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[beach-mom]

Well, DH is a veterinarian, so we have pets in our home!

We have kitties, some who have been abused. They have the run of the house, and are allowed anywhere - as long as they don't break something. Of course they have their own "room" for food and water, but they also like to drink from a mug at the kitchen sink. We keep it filled for them. This started years ago when we had one kitty who would ignore his water dish and peek into DH's large college mug to see what he was having. One day DH had ice water in it and ended up holding it while kitty drank. It has been "their" mug ever since!

Years ago I tried to keep them off the kitchen counter, but it didn't work. I just wipe it off when they get down and always before I start fixing food. They are not allowed on the table while we eat. They are very good about sitting on papers when you're trying to work - or math books when there is homework to be done!

My friends know what they will see when they come over. It seems like from the time DH and I were married, of all of our close friends, one member of the couple was allergic. My high school friend and her husband came to visit us once and he had to sleep in the bathtub. I felt terrible, but he was fine with it! Another good friend takes Benadryl before she comes over. We've been really lucky with our kids' friends. So far, no one has been allergic. DS' best friends love to visit when they're home from college, because they can't have pets because of allergies in their own homes.

Of course, if I have people I work with over for a planning session, inevitably our one little girl will find the lap of the person who does not like cats! They have always been good about it, and we all laugh about it.

Oh - I've never been criticized for letting them go anywhere they want. That's probably because guests already know what they will find in our home!

[Mj12]

One can definitely have a pet and a clean home. It just takes more work.

I don't trust people who don't like pets.

[Suzeecat]

As far as keeping your home clean, I think it's similar to having children (because pets are your family too). It's a lot of extra work, but most believe it's worth it. Some people know their house is less clean because of kids/pets and are OK with it. This is fine, because it's their home, their choice (as long as it doesn't affect the neighbors).

I think it's normal to have indoor pets, but if someone doesn't have pets they may very well feel differently. I recently lost my two elderly kitties and am currently petless. My home is much cleaner and easier to keep clean now, but I do miss them.

[issiestorm]

I have a little dog and I have a clean house. I've had people tell me that it's impossible to have a thoroughly clean house with a pet (even though my house was cleaner than theirs, and they had rodents and some sort of lizards in their walls) and I told them to their faces that since they have a problem with my pet they are not welcome in my house and would never be invited back. They were taken aback and left without a word. I felt deeply satisfied.

[Karnerblue]

You can have both pets and a clean house. Nonsense. If people don't want to visit your home for that reason, then that's their decision.

[stevieb]

Anyone not interested in visiting my home because I have pets is more than welcome not to... In fact, I'd prefer they didn't. I can be just as closed minded as they and I personally feel there is something intrinsically lacking in people who do not care for animals.

[Nataliesgramma]

I have 2 Maltese and a one-eyed cat my hubby rescued. I put throws down where they lay on the sofa and vacuum every other day. The cat is so well behaved for a rescue.....she stays off most of the furniture and likes sleeping the most in the bay window. My daughter and granddauhter both are allergic to cats ...but have never had any issues while visiting us.

[vermint]

I have two cats who have the run of my house. Their litter box is in the master bath...no matter HOW much I sweep, there's always a bit of litter. But I keep it scooped, and several people have been surprised during a visit to find out I have cats! There's also always some cat hair floating around. Strangely enough, while it does get on my clothes, and in my eyes, and up my nose ...I've never found any in my food!

When we have company, I keep the cats shut in the master bedroom until we are finished eating (and afterward, too, unless the company asks to see them--many do).

We also have a cat in our office, and I'm always surprised by the number of people coming in who see her and, with an exclamation of "Oh, a kitty!" head straight for her for pets (which she mostly loves).

[aoc2005]

I have nothing against pets but the don't belong in my home. I am extremely picky about cleanliness. Not only can I tell if someone has pets when I walk in their home, I can often tell when I meet them. Clothes with pet hair on them, coats and other rarely cleaned items have a smell clinging to them (and don't protest, it is true, you are used to it if you have pets and that is fine.) I won't eat at a house that has indoor pets or eat food that comes from one.

That said, it's your home and if you want a full on petting zoo in your living room or one dog in your sunroom and anything in between that is fine with me. That is the great part about living in a democracy, no one gets to dictate if you have animals in your house our not. Live your life and move on!

[Rus Girl]

I have 5 dogs- two of them are Siberian Huskies- so lots of shedding. I do my best to groom their coats. We do our best to keep the hair and dirt under control. We both work more than full time jobs.

We do a deep clean weekly and during the week, try to keep up on the hairballs and dirt.It try to keep my kitchen as clean as possible and scrub it down before I cook.

If people don't like it, then they don't have to come to my house. I'm OK with that.