve all got free reign. This sounds like a lot of animals, but non-pet types always exclaim over how unobtrusive the pets are when they visit. We frequently get comments like “you wouldn’t even know you had pets”. We keep both the animals and the house clean, and they’re all well-behaved. Well, the foster kittens are a bit insane, but they’re temporary. \*[photos to squee over if you’re so inclined](http://picasaweb.google.com/RachelRDutton/GemSKittens#) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/18 "2010-12-16T15:28:43Z")
Our dogs come up on the bed for a pre-sleep cuddle but then they go into their own beds for sleep. We have steps so they can get up on the bed anytime they want to; the girl sees it as her sovereign right and the boy has to be coaxed. He prefers to go into his crate to chill. They are not allowed on the furniture but she sometimes is found on the living room sofa when we come home, and gets a good scolding which she ignores. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/19 "2010-12-16T15:43:32Z")
I’m the sole “ain’t none, never will be” vote so far. I believe that animals belong outside. It’s too cold here to have outside-only pets, but I wouldn’t have pets anyway as I have no affection for animals. I don’t care if other people want to have animals in their houses, but I won’t have one in mine. This is an absolute - if someone says “I’ll come over but I have to bring my dog/cat/cockatoo”, I tell them not to come. My wife was raised in Ireland and feels the same. She had dogs but they weren’t allowed in the house. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356/20 "2010-12-16T15:45:19Z")
Our dog isn’t allowed in our bedroom. In the living room she’s allowed to get up on the loveseat but not the couches. She has to have permission to go in my daughter’s room. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-boundaries-with-pets-in-your-home/564356.md?page=2)