The symptoms disappeared after the surgery but the whole procedure was 'heartbreaking' as the couple, in their late 20s, felt guilty for putting Mundi through so much misery.
'I had to choose between the cat and my fiance and I wasn't ready to give up either,' said Ms Lew.
For American Kate Brundage, 50, she, too, refused to give up her golden retriever, despite her 12-year-old son's asthmatic allergies to dog fur, but found a way around it.
Every five weeks, her dog is groomed and has its fur clipped short to prevent shedding. She also does not allow the dog on beds and sweeps up stray fur as often as she can.
The teacher, who moved here last July, said: 'A pet is our responsibility and people should exhaust all avenues before giving up their pet.'
tcheryl@sph.com.sg
This story was first published in thesundaytimes on Nov 16, 2008.
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