Am I mad to want a cat for the DCs when DH and I are both allergic?

[shergar]

O.K, DH and I both sneeze our heads off around my parents' cat (long-haired, predominantly black), but are both O.K. around my brother's cats (both short-haired, one ginger and one tabby). My DCs are 5 and 3 but both good around animals, kind and not teasing of other family cats, and would dearly love a cat in particular. I have seen two lovely cats on the local Cats Protection website that are good with children, and both are short-haired and tabby. Am I mad to consider getting a cat given our definite allergy to long-haired cats? Would we be O.K. with a short-haired one, do you think? Anyone else out there with this same problem?

Barking mad.

mad as a sack of rats.

Don't get a cat.

The cat next door jumped up and tipped over our nest of baby birds and ate the lot. .

Definately don't get a cat if you have allergies, you'll end up having to give the cat away.

Thanks for answers. I might ring the shelter and see if we can come and see a specific cat and see how we respond to it - it is only a problem with some cats, really.

What pet can we get if not a cat though? Dog impractical as we both work, and small animals are a bit......rubbish.