The Cat-Proof Home

                 As I wipe up powdered milk paw prints around the kitchen, I think of the many accommodations we have made to have a cat-friendly home.  For one thing, the vintage green glass canisters on the kitchen counter are inconveniently turned so the lids face the wall.  The one containing powdered milk is now taped shut.

Our canisters turned inconveniently toward the wall

How canisters would look in a cat-free home

                The sides of our living room sofa are covered with double-faced tape and the rest of the upholstery is draped with sheets or slip covers.  Apparently the four appropriate scratching toys in the room don’t satiate rebellious cat urges as well as new furniture does.

                Bread is kept on the stove because Toby likes to tear open the bag if it’s on the counter.  I’m always paranoid the bag will melt on a warm burner.

                We can only fill the bathroom garbage can halfway because an ice cream pail filled with water weighs it down.  That’s to keep Finny from knocking it over when he’s digging for cotton swabs.

                Candles?  Absolutely not.  Flowers?  Only if I feel like wiping up the water and tossing out the wilted blossoms the next morning.  Fruit bowl?  Nope, the puncture marks turn brown and nobody wants the fruit after that.

                Over the years we’ve tried many creative solutions to these problems, but have come to the conclusion that things like ugly furniture tape are easier to live with than having to keep up 24-hour vigilance.  Live and let live—that’s our path to sanity.