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Internet commenters were outraged after one cat owner revealed why their boyfriend of 14 years suddenly demanded they get rid of their beloved pet.
In a viral Reddit post published on the popular "AmITheA**hole" forum, Redditor u/cathaircomputer (otherwise referred to as the original poster, or OP) said their cat's fur routinely floats into their boyfriend's expensive gaming computer but scoffed at the notion they should exile the animal to accommodate his video game habit.
Titled, "[Am I the a**hole] for refusing to re-home my cat over my boyfriend's PC?" the post has received more than 4,000 upvotes and 1,600 comments in the last day.
"My boyfriend and I have been together for almost as long as my cat has been alive (she's 14)," OP began. "The issue at hand is that my boyfriend wants me to re-home my elderly cat because her fur keeps getting in/around his gaming PC."
Continuing to explain that their boyfriend's new gaming PC was an expensive purchase, the original poster said they have tried everything to keep their cat's hair away from the computer including fans, an air purifier, spray dusting cans and a fabric cover.
Despite taking numerous precautions, however, the original poster said their partner remains adamant about finding a new home for the pet they've had for the last decade-and-a-half.
"He claims he has to open up the PC to prevent it from overheating during somethings, and that he's tired of the cat fur 'floating into it' while he's playing," OP wrote.
"My boyfriend has tried keeping my cat our of our room and locking her out, but she will meow and scratch at the door all night long," OP continued. "She is used to sleeping next to me and honestly I enjoy having her there."
"I don't enjoy the comments from him telling me she's 'got to go' though," OP added.
Pets & Relationships
For some couples, living together can be fulfilling and help cement relationships destined for the long haul. For others, it can be the exact opposite, halting burgeoning relationships right in their tracks.
But even in the most harmonious living arrangements, there are arguments, disagreements and petty points of contention.
Pets are a prime example.
When live-in partners can't agree on which pet to get, which pet not to get or whether to get a pet at all, looming tension is all but guaranteed and more severe consequences often lurk around the corner—especially when the pet in question has been around as long, if not longer, than the relationship itself.
"Pets are part of the family, so if your significant [other] doesn't like or approve of your pet, he or she is basically saying that they don't like and/or approve of your family," Heidi McBain, licensed marriage and family therapist, told WeddingWire in 2018.
"This close-mindedness can be very damaging to your relationship," McBain added.
And while severe allergies and other medical concerns require greater contemplation than simple disdain, demanding that a partner get rid of their long-term pet because of how its fur affects a computer seemingly does not.
Redditor Reactions
Throughout the comment section of the viral Reddit post, Redditors responding to the original poster were up in arms over the boyfriend's repeated demands to re-home the elderly cat and offered suggestions for how to move forward without having to do so.
"Keep the cat, rehome him," Redditor u/Significant_Pea_2852 quipped in the post's top comment, which has received more than 11,000 upvotes.
"Keep the kitty, ditch the boyfriend," Redditor u/Alternative-Pool-607 echoed, receiving more than 3,000 upvotes.
Redditor u/erciauh, whose comment has received nearly 3,500 upvotes, assured the original poster they are justified in keeping their cat and shifted the focus onto their boyfriend.
"Anyone who asks you to 'get rid' of a living being who you have an emotional connection with is an a**hole," they wrote. "You're [not the a**hole]."
"ESPECIALLY for a PC," Redditor u/cpt_kaddywhak chimed in, receiving more than 1,200 upvotes. "If he suddenly developed a severe allergy, or they had a baby...or even if he had a medical device that was being compromised, but it's a computer!"
"Bro needs to get over himself," they added.
Newsweek reached out to u/cathaircomputer for comment.
About the writer
Taylor McCloud is a Newsweek staff writer based in California. His focus is reporting on trending and viral topics. Taylor ... Read more