Best audio cabinet for people with pets

I sure enjoyed all of your comments about dealing with cats. She seems to be less interested in the stereo these days which is exactly what I want. Today I purchased two sets of folding louvered doors ($30 a set at Menards) to install at the entrance of the listening room, but then this is something I had wanted to do even before I aquired the cat. Thanks again everyone for all of your advice.

One of the critical things is to be careful what you do after you discourage the cat. If the cat is rewarded afterward, the cat may see this as part of a ritual that it has to go through - e.g. If I scratch the equipment, then I get sprayed, then the food comes!

Thanks for your advice Riffer - just finished installing the folding louvered doors to the listening room; the cat has noticed that the room has been closed off but doesn't seem too concerned. Still may pursue getting a more pet-proof equipment cabinet; Walmart has a nice looking one made by "Home Trends" that looks very nice for around $150.

If you have house cats and no dogs, trim the nails on the cats front feet. If you don't know how ask your vet. Its quick and easy. Done every couple of weeks will minimize not only the scratching activity but the damage sharp nails can inflict.

Don't overlook the value of scratching posts with rope. My cats seem to use scratching as a means of getting my attention. I keep a scratching post in each room near where i sit and they get a lot of punishment.

As Tvad said nothing is a perfect solution but this has helped me. My biggest problem has been what these big creatures do when they are racing about roughhousing. I've learned to apply foresight as in 'childproofing' works some.

They should be more thankful - that we love them!

Newbee - Thanks for your suggestions; actually I am becoming very fond of the cat and I can see why people like you and Grant go to such trouble to have them around.
I purchased a scratching post at Big Lots for $5 a few days ago and as you suggest will get a couple more for other rooms (by the way would you recommend the scratching posts with rope over the carpet version or visa versa?). I took the cat to the vet a week ago and had all the claws trimmed for $5. I will have that done about once a month or so. It's interesting I've been telling people that I now have a cat and to my surprise many of them tell me they have had cats for years; I would have never known; the investing person at the bank I deal with told me he has two cats that are strictly indoor cats and have been declawed front and back. I won't have my cat declawed though since she enjoys going out a few times every day.