how do you choose just one cat??

[Eden]

Granted, I'm sure some people who give up their pets use "allergies" as a pretextual reason, but for those who truly suffer from them, I don't think it's my place to minimize or dismiss how they feel.

It's not minimizing those with allergies (I have seasonal allergies and I wouldn't adopt a birch tree....). It's about people probably who do not have allergies just using it as a convenient excuse.....

If you've had a cat for a few years its not all that likely that all of the sudden you'll have developed terrible, untreatable allergies to it (and definitely unlikely in the huge numbers of pets who are given up)...... If someone adopted a cat and a few weeks later realized that they had terrible allergies (like the doc I worked with) I could see it, but on the intake forms there was also a space for how long have you had this pet - most people suddenly develop their allergies after they've had the cat for quite some time, usually around right the age they stop being a cute little kitten....

You won't convince me that most people don't tell the truth when they drop animals off at the shelter.... I'm not saying they shouldn't shelter their unwanted pets - better they go to the shelter, especially a no kill shelter, than the worse things that could happen. Then again if you aren't willing to commit to a pet for a lifetime, better to not get one in the first place....
(and for goodness sake spay and neuter!)