Reply #15: Not for me.

[wickerwoman]

I *love* cats and have almost always had a few in my life. But they are expensive as hell (I can't afford to keep them now) and dealing with illness or injury can be absolutely emotionally devastating. Cat or dog ownership is a serious 20+ year commitment and most pets will cost thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars over the course of their lives.

What would be a deal-breaker for me would be someone who approached pet ownership too casually. We'd have to be in a seriously committed long-term relationship and agree that we weren't go to move too many times before I would consider co-owning a pet with someone. I'd also have to think about work security and schedules... would someone be home with the pet most of the time? before I could consider it. They really are like practice kids.

So while I love pets, I can also understand good arguments for not having them- especially in the early stages of a relationship or for a couple that is experiencing financial instability or wants to travel a lot.