Dodo, if only it were that easy! I adore cats but had to accept that unless my fiancé grows out of his severe allergy, I can't own one. 7 days after homing 2 kittens, despite every trick & potion in the book, his awful wheezing & breathlessness was too dangerous to his health & they were returned :(

Frances, Brighton,

My father spent most of his life with a cat allergy; streaming eyes, itching, sneezing, the works.
Then he fell out with my mother and she got a cat. The cat stayed and gradually, my father built up a total resistance to the allergens.

They now all co-exist in near perfect harmony.

liz, glasgow,

It is sad that it is taken as a given that a human partner should suddenly take priority over a pet that one has committed to care for. Perhaps to bemoan the loss of the 'freedom' to eat meat & smoke is petty - to dump an animal according to what suits you & yours?The RSPCA must despair.

Louise, London,

I am a cat lover my new wife is not (not allergic). As a result I have resorted to catnapping the neighbour’s moggy, aswell as doing a stint with the SPCA.

On the nights I smuggle 'Missy' in, a domestic will ensue, especially when the cat digs in to the gourmet dinner before my wife....

As part of the sweenting process I sent flowers to my wife with the message ‘at least the cat doesn’t get flowers’.

Some things are not negotiable, how anyone can hate a little fur ball that only wants strokes and some dinner in my opinion is barking!

d, nz, nz

All relationships require compromise !
It is possible for someone with an allergy to cats to co-exist with cats but
- The cat will need to be washed with an pet allergy shampoo - they won't like it but they will get used to it in time
- there will need to be no go areas for the cat - eg bedroom.

Patricia, Reading, England

Having to give up a treasured pet is & should be considered a great responisbility. Good for her for caring properly, so many people just dump animals when they suddenly become "inconvenient" or are no longer needed to fulfill their original "use/purpose"! Good luck to her in finding him/her a home.

Margaret, Ely, England

Its a game of two halves... How many cliches do you want your article to have? Its just a cat; invariably houses with cats in smell and generally hygene standards are lower. The middle classes are over indulged and hence have time for such ridiculous sentiment. The rest of Europe think we're barking

Arthur, London,

ridiculous.
let the new partner get some antihistamines and get over himself.We all have to make sacrifices.Working for an animal charity I see cases like this every week,do you realise how hard it is to rehome an older pet-they bond like children.
Pets are not 'practice' for having a 'proper baby

dodo, bradford,

Loss of a pet is not "petty", Dr Pam. Here's my advice: dump him for a Mad Cat Man. The boyfriend is happy for you to give up your beloved cat instead of trying to work out a compromise - what will you be expected to give up next? You'll end up resenting him and the relationship won't last.

Anna, London,