things you do to cat proof your home or apartment

I have a leather chair and a rug. I havent ahd any problem with my cat scrtaching them. He is older and is not a problem in terms of the furniture or anything else. He is really good and a pleasure to be around. I have had cats that have scratched furniture and rugs but this little guy never does that. The only bad thing he has ever done is once he went to the bathroom in the closet instead of his litter pan,but my solution is to keep the closet door shut.

You must be a true cat lover if you decorate your home in a manner to make them easier to deal with! So many people get cats and then are upset when they act like cats. Training a cat to use a scratching post while it's still a kitten is a big help in keeping them from damaging rugs and upholstery. Did you know cats can be trained to use the regular toilet instead of a litter box? I've never tried it myself but have heard of it being done.

I never open my blinds unless I am home. I don't want the kitties to get tangled in the cords. I never leave food out. They seem to find it wherever it is. I never leave small objects as they seem to eat them. And NEVER put tinsel on the tree. My cats got into an old box of ornaments last christmas and found an old piece of tinsel and it was not pretty. : )

I have to treat my cat as if he's a toddler. If I leave anything out, such as a drinking glass on the coffee table, sure enough he'll knock it over, and in most cases, break the glass. I had a set of china dishes with a matching tea set (so cute) that was my great-grandmothers. Someone left the door open to that room, and half of the collection was broken in pieces on the floor. I don't know if I was more mad at Alex (my cat) or Doug (the person that left the door open)! Toilet seats is another one, atleast for my cat. He'll try to drink out of anything before he'll drink out of his water bowl. He's torn the toilet seat up trying to lift it (it almost looks as if he's biting at it, I don't know) so now I put a weight on there so he can't tear it up. I've learned to not have any indoor plants, and when I say any...I mean any. That's like an appetizer for a cat. As far as floors go, I haven't decided what I like better. In carpet there will be so much cat hair, but cats will ruin a hardwood floor. I've got both in my house, but I think the scratches on my hardwood is more upsetting than having to vacuum the cat hair out of the carpet.