The facts: DH and I just bought our new-old house three months ago. Because of air conditioing - or rather the lack of it - upstairs when have been forced to have our new family of four libe downstairs. H has his own room (16 months old); Em sleeps in the bedroom with us (3 months old). We usually keep three of the seven downstairs room closed/gated and let H have the run of the rest of the house.

The situation: A friend of our neighbor has kittens available on a refular basis for free. Not because he breeds them but because he takes in stray cats and finds them homes. Occassionally they just happen to have kittens. Life happens. Well I told this neighbor's friend we wanted two of them at some point. I figured they could be half inside kitties, half outside kitties. Dh agreed. They could live on the back porch, we'd install kitty doors, etc.

Neighbor's friend sees me yesterday. Asks me if I'm ready for a few kittens. I say sure and tell DH. He gets concerned. Kittens are social creatures, he said. They need interaction. There's a hole in the backyard fence. There's no garuntee they'll stay with us and not escape. Don't get him wrong, he wants the kittens he just wants to be fair to them. So he wants them to be inside cats.

This creates a whole new level of problems. Where would we put the litter box for starters. Or their food and water out of H's way? How do we 'save' them from H (tail pulling, hard patting, etc.)? Where would they sleep? And best of all, what about my dad? If we have cats my father can't visit his grandchildren because he's really allergic! We'd alienate my father!

To me it seems like we can't get kittens not just now but ever because we'll keep hitting this problem. But DH is a cat person. I like both. Anyone have any bright ideas or opinions on what to do? I have to have an answer by tomorrow morning and sleeping on it hasn't clarified anything.