It's allergies for both of us, really, but I came from a cat-loving family, so I had always just lived with it. I even had cat(s) when I lived 'alone'! I didn't realize how bad my allergies were until I moved over here and have been healthy ever since. If anything happens to my husband, I'd probably get a cat again (even if I am allergic), but my husband's allergies, and the risk of him watching me battle a bad chest cold, make me not want to try it.