A little something has entered my head and I can’t seem to move past it.

I really want a cat.

Most people would think that my dog would be the biggest obstacle to overcome. After all most dogs don’t neccessarily get along with cats. The Dude however loves them. We had a cat come meandering in through our doggie door the one day and he just sat there looking at the cat and then at me with this happy drooling grin on his face. He was fostered with a cat and they got along famously. He loves cats.

Nope, it’s not the Dude I have to contend with.

It’s my husband.

I love him. And I knew when we got together that he had a cat allergy. But at the time, I had a cat and he had no issues with her at all. She was a bit of a bitch and really was only affectionate with certain people. They had an understanding was how he always explained it to me. She would walk right across the back of the couch past him and come to me. He never once had a reaction with her and even pet her on a few occasions. She was a really special cat and I was devastated when she passed away.

He knew how sad I was without her, and after a reasonable amount of time he decided he was going to get me a cat. He wanted to make me happy so we trucked up to the big cat adopt-a-thon that the local Humane Society was having at Petsmart. I instantly fell in love with this crazy black and orange calico. The cat was playing with the tab on my zipper and was so gentle and fun. I asked to hold it and it melted in my arms. It was so loving and gentle and yet playful at the same time. She was declawed and was perfect for my tastes. I would’ve named her chaos.

He had a different vision. “I’m a designer. I like things symmetrical.” So he picked out this grey snobby cat that was incredibly elegant looking. She was at the back of her cage and showed big signs of being a complete bitch. He asked to hold her and they tried to warn him that she might not want to be held right away. He reached his hand in and she scratched him. He pulled it out but tried again slowly and the bitch bit him. We decided she wasn’t the kitty for us – even if he did want to name her Kennedy. We walked away to talk about things and that’s when he told me to look at his arm. He had broken out in hives.

In that moment I looked into his eyes and I saw how much pain was there. I decided then and there that we would have a dog and that I’d have to give up on getting a cat.

It broke my heart, but I do all I can to get kitty love whenever I can. Friends and families with cats know that I love when their cat comes up for pets and love. I practically fall all over myself just to get close to them.

I chose to love my husband. I know that a cat cannot be part of my house.

But then my husband does something remarkable. He starts looking up what the causes of cat allergies are. He discovers that the cat allergy doesn’t come from the fur or the dander but from the saliva. Of course the Kennedy kitty made him break out – she bit him. This gets him wondering if there is any cat breeds out there that are better for people with allergies – in particular breeds that actually have fur or hair.

He does all this and comes in and completely shines a light on my life. The hope that there is a way that I could have this man that I love and this pet that I love has brightened my skies.

Of course looking into it further we were able to see that the cats that are best for those with allergies are really expensive and not that common around here. Going to a breeder would mean spending nearly $1000 for a cat and that’s before all the vet bills, food and kitty litter.

My hopes aren’t completely gone. Cats are a big responsibility and many people don’t really want them when they grow up. They get bored of their pets or they move where they can’t take them. There are so many cats in shelters all around the world, that there has to be some that fit the bill for what we’d need.

So here’s what they recommend:
– female, spayed is recommended
– cat breeds such as the LaPerm, Sphynx,Oriental Shorthair, Devon Rex, and Cornish Rex
– Siberian and Russian Blue breeds may be naturally hypoallergenic (I’m leaning to the Russian Blue)

With that said, time will tell if my kitty dreams come true. In the meantime – I have an awesome husband and loving pup. I’m a pretty lucky lady.