1) How much the destruction caused by a kitten pales in comparison to having a toddler (who, fortunately, can’t jump like a cat but has learned to scale the front of our big TV by climbing on to the 1/2 inch ledge just below the screen and holding on with his toes as he reaches for videos, DVDs, CDs with one hand while holding on with the other).

2) How much I really would like a kitten but will not be getting one until Lucy is a couple years old.

Matt, I feel sorry for your cat. She may be in a prison of her own making, but she’s too old and grumpy to change.
Glad you give her extra attention and food when you can.
I wish I could get inside the heads of my cats to see exactly how much they hate me for disrupting their lives with Data.

E.g., we have to be very careful what toys or shoes we leave lying around on the floor, or Saffron will end up chewing them up. We also made the mistake of putting her on a leash in the kitchen while we went out, one day. The leash was too long and she could just reach the edge of the living room carpet…which she promptly chewed to shreds, along with the wood on the corner of the baseboard at the doorway.

Our poor, old cat lives the life of a prisoner in her own home, now. Spends lots of time under the bed or high up on the back of a chair.

Partly this is her own fault though. She is afraid of the dog for no good reason. The dog sometimes chases her playfully, but mostly leaves her alone; yet the cat is always on edge, growling, hissing, and generally running and hiding at the first sign that the dog is interested in playing. I try to make up for the horrendous injustice of bringing a puppy into the cat’s home at this stage in her life by giving her extra attention, not to mention food treats. But it’s hard to do when she stays hidden much of the time. Also hard to do when the dog is jealous of any attention bestowed upon the cat.