So-chan Will Be the Ruin of Us

That's the fear anyway. This morning we woke up and discovered...

There is nothing tastier to So-chan's palate, apparently, than wallpaper and wood.

...that So-chan had chewed through not just the wallpaper, but also a protective layer of thicker paper and – there goes our apartment deposit, the equivalent of three months' rent – the wood underneath. This is the third time he's done this, and represents the largest chunk he's taken out of our walls (and possibly our pocketbook) so far. As you can see, So has had a direct impact on our apartment's interior.

Huge swathes of protective paper now decorate the walls in every room and hallway of our apartment.

Each piece of protective paper costs ¥860 ($7.15)... 

In these photos alone you can see 13 separate pieces we've used...

I think I'll try biting my water bowl...

Se-chan has contributed to that look, too, by the use of his claws. So-chan, however, remains the bigger culprit.

Cat graffiti mars our apartment walls.

My wife commented that although we acquired both cats for free by rescuing them, they've since cost us more than any expensive pure breeds might have.

Maybe it's time we open a cat cafe and make So and Se earn their keep. Either that, or fit them with gloves and muzzles. Or one of these...