What's Your Take: Desperate Housewives' Tom vs. Toby?

December 4, 2007

Although I'm expecting to hear heated debates in the comments about this clip, I must say the line where Ida suggests they put her cat, Toby, and Lynette's daughter, Penny, upstairs in a closet during the tornado "since it's safe" makes me laugh every time. Now, if you're at your own home (and there's not a tornado going on outside), whether or not to sequester a pet when someone with allergies comes over is usually not a tricky decision. However, if you're a guest, and in an emergency situation like this one, what would you do?

31 Comments

3 years

Would this even be up for debate if it as any other human being besides Tom vs Toby? I mean let's face it-if it was Lynette or one of the kids Karen would have moved that cat so fast it would have made their head spin. I can't see anyone expecting Gaby to put some neighbor's cat before Carlos (or Bree putting Toby before Orson in their better days or Katherine or Susan to to put him before Mike etc..) Just seems like Lynette's judged quite harshly.

3 years

If I brought my cat into someone else's home as much as I love her I wouldn't expect her to take priority over a human guest.

4 years

Thing is I don't think it's clear that were talking about a home Ida was also a guest in. It wasn't the homeowner's cat. Lynette and Ida were in Karen's basement. Ida and Toby and Lynette with her crew were both allowed into Karen's home. I'm sorry, but when it comes to two friends and neighbors a friend or neighbor's hubby takes precidence over a friend or neighbor's cat.

4 years

I think I was unclear in the post above. Yes Karen is onery and might act like she's inconvenienced (make Lynette sweat a bit), but she and Lynette have a relationship. It isn't a one sided one, they've both been there for eachother numerous times. Lynette had no reason not to consider herself a friend (especially when she was the very first adult person who reached out to Karen after Karen was arrested and shunned by the other neighbors.) Wonderful buddy Ida? She was the one who turned Karen in. Sorry if this is a bit off topic, just seems like a ridiculous conflict artificially manufactured and ignoring their history.

4 years

I'm surprised no long time viewers of the show thought the whole situation was ridiculous. I'm sorry, but it was completely out of character for Karen to not want the Scavos in her home and act like being with them was an inconvenience. There has been plenty of give and take between Lynette and Karen and for Karen to have acted like Lynette was some user wasn't cool at all. It ignores the previously established history on the show.

4 years

I wonder if the strong reaction against Lynette would be different if it was one of her kids who had the allergy and not her moron husband. It kind of floors me she is seen as so sinister for bringing the cat upstairs and Tom gets to keep his halo when he watched her bring it upstairs and knew exactly what she was doing. She pretty much did his dirty work for him and Tom supposedly has clean hands.

meowmeow214 4 years

lynette was sooo unfair in this episode. I think Tom will survive an asthma attack, considering that a tornado will not last for a day. And yes, he should have medications with him. The way lynette has objected to having the cat around the basement was so darn annoying. Karen was doing her a BIG favor for letting her family stay--she better deal with the circumstances according to Karen's terms. If i were Karen, the cat stays. If they cant work with that, then they take a walk back to their house.

xheather lynn 5 years

URGH! That part made me so angry. Lynette weasled her way into Karen's house and she should have just understood that the other woman was an invited guest of Karen. It's Tom's fault he hadn't brought his medications. But at the same time, the cat didn't need to be RIGHT THERE, she could have set him towards the other side of the room to give Tom some breathing room, just as a courtesy. If I were in the same situation as Karen's friend, I'd give him a big FU and keep my dog right where he is. That's just my opinion. My dog is my child basically.

GolferGirl 5 years

Lynette's a bitch and I HATE that character. She always makes decisions that are best for her without regard for anyone else. She is so selfish. She has 4 other friends on that street there was no reason she needed to barge over there to stay during the tornado. And why again couldn't she stay at her own house?

courtneyh 5 years

It's not about cat vs human....it's about Tom and Lynette being responsible and having Tom take Benadryl before going over. However, since he didn't and it's his own fault, I say the cat stays!!!

mlmoreno47 5 years

I have cats, and I love them but I would choose a human over a cat, but my dog? Probably not! I'm much more in love with my dogs even though you aren't supposed to have favorites! I didn't understand why Lynette couldn't just move the cat to the farthest corner or at the very least left the cat in his carrier and put him in the bathtub, but they had to let the cat loose to get the two ladies outside purely for the plot lines!

bellakitten 5 years

Since it's just a TV show, I'm going to give a flippant response. I would pick Toby over Tom. That cat is too cute, and it's Ida's only family. My furbabies are uber-important to me. I've had to stop dating guys who were allergic to my cats or who had the nerve to ask me to "get rid of them." =^..^=

lilegwene 5 years

bluesarahlou said it best -- how about working towards a mutual solution? Despite that, the whole situation is silly. I realize people can have severe allergic reactions to many things (my brother is deathly allergic to peanuts), but dying from a cat allergy in this situation is highly unlikely. In the show he is having difficulty breathing... that is plausible. However, the cat is contained in a crate, with a blanket over it. Unless it was out rubbing against him and getting its dander all over, he would probably not have a reaction at all. No matter how allergic you claim you are to a dog or a cat, it is not going to cause a reaction unless you have contact with the dander or saliva. Also, there has never been a case where cat or dog allergies have caused death. Sure, there is a first for everything -- but this situation would not lead to that first. Pets do become part of people's lives, and it is ridiculous to put the cat, probably the old woman's best friend, in danger when the man is not in any real danger. So, in this case, the old lady has my full-fledged support.

esk4 5 years

ok I loce animals and everything... but 1. if I were going to someone's house durring an emergancy someone that I knew did not themselves have a cat... I wouldn't think to bring medicine... and 2... having a father of five slowly suffocate to death infront of his wife and kids or putting the cat in a closet??? seriously???

bluesarahlou 5 years

It seems like he had plenty of time to run back and grab his medication. Its not like they were miles and miles from home. And I agree with other postings...I wouldn't just say "oh ok, bye bye kitty hope you don't die" if there was a person with allergies in the same area. How about working toward a mutually beneficial solution? Oh wait, this is TV. IT'S ALL MADE UP!

KathleenxCouture 5 years

To respond to all of your "why didnt he have his medicine with him" questions. Although, yes it was an emergency, and yes he should have the stuff with him, he has 5 kids (sidetracked maybe?) and he didnt expect Ida to have brought her cat with her, or probably even be there. He was CLEARLY choking and the reaction he had to the cat could've been fatal. It is very possible to die from allergies if the attack prevents the body from recieving oxygen due to the closing of the throat (which was clearing happening to Tom)

KathleenxCouture 5 years

I'm sorry but pets can be replaced and although they may be considered "human-like" or "family" to only one person the human in this instance has 5 children, a wife, friends, and family that all love him! His throat was closing up! How was he supposed to know that Ida would be there with her cat?? I say put the cat in the closet, sorry but human lives are more important

baltimoregal 5 years

People can absolutely die from pet allergies. It's really sad but these things happen, and while you should try to save a pet at all costs you must put humans before pets. It's the way of the world.

SugarKim4203 5 years

Oh and btw, in an emergancy, wouldn't you bring important medication with you, like your after Chemo drugs (if those exist, I dunno), some asprin and I don't know maybe YOUR INHALOR?!!

SugarKim4203 5 years

Well since I've seen the episode, I would have put Tom in the bathtub and not in the house that went bye bye!

ElleJay 5 years

Ahhh that part made me so mad! Lynette was barley a guest in that house, and Ida is a lonley old woman who's only family is a cat. I would have been irate if that was my pet lynette threw out the door. Sorry tom, i know he's human- but why couldn't he have sat at the top of the stairs away from the cat, until the tornado actually came ?

amers230 5 years

i didn't see the show, but i would have a hard time sending my pet out of the safe area. i don't have a lot of experience with pet allergies, but there's got to be a way to keep both the animal and the person with the allergies in the same room. if he's that bad why did he not have his medicine with him anyway? if it came down to it of course i'd put the person above the animal, but that's a tough situation to be in.

VennieB 5 years

If Tom was just sneezing, then I totally agree with Karen. Keep the cat downstairs and Tom can deal with it. But he said his throat was closing! Keeping that cat downstairs would have killed him! (Hopefully the tornado didn't....) WHAT a cliffhanger

gab6784 5 years

In an emergency situation I am totally with Lynette. I mean, I realize that pets are like children or extended family members but its wrong to sacrifice a fellow human being because your worried about your dog/cat/etc.

MandyJoBo 5 years

Oh, but if it was life or death for either the cat or the human could be saved, I'd pick the human only because of the amount of hearts that would be broken afterwards. I.E. the cat's family vs. how ever many people love the human. But some humans have less...

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