this post was submitted on 29 Dec 2025
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Unpopular Opinion

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If you live in an apartment, just don't get one

Reasoning edit: pets, especially cats, will leave a smell all over furniture. Cleaning becomes an even worse chore due to the fur. They also require "house training" in order to not chew/claw/destroy most stuff that's lying around the house.

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[–] ptz@dubvee.org 35 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Per rule #6, please defend your UO position with reasoning.

[–] slothrop@lemmy.ca 70 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Cats are healthier and live longer when kept indoors.

[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 67 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

Local wildlife are healthier and live longer when cats are kept indoors, too.

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[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 68 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Upvoted for the opinion being unpopular.

Cats don't belong outside. They will kill local wildlife and have contributed to the extinction of dozens of species.

I don't think fish care either way as long as they get the space and care they need. That is, a tiny pond outside isn't any better than a tank of the same volume indoors, all other things being equal.

Rodents definitely belong inside, if having a rodent as a pet is allowed at all in this scenario. I feel like this doesn't require further explanation.

I could see rabbits liking being outside, as long as they're adequately protected from predators. They do well inside, too. I'd call this one 50:50.

If reptiles and amphibians should be kept as pets at all, indoors is way better.

I imagine almost all invertebrate pets would have to be indoors.

Pets that are livestock species go outside, yeah. No argument here.

Some animals shouldn't be pets at all. Some belong inside. Some belong outside. Some go in and out. It's a mixed bag.

[–] slothrop@lemmy.ca 19 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Upvoted and upvoted. It's weird that in c/UO, a truly extremely unpopular opinion gets downvoted!
It should be in the top few of all time!

[–] I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

It's tempting, it's really tempting. It's easy not to downvote an unpopular opinion, but when it's a really fucking stupid opinion as well.... Ooooh I really wanna push that button.

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Pets that are livestock species go outside, yeah. No argument here.

Well, they should have a cozy barn if they’re pets. If they’re really pets, with HVAC and all.

[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Agreed. I generally think of "Indoors" as meaning "within the home" in this case.

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 2 weeks ago

I do too, but I’ve seen where some people keep their horses and would gladly move in!

[–] snoons@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 weeks ago

I could see rabbits liking being outside, as long as they’re adequately protected from predators.

Depends on the type of rabbit. Someone had the same thought as you and abandoned their pet rabbit outside where it starved to death. It was really cute, floppy and big.

Other times it is successful, eats all of the vegetation and create burrows in so many places it threatens the structural integrity of all the buildings in the area.

[–] Carvex@lemmy.world 47 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Wow that is an unpopular opinion

[–] Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

Right? I'm trying to imagine a similar but even less popular one.

Maybe, "People should have to earn a PhD in Veterinary Medicine and have published post doctoral work in the particular species they keep as pets."

[–] marighost@piefed.social 26 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Upvoted because unpopular but I personally think youre a boring person. Sure, animals smell but thats why you clean them and your house. Id rather clean my house 5 times a week than not have my dogs.

[–] Janx@piefed.social 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I'd rather visit someone who's given a loving home to a cat/dog/whatever than someone who lives in a boring, sterile, oderless, pristine home. Children are smelly and messy and destructive too, but people have always managed with them! Clean after your pet regularly, and live life rather than perfection. They're worth it...

[–] Bougie_Birdie@piefed.blahaj.zone 24 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

At some point in your life, you also required training to make sure you didn't destroy the furniture or shit on the floor

Cleaning is part of the care. I guess that's just what the deal is though

Some people think animals shouldn't live indoors. It's worth reminding those people that humans are animals

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

We should spend a lot more time outside, too

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

well then the outside should be nicer

Outside would be nicer if we stopped hating the unhoused.

[–] Gnugit@aussie.zone 4 points 2 weeks ago

Yes, we absolutely should.

[–] Cheems@lemmy.world 23 points 2 weeks ago

Terribly unpopular and stupid opinion. Have an upvote

[–] BakedCookie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 2 weeks ago

Cats ESPECIALLY belong inside because they decimate the local wildlife.

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 21 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

Upvoted, because you’re totally incorrect.

Are you advocating for the somewhat extreme position that pets shouldn’t exist?

Your reasoning suggests that basic duties of pet ownership such as basic training and grooming are too onerous. Canids do not soil their den in the wild and so easily are trained not to soil indoors, and cats don’t need training to use a litter box.

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[–] Tedesche@lemmy.world 13 points 2 weeks ago

Your reasoning simply seems to reflect the need for additional training and effort on the part of the pet owner. That’s not “reasoning” so much as bitching. Pets do perfectly well in human dwellings, so long as care and effort are taken to make it so. It kind of sounds like you shouldn’t own an indoor pet. That’s fine for you. Stop telling other people what to do when they may well be more caring and/or less lazy than you.

[–] Sunsofold@lemmings.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

That exact same reasoning applies to humans as well, but we still let them into the house. However, though from a very weird direction, you have certainly landed on an unpopular opinion.

[–] CoffeeTails@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Why tho?

I mean many pets shouldn't live in a small apartment. Few pets are ok with it. Some pets are okay with living in bigger apartments but then it's more about giving enough enrichment and outdoor or balcony time it it fits the pet

[–] I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

Dumps fish tank outside

Sorry, but pets do not belong inside homes.

[–] Binturong@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

This is an ignorant take in that it doesn't in any way address the emotional benefits of having animals in your living space, or offer any justification for why the costs that are asserted could be worth accepting, or the fact that plenty of animals adapt well to smaller spaces. Don't like cleaning fur? Get short haired animals. Kids need training too, and plenty of human adults have no idea how to properly clean up after themselves. If you don't like animals that's fine, but don't try to perscribe your needs onto others based solely on these grounds, you can just say I don't like pets and that's acceptable.

[–] essell@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Upvoted because I do disagree, where else they gonna go?

cats outside are a menace, for example. Responsible thing to do is keep them inside.

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[–] OldChicoAle@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago

Don't come over.

[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 weeks ago

Kids, especially toddlers, will leave a smell all over furniture. Cleaning becomes an even worse chore due to feeding time messes and crayons on the wall. They also require potty training in order to not shit themselves and then rub it onto everything lying around the house.

Seiously, toddlers belong outside...

[–] MantisToboggon@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

What if it's a really sexy one?

[–] slothrop@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 weeks ago

Checkmate OP!!

If by that you meant "I don't like the effect pets have on my living spaces", sure, of course, and you don't have to get one/let them inside if the weather's okay!

[–] Rhoeri@piefed.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Soooooo. You’re gatekeeping other people’s apartments?

Here’s your upvote.

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[–] mirshafie@europe.pub 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

How dare you. My cat is an angel and I'm lucky to get to clean her fur.

[–] Tangent5280@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Paws typed this comment

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I agree - I think it's mean that people keep dogs, for instance, when they're leaving them unattended for most of the day. Personally I wouldn't get a dog unless I had family, a house and a garden for it. Cats have a bit more leeway but I would still want them to have a nice neighbourhood or gardens to explore.

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[–] De_Narm@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

My cat does leave a strong smell. It has become my favorite smell.

[–] KyuubiNoKitsune@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

I don't think I've ever been to a cat owners house who's furniture smells like cat, I would love to know what a cat even smells like.

Maybe if those owners don't clean their cats litter properly or often enough, that causes a smell, and yeah, lots of shitty cat parents who don't clean after them well enough.

Or maybe this is about un neutered cats that piss on stuff? That's unfortunately somehow also a thing.

Cats also don't require any training to do any of those things? Just pay attention to your cat, ensure you play with it and give it enough toys and attention and it won't do shit to your stuff.

Your statements have me more confused than anything else.

Dogs smell, they have a weird metallic smell to them and they leave that smell on surfaces, maybe you got confused?

Is this unpopular opinion or just objectively wrong opinion?

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 2 points 2 weeks ago

I can assure you I can tell when I enter a house that has cats by smell alone, much like a smoker's car has a distinctive smell

[–] unsettlinglymoist@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

OP clearly doesn't know anything about living with cats. I'd guess they had a past bad cat experience (smell and damage) because of an owner that neglected their cat, and that's the extent of their knowledge.

Also... I'm not saying that dogs don't belong inside, but they're almost always capable of causing way more damage than cats, so it's weird of OP to single out cats for that.

[–] Glytch@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

You seem to have a very limited view on what constitutes a "pet".

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