We have tried rubbing catnip on it but all that makes her do is rub up against it and be extremely lovey with us... it doesn't get her to scratch it. We have also taken her to her scratching post and taken her paws and showed her how to do it... but she still won't use it. Anyone have any ideas?
Our furniture needs your help!!!
2006-12-13 22:01:24 · 8 answers · asked by Christy U 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
1. Try a different kind of scratching post. Some cats prefer the horizontal cardboard kind rather than the upright kind.
2. Clip her claws (just the tip - don't get into the part where the blood vessels are (you can see where it starts to turn pinkish) or it will hurt her). Note that this won't make her use her scratching post, but it will do wonders to lessen the damage to your furniture.
3. Get a product called sticky paws. It is double sided tape to put on your furniture. Put it where she likes to scratch. Next time she goes for it the tape will feel yucky to her and eventually she'll get the drift.
4. There's also a spray on product that they despise -- get that and try it if the sticky paws doesn't work.
5. Be sure the scratching post is solid and doesn't slide or move. Dangle a favorite toy around the top of it to try to get her to accidently scratch the post in the process of trying to get the toy. When she does, praise the bejeezus out of her and/or have a treat handy to give her.
6. Break the attachment to your furniture. It won't ever learn to recognize the sound of your car approaching from 3 blocks away and come to say hi to you when you walk in the door. Plus, you can always buy more (maybe secondhand next time...? ;^) )
Every life should have 9 cats!!
2006-12-13 22:44:39 · answer #1 · answered by been there done that 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have three cats that like scratching our furniture. We bought them a very large scratching post type condo and we sprayed our furniture with a spray called Boundary. You spray it on all the corners and arms of your furniture or where ever your cats favorite scratching erea is and the cat wont go back to that erea because they don't like the smell. Works good for keeping the animals off the furniture also. We bought a brand new couch with recliners built into it and I did'nt want the cats on it so I sprayed the whole couch with it and none of the cats even go near it. You can buy it from any petstore or even your local vet may carry it.
2006-12-13 22:10:16 · answer #2 · answered by xxmack675hpxx 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes it is just a matter of finding the scratching post that suits your cat.
My cats will not use the type that are upright and made of carpet, however, they took really well to the cardboard type that lay flat on the floor. I don't know if you have Trader Joe's in your area but they make a wide cardboard type that comes with a bag of catnip.
2006-12-14 03:42:09 · answer #3 · answered by sleepingliv 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Haha aaaawe how cute! Here's a very detailed website about how to train you cat to use a scratching post. One of the rules in the site is "Never push her paws on the post because cats hate forceful action and you won't get the results you want. Let her think everything she does is her own idea. "
2006-12-13 22:10:51 · answer #4 · answered by Christine 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some cats like scratching posts made of wood; some like posts covered with carpet; some like those with sissal rope; some like cardboard. You have to fnd out which material your cat finds irrisistable to scratch and get a scratching post made of that. If your cat scratches the wooden legs of your furniture, get him a wooden post or even driftwood and draw his attention to that. In the meantime, cover the spot on the furniture that he likes to scratch with ordinary packing tape. Cats don't like the smooth plastic texture of tape. After you break kitty from the habit of scratching that spot, you can remove the tape.
2006-12-14 00:24:29 · answer #5 · answered by Phoebhart 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try a different material- some cats prefer cardboard, others, soft carpet, others, that stiff fiber-rope material. It could be the one you chose just doesn't suit her tastes. I've tried dozens of cat posts, and it turns out my cat loves the plain flat cardboard ones better than anything! Go figure.
2006-12-13 23:41:59 · answer #6 · answered by Dreamer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well i had that trouble of getting my cats to use the straching post insteed of furniture and the way i got my cats to use it is by straching it urself and the cats will copy u
2006-12-13 23:27:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
they sell scratching posts that are treated with cat nip, try that.
2006-12-14 00:13:46 · answer #8 · answered by *STAR* 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋