'He said I threw away a good relationship “for a bunch of fat cats that hate me”': College student breaks up with boyfriend after he insists she give up her cats when moving in together, unwilling to share their home with four beloved feline friends

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Sarah Brown • Writer and Editor
Aug 12, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

This is a tail of love, fur, and feline loyalty. This cat enthusiast has four fabulous furballs currently chilling with her parents while finishing college, dreaming of the day they can all be reunited under one roof. Enter the boyfriend. Caring and helpful, but not quite ready to embrace a full-blown cat kingdom. When he said moving in together came with a catch, only one cat allowed, this pawrent faced a clawsome dilemma. Choosing just one of her precious pals? Not on her watch!

The ultimatum led to a breakup, with the boyfriend claiming she tossed away a their relationships for cats that already hate him. Ouch. But sometimes, love means choosing your furry family over a partner who doesn't respect your pawsessions. After all, cats don't just make a house a home. They're family.

So here's to all the pawrents who refuse to furget their feline friends, no matter the relationship drama. The real problem? Anyone who makes you choose between love and your cats. That's just hissterical!

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  • 01
    'I just can't abandon three of them by choice, so I broke up with him'
    via pixelshot / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    - I have four cats — all spayed, vaccinated, and very well cared for. Right now, they live with my parents while I live alone to finish college and work, with the plan to eventually have enough space to bring all of them with me.
    via Killer_Cheesecake
  • 03
    My boyfriend is caring, helps around the house, and takes care of me when I'm sick. Recently, he suggested we move in together · but with one condition: I could only bring one of my cats. because "four is too many" and he didn't want to live surrounded by animals.
    via Killer_Cheesecake
  • 04
    Cheezburger Image 10541003776
    via Lucy_Ost / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 05
    His reasoning was that I've mentioned wanting to have multiple pets in the future, and he made it clear that between having different species and keeping my cats, I should choose just one. I told him that between having any other pet and my cats, I'd always choose to keep all of my cats.
    via Killer_Cheesecake
  • 06
    I just can't abandon three of them by choice, so I broke up with him. He said I threw away a good relationship "for a bunch of fat cats that hate me." AITA for ending a relationship with someone who made me choose between him and my pets?
    via Killer_Cheesecake
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10541004032
    via Mixmike / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 08
    Storm_cold_ NTA. My cats are my babies, I'm sure it's the same for you. If he can get rid of pets that easily, he isn't someone I'd want to be with anyways.
    via Storm_cold_
  • 09
    Low Temperature 9... NTA. He sure demonstrated that you made the right choice with his response huh Good riddance.
    via Low_Temperature9593

  • His reaction clearly shows this pawrent made the right call. Choosing fur family over drama is always the purrfect decision. No need to settle when your heart belongs to your cats!

  • 10
    Bookqueen42 NTA. I would choose my cats too. I only have 2 and could never just choose one.
    via Bookqueen42
  • 11
    Good QueenFluffen... You two are just incompatible. Nothing more nothing less. If you get rid of three of your cats you'll be miserable but if you keep all four he'll be miserable. Nothing left to be done except break up and find someone who also really likes pets like you do.
    via GoodQueenFluffenChop
  • 12
    allergymom74 I'm assuming your cats are going to be around for many years so he basically gave you the option to move in with one cat or don't until your four cats are down to 1, which would prevent your relationship from moving forward for a long time.
    via allergymom74
  • 13
    A more reasonable discussion COULD have been, I'm ok with the four cats but after these cats are gone, can we limit ourselves to 1-2 pets. But to put a medically unnecessary limitation around existing pets is crazy to me.
    via allergymom74
  • 14
    I had a friend whose husband was allergic to cats. Know what he did? He suffered with allergy shots. and medicine until those cats passed away. And then they finally got a family pet they all could enjoy. Do I think someone should suffer allergies? No. But the fact he was willing to shows he cared enough about her and
    via allergymom74
  • 15
    her needs. If they had ended up rehoming cats because they talked and heard each other, that would be ok too. Like he could have talked through what allergy shots. and medicine entailed and she easily could say I appreciate you wanting to consider that but I won't ask you to because I care about you. That is how a healthy conversation could go. NTA.
    via allergymom74

  • The fact he couldn’t even suggest a compromise says a lot. Breaking up was definitely the right move. No one should have to choose between love and their cats!

  • 16
    Hilarious_Genius No, you aren't. They were here before he was and they'll be here after he's gone. Don't move in with somebody who doesn't want you to keep your babies.
    via Hilarious_Genius
  • 17
    Embarrassed_Cre... The title was enough to say NTA,you both clearly have different choices, he doesn't seem to like pets, you love your cats, relationships require both parties to sacrifice.and I believe cats or any animals at that matter, are non-negotiable if they were there when you enter the relationship, if they
    via Embarrassed_Crew3303
  • 18
    have been a part of the person you've about to get into a relationship with, then they (CATS, DOGS, ANIMALS) are part of the package, you don't get to ask OP to "pick one" you did the right thing OP.
    via Embarrassed_Crew3303

  • He knew about the four cats from the start, so putting off the real talk about their future until moving in was unfair. Furry family plans deserve early, honest conversations!

  • 19
    minionofthenight NTA. I've been with my partner 9 years & have 7 cats. My eldest just passed at 20 1/2. He knows well I'll always pick them over him even if we've been in each other's lives for 19 years. Find a parter who will love you and your fur family
    via minionofthenight
  • 20
    Newjudger The fact that he made you choose and said that the cats hate him are already 2 red flags, and There is another BIG issue here: in 4 YEARS the 2 of you have not managed to have a clear and proper conversation about the 4 cats:
    via Newjudger
  • 21
    he's been avoiding the discussion because he knew you'd choose them and hoped and tried to convince you to give up on them, and you knew he'd probably will not want them and postponed the discussion for 4 years, hoping you'll convince him.
    via Newjudger
  • 22
    I doubt that you'll manage to determine him to accept all of them based on what you've written in your post and comment, sorry.
    via Newjudger
  • 23
    DBgirl83 NAH He's allowed to set boundaries and you are allowed not to agree to them. This means you aren't compatible anymore, better to find out now than later.
    via DBgirl83
  • 24
    QuestionMaker207 NTA. Like, you're never the ahle for breaking up with someone. You should only date someone you're really excited to be with. I personally think four cats is way too many and wouldn't date someone who insisted on having that many. Two would be my limit. Everyone is entitled to their own preferences.
    via QuestionMaker207

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boyfriend break up pets girlfriend feline pawrents Cats exes moving
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