I have had both beautiful hardwood and now laminate. I loved my hardwood kitchen floor but boy even with it protected it got scratched and dented so much. I didn't have Izzy with the hardwood but have 3 cats with only back claws and you should have seen all the scratches from them. Even us humans with our shoes showed scuff and scratch marks. It looked terrible. So about 3 years ago we ripped all that hardwood out
and installed the interlocking laminate.
Wow I love, love it. Doesn't scratch has held up with Izzy and it's funny - when she gets the zoomies with the cats she has learned to take her corners very well
and not slide into anything. It's funny to see how fast they adapt to the floor.
Hahaha....no pee problems but I have one throw rug by our front door..and wham..that's Izzy's fav if I don't catch her by the patio door to go outside.
Oh and cleaning is sooo easy with the laminate - get your Swiffer Wet Jet and that's all you need. Or if you want to go natural - your water and vinegar solution works.