Is there any reason an animal might not work for you or someone you know — allergies, space, time, fears?

A natural way to answer

My partner is quite allergic to cats, so that rules them out for us. We've talked about other options, but for now we just enjoy other people's pets instead.

Key phrases to use

• out of the question — impossible or not allowed; not even worth considering“A holiday this year is out of the question.”
• cooped up — kept in a small or enclosed space for too long“The dog gets restless cooped up indoors.”
• comes out in a rash — develops red, irritated skin as an allergic reaction“He comes out in a rash if he eats nuts.”
• bite off more than I can chew — take on more than I can realistically handle“Don't bite off more than you can chew.”