this post was submitted on 24 Jan 2024
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Bit of a sad update. I was so excited about adopting a cat and now my housemate is having second thoughts. She just found out cats scratch furniture and is afraid that her furniture will get spoilt. I see where she's coming from so I offered to pay for any costs but then just said if either of us is having second thoughts best not to go ahead as I don't want it to cause problems down the line.
Also told my boss I'm taking a sickie for the rest of the day as I'm so deflated now. Sigh. I have to call up cat lady to cancel our appointment. π
That is sad. I have had cats all of my 40+ years, the last 20 in my own home. I've never had a cat scratch the furniture, but I have always provided multiple alternatives and now with all the options readily available it is so much easier to provide them. I have 3 at home now and my couch does not have a mark on it and it's 15 years old. The scratchers have copped a beating though!
Her reason is that she has maintained the couch and the dining table well and that she could get back a decent amount of she sold them today. I personally don't think it's that expensive but if that's how she feels, so be it.
I even offered to cover any costs, and even train the cat. Whatever I guess. I'll get one once I move to my own place in the future π
Second hand furniture is only worth what people are willing to pay for it, which isn't much!
I donβt know. Not to hold anything against them but if youβre only selling furniture you canβt possibly be so attached to it vs furniture you wanted to keep forever.
There must be another reason as to why they backed out of the idea of having a cat.
unless that dining table is covered in rattan the cats are not going to scratch it
Yep, lots of "no, but..." alternatives to choose from to prove a secondary and more preferred outlet.
This issue is something which makes me have second thoughts about adopting. But I think you can lessen the risk. If you're adopting a cat that is already trained to use a scratching post to scratch instead of furniture, and you provide that in your home, it's unlikely to happen.
"just finding out" cats can possibly scratch furniture is eyebrow raising.
I put some sticky plastic on parts of my sofa because Ted plays with the fabric
Does sound like second thoughts or a 'helpful' friend with a hate on for cats as pets. I think you've done the right thing pausing proceedings. Maybe encourage her to look at some Jackson Galaxy videos on how to stop bad cat behaviour might help her get her thoughts together. Does sound like she's not a small personal animal person though. Making the transition from non-pet owner to pet owner is a big one - like having a kid.
Yeah that seems to have scared her off I guess. She was super excited to adopt with me. this was going to be a 50-50 partnership kinda things but oh well
:(
WTF! How can you get so far through the process and only just realise that. Has she never met a cat?!
I'm so annoyed... surely there's something she's not telling me. Gah!! I'm gonna go take a walk and get a haircut or something
Be your own cat: follow her to the toilet and barf in her shoes
This is the only answer!
yeah nah. We've had three cats for 13 years and no scratches on our furniture.
Cats scratch to pull off claw sheathes. It's like an emery board. Give them proper scratching posts of various angles (eg: flat and inclined cardboard and a good sisal vertical) and your furniture is an inferior option.