The author of today’s tale, for instance, had to refrain from getting themselves a pet because their roomie was allergic; however, when it was established that she was moving out, they got a cat but were dubbed “selfish” when the woman came over to collect the rest of her things. 

She eventually moved out, but they agreed to hold on to her things for a couple of weeks

“AITA: Friend yelled at me for getting a cat” – this web user took to one of Reddit’s most judgmental and philosophical communities, asking its members if they’re indeed a jerk for housing a cat after their allergic roommate had already moved out. The post managed to garner nearly 9K upvotes as well as 1.5K comments discussing the situation.

Who wouldn’t like to live alone in the comfort of their own house, right? Unfortunately, though, with whopping, sky-high, arm-and-a-leg kind of prices and various intricate life situations, sometimes we have to resort to getting a housemate in order to afford a place altogether.

Yes, it can be fun to share a home with your pal! You get companionship and 24/7 emotional support; you split expenses, of course; you get help with chores; and you sleep like a baby knowing that you have a better chance of tackling a burglar since there are two of you. However, as with everything, there are also a bunch of cons that can put a strain on even the most solid friendships. 

In some instances, you get lucky and end things rather peacefully – in others, you try to be nice by granting them one last favor but end up getting called selfish for doing something that is no longer their concern. 

Life’s typical fashion, eh? 

Anywho, if we were to speak about today’s story in particular, it’s obvious that a pet allergy is not a joke. Sneezing, a runny nose, itchy and puffy eyes, and for asthmatics, added difficulty in breathing – it’s pure hell! Besides, according to this piece from Allergy Insider, a trusted source that helps people better understand the problem, it turns out that a cat allergy is a pretty common thing, as it affects 7%-25% of the population. 

Moreover, any allergy can potentially become lethal if it causes anaphylactic shock! But, let’s unpack and find out whether the author of the Reddit post was, in fact, a total jerk.

The OP then finally housed a stray cat – however, upon the ex-roomie’s visit, got blasted for being “selfish”

Now, the netizen always had pets growing up – however, they had to sacrifice that for their cat-allergic roomie until they eventually moved out to pursue a job. Luckily, though, they had some outdoor cats hanging around; the OP frequently fed them but made sure that they never entered the house for obvious reasons.

When it was discovered that the roommate was leaving, the Redditor agreed to hold on to her stuff for a couple of weeks and, in the meantime, housed one of the stray cats.

Their ex-roomie’s door was always kept closed – plus, they’d spring-cleaned the entire place before her visit and got her some allergy meds as a precaution. The problem is that the OP never mentioned the cat to their friend, which some might see as a potential “red flag,” though there’s always a possibility that they might not be as close at the moment for such life updates.

Surprise, surprise, the ex-roommate comes over and gets puffy-eyed immediately; she begins to ask questions, and the post’s creator confesses to welcoming a fluffy friend while assuring her that none of her belongings were contaminated.

Naturally, it got pretty bad, so the two had to go out on the porch so the woman could finally breathe – however, once that was sorted, she began bashing the OP for being “selfish” and “inconsiderate” towards her, essentially provoking them to not speak to each other for almost a week.

Now, it seems that the author had gone above and beyond to make their ex-roomie’s visit as comfortable as possible, yet the majority of you will probably agree that a simple “Hey, I’ve got a cat now, btw” would have probably helped them avoid this nasty conflict.

What are your thoughts on this?

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