Any good ideas on how to stop my cats ????

Question

My cats scrach my furiniture all the time, when I am home I just show them the spray bottle and they stop, but when I am at work what can I do. I leave the spray bottle right beside the couch but they seem to know that it won,t spray when I am not there. I am open to any suggestions

PS. They do have a scraching post ,a scraching board and a thing that rolls around , that they can scrach. I put cat nit on all of these thing. And they have so many toys that I can't count them all.

Answer 1

scratching or clawing in the house

Some cats may tear chair arms with their claws, scratch patches of wallpaper off the wall or shred stair carpets. Most cats do not cause this type of damage, so why do others feel the need to behave like this in our homes?

Scratching has several functions, one of the most important being keeping a cat's hunting weapons sharp. Scratching also leaves scent marks in a territory - secretions of watery sweat from between the cat's pads leave a scent message on top of the physical marks. Cats usually scratch outside, choosing trees or posts - wood is just the right texture to allow claws to dig in and be drawn down, pulling off the old claw sheath to reveal the sharp point of the new one. If you look at a regular scratching place you will find these pieces of sheath embedded in the surface.



Why do cats scratch inside our homes as well as outdoors?

There could be several reasons. Finding why the cat is scratching will help you to decide on a solution.

Exercising the claws and sharpening the points

Indoor cats with no access to outside will still need to perform this natural behaviour. If nothing suitable is provided, they will find something in the house that has an appropriate surface.

Habit or enjoyment

Some cats may have got into the habit of sharpening their claws indoors. Others enjoy the texture of carpets or furniture coverings and the shape of furniture may make it inviting as a scratch point. Some cats seem to enjoy the act of scratching and it can sometimes be a precursor to, or part of, excited play.

Boredom/curiosity

A fascination with the wallpaper may occur after a loose piece encourages play, or an accidental grab at the wall results in an exciting game of paper removal with the bonus of chasing all the little pieces that fall off. It may have an additional benefit in that owners suddenly start to take notice and give the cat attention, albeit angry attention.

Communication with other cats

Some cats will scratch more when in the presence of other cats. Just what they are trying to convey is not well understood, but this type of scratching may be done as a display and to leave a scent mark to communicate with other cats in the vicinity.

Increasing their feeling of security

When cats feel vulnerable, they will try to rub their own scent on prominent places in a room so that they feel more secure. While they may not resort to spraying (using urine as a scent mark), they may use the scents produced by scratching to do this instead. If the cat is trying to increase its feeling of security, many surfaces may be scratched, particularly those in strategic places such as edges of chairs nearest to doorways.



What can you do?

Don't blame the cat

First of all, realise that the cat is not doing this out of spite or in an attempt to cause destruction on purpose.

Provide a scratching post

It is important to provide an outlet for claw sharpening in the form of a scratch post if your cat is an indoor cat or has got into the habit of sharpening its claws inside the house. Place the post in front of the damaged area. Gently wipe the cat's paws down the post to leave some scent on it and show the cat what to do. Do this several times when the post is new. If you catch your cat in the act of scratching elsewhere, carry it to the post and encourage it to scratch there instead.

Providing enough exercise

If curiosity or the satisfaction of clawing soft furnishing is encouraging the cat to use that area you will need to give it another outlet for its energies. Try playing with your cat more often, little and often throughout the day, providing toys which offer an outlet for its hunting abilities. If your cat attacks the wallpaper, you can try changing the type of paper you use (cats seem to prefer paper which has a raised texture) or painting the area instead. Don't encourage the cat by giving it attention when it is scratching.

Improve security

Where scratching occurs at many sites it can be a form of marking behaviour and a sign that the cat may be feeling insecure. The solution will rely on identifying the cause of this stress or insecurity. Possible causes are other cats coming into the house, conflict between resident cats, changes within the household, and fear of something outside. You may be able to help your cat feel more confident by:

Closing the cat flap and letting the cat in and out yourself or fitting a selective type which keeps strange cats out.
Looking carefully at relationships between cats - providing some resting places high up to let the cat relax while still being able to watch what is going on will improve security.
Restricting your cat's access within the house and concentrating on making it feel secure in one or two rooms.
Using your cat's own scent to make it feel more secure. Cats use their cheek glands to mark their territory and the presence of these scents will make them feel relaxed. You can help spread scent. Take a soft cloth and wipe it around the cat's face. Dab the cloth around the room where you have seen your cat rubbing and where it scratches. (There are also manufactured scents available that work in the same way - ask your vet for details.)
Never punish the cat. This will make it feel even more insecure. You should be viewed as a source of security by your cat, rather than as an additional threat.
Nervous cats are likely to find any new challenge threatening. When we re-decorate our homes or replace the furniture, we inadvertently remove all the cat's scents, which have made it feel secure. We then replace them with strong smelling carpets, suites, paint, etc. which can be quite disturbing to a scent-orientated cat. When re-decorating, it may be worth keeping the cat out of the new room for a while until the new smells have mingled with other familiar smells in the house and helping your cat to replace its scent using the method given above.

Cleaning scratched areas

If the cat is using scratching as a form of marking its territory then it will be attracted back to the spot to 'top-up' the marks as the scent wears off. If this is an area where you want to stop the cat scratching and the surface is cleanable, then it can be useful to try and remove the smell as much as possible. This can be done using a solution of a biological washing powder and then scrubbing it with surgical spirit (check this does not remove colour from fabrics). Keep the cat away from the area until it is dry. Keeping the cat away from the area for as long as possible will also be helpful to break the habit and to let smells dissipate. You can then dab some cheek scents on the area to help the cat feel relaxed.

Answer 2

Sure they know it won't spray them when you aren't there--they aren't stupid, the little rascals.

Okay, please do not even CONSIDER getting them declawed as this is a barbaric and cruel procedure that leaves (it has been
proven) psychological damage to the cats. Declawed cats can often develop bad personality "glitches" and, since they no longer have their claws, can turn into biters.

Vertical scratching (like on a sofa leg), as opposed to horizontal scratching (like on a rug on the floor) has a different meaning in cat language. One is a territorial sign and the other is just the desire to get rid of the the outer casing of the claw sheath that gets annoying and itches. Sounds like your Kitties are marking their territories by clawing up your beloved sofa.

They may also be bored out of their skulls and are "acting out".

I had a cat that would claw the edge of my bed's box spring. What finally stopped her was putting a bedskirt on it. Took away all her fun, but it did stop her and, as a bonus, covered the unsightly clawed up corners.

Do they have a scratching post available at all times? I knew someone who had a wooden log from a tree in his backyard that his cat used. Saved the furniture and the piles of chewed up bark gave his home a rather woodsy, rustic look...

The carpet covered cat trees are great. Dose them heavily with catnip leaves (you can get catnip spray, too, which is brilliant!)
You don't have to spend a fortune to get a carpet covered cat tree
and it might just do the trick. It will relieve their boredom and they'll be so happy with their own little play area they may not claw up your sofa, just the cat tree, which is what it is for!

You may also want to check out:

www.questforhealth.com

for more insight. Call the lady at the suggested number.

I hope this helps you and your kitties. Please give them a hug for me and an extra splash of catnip. Be patient--all will be well.

Answer 3

Get a scraching post and lots of cat nip, put the cat nip on the scraching post. every time the cat goes to scrach the furiniture tell the cat no, and put the cat on the scraching post.

Toniann

Answer 4

Spray the furniture with citrus spray and get the cats scratching posts. I do suggest a couple of posts. Initially put cat nip on them.
The other thing is to lock them in a specific room while you are away, or a big cat cage - with scratching posts

Answer 5

Oh, my gosh, if you find out, tell me! My cat responded to the spray bottle when I got her years ago...but the problem was having it on me ALL THE TIME! I joked I needed a holster for a spray bottle - she'd claw something and the bottle would be clear across the room. Anyway, years later, she is better...but will still claw the furniture every once in awhile and I have to snap my fingers at her. I swear they do it just BECAUSE you don't want them to...

Answer 6

The sticky tape is a great idea! w/ our cats we had to put plastic on the base of the couch, but w/ other cats the furniture spray worked. we don't have a "show" house, so we don't really care that the plastic is there, but i understand that most people won't do that. but whatever you do PLEASE DONT declaw your cat. ours was declawed when we got her and she WILL NOT use the litter box because she gets it in between her toes...but i'd try the sticky tape...good luck!

Answer 7

This may sound cruel to you, but I do not have cats that are not declawed inside the house. I give them a wonderful home, so we are both happy. I also believe inside cats should stay inside, but I do have one now that goes in and out. I just cannot afford to replace things they destroy. Cats will even tear down your draperies. As I said, not everyone believes in this (declaw), but for me it works. Or, you could cage them when you are not home. Again, not a puny cage, there are huge ones that you could even make yourself. The cats are safe, and you are happy.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

There are claw covers you can buy.

http://www.softpaws.com/

FAR better than declawing. There are also scratch pads, posts, ect. My friend put some carpet remnants on the corners of her couch to "armor" it against her kitty.

Answer 10

You can't control cats when you are not home, it is a fact of life. Lock 'em up in a room you dont mind geting wrecked while you are a t work.

Answer 11

Mine did that too when they were klittens. I have 2 cat scratchen posts. They are covered w/ carpet, I also have a 16" long log. They use it too.