2006-10-03 23:52:09 · 29 answers · asked by W C 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
surround the couch with barbed wire
2006-10-04 00:24:05 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
A good scratching post! Our cat tried to scratch our sofa once but we just said "No" very firmly and she got the point. Then she tried the rug and we said it again so since then she's kept her claws for the scratching post (with catnip and a mouse on elastic). We just bought a new one that hangs from the office door. She loves it! (We also kept the sitting room door shut while we were out so she didn't get into the habit of doing it while we weren't there.)
If it's a long term recurring destructive cycle of behaviour, like the person who said that their sofa got shredded, you need to look at whether the cat is happy. Has it got enough to do when it's awake, has it got lovely sleeping places, is scratching the sofa the only time it gets attention? They don't need to do it and they won't once they understand it's not acceptable and have been trained into a new habit that's acceptable to you.
Some cats don't like scratching posts that are short, so get one that the cat has to reach up to - in the wild they can stretch halfway up a tree trunk so giving a grown cat something that's only a foot tall is a bit of a let-down! Ours, as I said, hangs off a door handle so she likes reaching up for that. Good luck.
2006-10-04 00:23:20 · answer #2 · answered by Posh Tater 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I used to have a scratching cat but I found a great remedy to this. I went to a carpet shop and asked if they had any scraps of hesian backed carpet I could have. They gave me this willingly and I nailed it to the side of my shed (you could put it on in your garage or shed if you have one or just leave it in your living room near your sofa) Your cat won't need to be told what to do with it as it will be irresitable to him!! This should solve the problem especially when he realises he doesn't get shouted at for scratching the carpet scrap.
Good luck, I hope this helps x
P.s. make sure the carpet is hesian side up so he can have a good surface to scratch on.
2006-10-04 01:09:58 · answer #3 · answered by manc red 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
similarly to the other answers regarding water squirting, this will only work if it is caught off guard, and the cat doesnt see you. You are teaching it that by scratching the couch it will get a horrible surprise.
However if the cat sees you doing it, it will just associate you with a nasty surprise, and just be scared of you.
2006-10-04 00:03:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try squirting the cat with water whenever it scratches the couch. It will soon get the message. You could also try buying a scratching pole for it to use instead
2006-10-03 23:54:12 · answer #5 · answered by moroaero 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Check out the shopping section of pettravel.com for a transparent sofa scratch patch so the cat only rips that up not your sofa. The mat idea will also work. I have an enormous cat 60cm that used to rip up the wallpaper. I used velcro tape to attach the carpet to his favorite section of the wall. My cat instantly ignored the wallpaper in favor of the mat. Choose an attractive design or one that fits in with your decor and it will not stand out as odd or unattractive.
2006-10-04 02:52:52 · answer #6 · answered by kittylove 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My kitty has been tearing up everything in sight, curtains, carpet and my couches. I went and bought softpaws from Pet Supplies Plus and they are awesome! They are little caps that cover the nail to keep her from causing damage to things she scratches. She does not act bothered by them, she plays and scratches things just like normal. She picked at them a little on the first day and that's it..... check it out:
http://www.softpaws.com/soft_paws_kit.ht...
2006-10-04 03:43:19 · answer #7 · answered by Michelle Lynn 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try putting sticky stuff on things that your cat is scratching, the stickeyness will weird it out and it will leave your couch alone
2006-10-04 00:04:08 · answer #8 · answered by Shadow 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its easy my cat always used to scratch my sofa,carpets,shes tried almost everything my solution is simply an orange.Not the actual fruit but inside the peel just rub a small bit wherever she scratches,i wouldn't squirt her (that's to cruel).and that should stop her.p.s don't use the rind as it could stain.
2006-10-04 21:59:39 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Supply it with a scratch post. A nice big sturdy one because they won't use something which wobbles. Then put a few drops of essential oil where it scratches. You could use eucalyptus, citronella or laveder.
2006-10-04 04:52:49 · answer #10 · answered by fenlandfowl 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Get a Spray Can of Hartz Stay Off Training Aid Spray. This Stuff really works ! Go to http://www.hartz.com for more info.
2006-10-03 23:57:55 · answer #11 · answered by gvaporcarb 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋