Couch + cat = kerfuffle

Dear Amy: A furniture dispute is turning an old friendship upside-down.

During a frenzied 500-mile move for a job, I agreed to lend a sofa to a friend and her roommates.

I was moving to temporary housing, and they worked for a political campaign making very little pay. The couch would allow them extra sleeping space for campaign workers stopping through and would save me some storage costs. I expected them to take good care of it.

Now that I am moving into an apartment with space for the sofa, I discovered that the household cat has destroyed the couch.

Quotes to repair the sofa came back well above the total cost I paid for it new, so the only option is to replace the couch. This specific couch was purchased as part of a set.

I requested that the roommate pay me full price to replace the couch, but she is objecting, saying that she could buy a couch for half the cost on Craigslist. She is willing to pay for only half of the value of the sofa.

She doesn’t seem to understand that it is part of a set and was in, at worst, “like new” condition.

I don’t see how I should have to pay for her irresponsible pet ownership when I was doing them a favor!

I don’t want to ruin my relationship with my friend over a petty matter. Or am I being petty?

Can’t I get my couch replaced?

Sofa-less in D.C.

Dear Sofa-Less: You aren’t fully acknowledging that you parked this couch with your friends during a time when your alternative was to pay to ship and store it while you were in temporary housing and then have it transported again to your new apartment.

You lent the sofa to them with the understanding that it would be used as a crash couch; your expectations about the wear and tear on this piece of furniture should have been realistic.

All the same, they definitely owe you money.

I agree that paying you half the retail price is reasonable. You should use the money to have a slipcover made for the couch and its matching chair.

Send questions to Amy Dickinson by e-mail to askamy@tribune.com.