Would you rehome the cat?

[MrsJunglelow]

She is driving me crazy.
She is destructive, she has ruined sofas, rugs, stairs, curtains...

We have spent so much on scratching posts and activity centres over the years for her that she will use, but not exclusively.

Her big thing now is the bed.
I am so stressed with it.
I can’t get a proper nights sleep because I am woken by the scratching.
At first it was scratching because she wanted to let out which was bad enough but now sometimes it appears to be just for fun.
She’ll scratch, I’ll get up to let her out and she’ll run off somewhere I can’t catch her.
Sometimes I’m up three or so times a night and struggle to get back to sleep.

I am so, so tired.

I could shut the door but then she’ll ruin something else..

It’s getting to the point where I dread letting her in and don’t want to go to sleep.

DH wants her gone but she is a sweet cat apart from her destructiveness and the children like her.

I don’t know what to do.

What would you do?

A microchip flap and limited house access would probably sort this. If you can't/won't do this then it's probably best to rehome to someone who can.

If you won't install a cat flap then how is she supposed to get out without waking you up first?

I would either shut her downstairs at night (mine have never, ever had run of the house overnight, they get the kitchen and living room, plus access to food, water and litter trays), or install a cat flap and let her come and go as she pleases.

I know you say you're not keen but if she wants to go out (and dawn and dusk are when cats are at their most active) then she has no choice but to come and wake you up.

I would rehome. I wouldn't be able to cope with the stress of a wrecked house.