I am having a baby shower for a good friend. Her mother in law does not like cats--it's not that she's allergic, she just doesn't like them, and has asked me to lock them up while she is there. Do I really have to do that? Most likely they will be hiding the whole time anyway!

Beth says: I have way too many pets.  After I got married, our households combined to create a veritable "His, Mine and Ours" of the Animal Kingdom.  We now have 2 dogs, 4 cats and 3 crabs.  I know it's a lot and I know many people don't like animals.  If someone has an allergy, they are in trouble when they come to my house and I always give them a heads up and have Benadryl and Allertec on hand.  If they aren't comfortable around dogs, I will crate up my dogs.  My cats on the other hand are probably going to hide and if they come in, I will shoo them out.  That's about the best I can offer.  If someone just doesn't like cats, then they should weigh what they hate more, cats or the thought of missing a loved one's baby shower. 

Kevin says:  I’m sure I’ll offend lots of animal lovers with this response, but if you’re entertaining in your home, animals (and children for that matter --- don’t get me started) should be corralled elsewhere. I am highly allergic to nearly all animals, and as a result I try not to touch any furry creatures. As a result, cats in particular, are maddeningly drawn to me. Even having a cat rub up against my leg or a dog jump up to greet me can leave dander and oils from their fur that transfer easily to my clothes and hands and before I know it, my allergy symptoms are in full glory. “Oh, just push her away,” the doting cat owner will say. Problem is, just doing that is enough to prompt my suffering. Even if I weren’t allergic, though, I'm not keen on having animal hair all over my clothes (or dainty finger sandwiches, yuck).  Additionally, some folks simply are afraid of animals. Whether that fear is rational or not, your carefully orchestrated shower is not the time or the place to prove that your pets are nothing to fear. My advice is to do what you can to make your guests feel comfortable in your home, and if that means moving your animals to a spare bedroom for a few hours, it’s the right thing to do.