Armor

When we moved our cats indoors, they decided the best place to scratch would be on the face of the arms of the couch! We bought a scratching post and everything, but they weren't interested. So I asked for advice and I looked online and found that double-sided tape and aluminum foil are good deterrents (we even tried a lemon-scented spray because they supposedly don't like citrus scents...didn't even phase them). Armed with this new knowledge, I set out to make it impossible for them to scratch the couch any more! Here is my original foil armor, some of which has now been replaced with tape. Then they started scratching up the bottom of the couch, so we added tape there as well. Since then, we have also purchased a couple more scratching items. I am happy to say that even though our armor is still in place (just in case), both cats are now successfully using the appropriate scratching items we've purchased. Oh, and I got tired of having to lint-roll the couch before every time we wanted to use it because Rolo insists on getting on it at night and when we're gone. Therefore...foil to the rescue! We're also protecting our ottoman from getting scratch marks from when they jump on it while playing with each other. I wonder if we'll have to keep the foil and tape around until we finally get a house and they can be outside again...I hope not!
Besides all the scratching, here are the other reasons I never want to have indoor cats again (as a reminder to myself in the future):
1. Hair. It floats in the air, it's on the counters sometimes, it gets on my clothes from other surfaces, it's on the dining room chairs they sleep on; it's everywhere!!
2. Litter. I hate to buy it, I hate to change it, I hate to smell it, I hate to step on it when it tracks around the apartment from their little feet.
3. Damage. Rolo (the white one) is such a trouble-maker! Sosa is actually a pretty good house cat, but Rolo gets into everything. He has knocked an empty water bottle off the top of the fridge a couple times, he knocks the magnets off the fridge, and he has broken a ceramic turtle that hangs on the edge of a potted plant. The original scratching post we bought is part of a little sleep/play cube and Rolo has successfully put holes in the fabric of the cube from biting it while playing! When they play with each other or even play by themselves, they get crazy and out of control. I just hate to hear all these noises and I worry that things are being damaged.
4. In the way. They are so often in the way! We go in the kitchen and they follow behind, meowing at us, thinking we are going to feed them. I have stepped on each of their tails once because they were underfoot and I didn't notice. If I leave the bathroom door open (which, let's face it...when you're home alone or even with your spouse in the other room...no kids, no guests...why bother closing the door every time?), Rolo likes to come in and just sit there (sometimes Sosa does too). Weird. They sit and sniff at and silently beg for our food all the time, even if it's not something they would actually eat, and they always want to sit on us when we're on the couch (though sometimes we let them...because despite all the trouble, they sure are cute!).
No, I do NOT like indoor cats. BUT...they are funny to watch when they play, even if it's just Rolo chasing after his own tail. I like feeling like they are protected from the heat and the few storms we've had, instead of worrying about them. I love how cute they are when they sleep, whether it be on the window sills, in front of the sliding glass door, or on the cat bed, etc. We do sometimes like to let them cuddle with us on the couch,and I love how Sosa hides under our bed every time the people come to take care of the grass with all their noisy equipment. Okay, enough about the cats. :) I know I will actually face similar frustrations when we have kids, but it would be my baby...not an animal. Somehow, that makes it better (at least in my mind...). :)