how do i stop cats from clawring leather chairs?

Answer 1

Based on personal experience with my happy kat, I find the best solution is always to give her something else to play with. Of course, sometimes that plan sort of backfires, because the end result is my kat gets more excited and starts really digging in her claws everywhere. I don't really mind. The scratches heal, the upholstery gets mended and my happy kat always rewards me with loving purrs. I love my happy kat!

Answer 2

The key to getting a cat to stop clawing the furniture is consistancy. Buy some generic spray bottles and keep one handy all the times. Fill with water ONLY and open the nozzle so that the spray is a stream that reachs a long way. I trained both of my cats and the only thing they scratch is the carpet floor (which can't hurt it) Once in a blue moon one of my cats wants to get my attention so she goes over to the sofa and raises her paw but never even touches the sofa and all I have to do is pick up that spray bottle and shake it and she is history. I won't see her for a couple of hours after that. Talk to your vet, this is an approved behaviour modification tool that really works. No yelling or intimidating either or you will have a cat that will never listen or respect you. Worried the water might hit your leather chairs? Put towels over sthe arms or where ever the cat is scratching and should he/she scratch the towel will fall and scare the cat away.

Answer 3

Cats can't stand anything sticky on their feet, so use some double-sided tape on the chair to discourage them from scratching. (Get painters tape that comes off easily so it won't mar your furniture.) The tape will look ugly, but you only need it on there for as long at it takes the cats to start using their scratching posts.

At the same time, give the cats plenty of scratching posts throughout the house and rub catnip into the surface of the posts to make them more attractive to the cats.

If all else fails, you can always have a "no cats" room in your home where you can put the leather chairs, and don't allow the cats entry to that room.

Answer 4

We had dreadful trouble with our new leather furniture and the cats.

Firstly, make sure they know they are banned from the chairs - even accidental slips can turn into a huge gash.

Secondly, whenever they do go to scratch it use a deterrant like water or a loud noise. They soon learn.

Our cats haven't done it since the first 2 months we had the suite.

Answer 5

First a plea - please don't get them declawed. To the best of my knowledge this is amputation at the first joint and I understand that in the UK no vet will do this. They may still be able to climb and fight, but not nearly as well as if they have all four sets of claws.
Sprays, scratching posts etc all work to some extent, as do strong smelling oils such as tea tree oil and orange oil (or orange peel). Also try draping a rug - perhaps oil scented - over their favourite scratching place until their habits have changed. What they are doing is both sharpening their claws and scent marking their territory.
You can also try a cheap portable alarm - the motion sensor sort that goes "bing bong" - scares some cats off but not all.
We successfully used a combination of scented oils and an alarm to stop a cat from using a large plant pot as a litter tray.

Answer 6

If you have an indoor cat which most people do these days you should have had the cat de-clawed.......if it's too late for this......get a few scratching posts and put them around the house and definitely near you leather chairs.

Answer 7

The answers you have gotten already are pretty useful. Spray bottles are great, plus they provide you some entertainment!! My cats respond now to me making a ppsssst sound like the spray bottle would. I would not suggest declawing...if the cat ever gets outside it has no defense!! I would also NOT put a rug or towel or anything over the furniture, you are still training it that that is an acceptable spot. One thing I haven't heard mentioned is aluminum foil. You can cover larger areas than with sticky tape. Cats don't like the sound or feel of the foil either. Reinforce with that good ole spray bottle!! Good luck.

Answer 8

From personal experience, provide a good scratching post - pet shops sell them - the larger the better. Place it next to the cat's favourite scratched leather chair. If you catch the cat attacking the furniture, growl fiercely at it. If you catch it at the scratching post give it praise and a cat treat.

Answer 9

Well its probably too late now to really do anything unless u declaw , but I don't suggest that, I've read studies on what they do to declaw and I would never do that to my cat! Would you want to have somebody rip your nails out of your fingers? SO.. I've tried all that there is.. the sprays on the chairs and scents cats hate.. nothing works.. not even spraying the cat with water works (my cat likes water) slap on the butt, loud noise.. nothing works.. Got rid of the chesterfield that he did it to instead of the cat.. Just left his favorite chair and footstool that he likes.. he leaves everything else alone. Best thing to do is when you first get a kitten is to teach them to use a scratching post right from the start..

Answer 10

There are several solutions to this question some of which may not be helpfull.


1. cats hate the smell of pee (of is that foxes............erhh dunno). so get some nice fresh pee (preferably on a cloth not your clothes) and wipe on the affected area, not too liberarally, you don't want to see the vicar's nostrils twitching.

2. buy a scratching post and each time your cat tries to claw your leather "introduce" it to the post, scratching posts are often inpregnated with catnip so the cat will prefer this to your nasty not interesting sofa

3. close the living room door (or whichever room the chairs are in)

4. buy a ultrasconic deterrant (oooo nasty noise)

5. cat pepper (don't rub this in your eyes though)

6. buy a catbox (kitty's not damaging your chairs now)

7. sell cat (send cat to gulag for your woes, chair more important)

Answer 11

First, be sure to get him a scratching pad, or post, that he can use as an alternative to the leather. Whenever you see him using the post, make sure to give him a treat, so he associates the post with "good."

Second, you can get these double stick adhesive tape strips at most pet stores, and cats dont like the sticky surface, so they'll stay away from it. These strips are great for chair arms.

Third, you can get a little water pistol, and whenever you see him start to scratch the chair, squirt him. He'll feel the water, which he won't like, and if it happens enough, he'll associate scratching the chair with getting squirted. This will make him stop scratching the chair.

hope that helps!