The cats and I may soon be in the dog house

[rosethecopycat]

I keep telling myself that I wasn't meant to have anything nice.
Either the cats (or the husband) ruin every new thing I get, within a week!

It keeps me grounded, reminding me not to be so worried over material things. I'd give them all away for the welfare of any cat that I have here.

So, there are 'imperfections' I just have to get used to it, and think how wonderful a life full of cats really is.

[G535]

I'd rather have furniture that's been personalized by cats than any expensive clean stuff.

I guess putting covers over it is about the most you could do or possibly get rid of the husband!

[moosmom]

Soft Paws work really well. I know a bunch of people who use them.

[icedtea]

no suggestions from me sorry,but there aregood ones here anyway, the thing mytwo scratch up is the big sparepiece of carpet, right when you step on the door, it looks pretty bad already, and thats their favourite thign to scratch, despite the fact we bought them ascratch pole. silly cats.

[catfamily]

OMG! I am one person who knows all about this.We got such a beautiful coffee and end table set in our last home and right away the second day,Monty sctrached with BIG gouges very deep.I was so disapointed.I love this set.I still have it and use it for our NICE living room.All my couches were ruined.Emily had pee problems that were not from bladder infections so I could not do anything to stop her.Winston was peeing too all over our couches and new chairs.
I accually didn't care THAT much about Winston because it was accidental.Emily would NOT use the litter box unless I carried her or walked with her down the cellar.We never have company because of the cats.Most people look down on you for having so many cats.13 at that time.People without cats just don't understand how wonderful they are
We have to have 2 chairs up here reapolsted.1300 dollars one lady quoted us.That's WAY too much.We are going to look around.
WE have a new living room set that we got at Bob's discount with MICROFIBER made by HILLCRAFT.It's superb for pets.They really cannot hurt it.It's amazing.And it wipes clean of hair in an instint.And it's beautiful.A sand color.My camera needs fixing so I can't show you right now.
Our bedroom nightstands have scratches all over it.(I love the end tables too)
My Monty always was the one to put most of the scratches in the wood furniture.He gets crazy once a day.We say he does his squirell act.His tail curls and he runs all over the place gouging all the wood in the process.But he's a good boy.He's accually very funny.
I think I'll try that liquid repair old english like sasvermont had suggested plus scat mats that jenluckenbach suggested.All the cats we have now do not pee anywhere so that's good.We have 2 chairs that have pee on it (in the garage now)
But they all can scratch wood at any time without notice.Thank GOD they haven't reached any of our pictures on the walls

[catcrazylady]

LOL!! Sorry Lori, I don't mean to laugh but it sure has brought back memories about everything new we have bought.
When we bought our new bedroom suite (big bucks for me and hubby) Pete was a youngster. He decided to cut his new teeth on the top of the footboard and literally ate the corners off!
Two new chairs in the living room that are about a month old and you would think I have had them for years!
Brand new kitchen table, still had the tags stapled on, and DEEP scratches on the top.
I just gave up!

[K & L]

K & L, after seeing your desk I’m beginning to think my cats are angels.

Remember we're dealing with 25 cats at our place, so considering that, guess it's not too bad!

[jazzcat]

Well it happened again, and after I took some precautions. I woke up this morning to Scout hurling herself from the bed to the top of the dresser where she left an inch long scratch right on the top. I had placed some books on my nightstand and blocked the end of the dresser where they were hopping across with my jewelry box and a huge water bottle. So much for the blockaide.

I broke down and told Richard about the dresser. He's really mad and down on the cats right now, on me too. I'm going out to PetsMart today to see what I can find, whether it be scat mats, soft paws (which I don't think will work well for us) or whatever. I'm really wishing I had never got new stuff but I'd been living out of mismatched hand-me-downs that were falling part for the past 15 years and wanted matching bedroom furniture so badly.

[emily_the_spoiled]

If you can't find the scat mats at PetSmart I know they are available on eBay. I have one and it works quite well. I put it over the spots in the carpet that are pee'd on and that gives it enough time to dry out after using an enzyme remover.

I have no words of advice about the furniture. I am very fortunate and the furry gang doesn't scratch visible pieces of furniture that often (but I have replaced the lining on the bottom of the sofa and a couple of chairs ).

[Catty1]

Do you trim their nails? That really helps too!

The bedroom might have to be off-limits to your cats. I know a couple that do that - the babies have their own special room - and they all are happy with it.

hugs
Catty1

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

You should see our leather couches...!


Good luck....

[Logan]

It is so weird for me to read that cats cause problems on hardwood furniture........we have never had that problem. Our only cat issues have been on upholstered furniture where they do the clawing thing. They never mess up furniture, otherwise. Our dogs are much worse, and thankfully have outgrown the chewing on wood.


Logan

[Cataholic]

I am sorry it is causing distress in your household. And, I do know the "I finally got new furniture and the cats...." story. So, I am not saying this without sympathy. My bedroom furniture is less than six months old, and my couch less than two years- it was 'damaged' within days, both of them. I put the new purchases in the 4500 range. So, again, I am NOT without sypathy. The difference for me came with my adjustment in attitude. Like Rosethecopycat- it is only material goods, and the cats are so much more important. Do I like it? No, and I do discourage it. But, I also accept it, and it doesn't really get to me like it used to. Good luck.

[Don Juan's mom]

My primary piece of living room furniture is a loveseat that is a strong contender for the title of Most Clawed Couch. I've tried putting the double-sided stickies on it... but then Don Juan would just claw the top of the arms.

Then there is the month-old air mattress. I can't talk about that just yet.

[orangemm]

Lut, that picture of Snoopy and Zazou sitting on the leather couch cracked me up! Those little faces just scream "Guilty!" (or "Who, ME?")


I, too, share everyone's frustration. I once had a secretary (desk) from my grandmother that had a fold-out portion. You folded it down to write on it and then closed it back up. Our first cat tried to jump to the top of the desk while it was folded up and he didn't quite make it. He SLID down and there were 2 long permanent scratches right in the center. Never did get them camouflaged.