How do I stop my cat from scratching my furniture?

Answer 1

Please do not declaw. That is the lazy way out.
Give kitty a lovely scratching post and rub it with cat nip. Take him to the post and gently rub his paws on the post to show him.... he will love it. Then, get the thin special double sided wide tape sold for this purpose at the pet store: and place it on the areas on the furniture kitty liked to scratcth: they hate sticky stuff, and will eventually leave it alone. This stuff is great, it is thin, clear, does not harm furniture ( i have antiques) and is easy to remove, and only about as sticky as a lint remover roll... but works like a charm. And remember, agression ( slapping hitting, yelling) does not work for cats, they just see you being mean..... this can cause other issues! Be gentle and loving, and when kitty starts to scritch, gently pick him up and move him to his post..... also, when you declaw, they cut off kittys finger a the the first knuckle. I have two who are and two who are not... i will never ever do i t again, who am I to maim a cat for myown selfish purpose.... for a piece of furniture? Cripes, I love my cats more then any piece of "furniture." Please, do not declaw. go here to see images of complications from botched declaws surgery: does your kitty deserve this?
http://www.declawhallofshame.com/wst_page3.php
and botched:
http://www.declawhallofshame.com/wst_page5.html
Inappropriate Scratching
Cats are born to scratch. It provides a means of "sharpening their claws," which is really the process of removing the grown-out sheath that covers them, and it offers the kind of stretching, pulling exercise that helps build strong muscles, tendons, and joints. (Think isotonic excercise.) A cat who scratches furniture needs a scratching post. If he already has one, he needs another one or two, of different sizes, textures (carpet, wood, or sisal) and configurations (tall, flat, or inclined). For more help with scratching problems, see these resources:

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Isn't that annoying, mine do the same thing. When I'm home I squirt them with a water bottle but the problem is I'm at work all day so they can do whatever they like. And lets be honest, cats are very much into getting even. I've tried scratching posts but all that accomplished was giving my cat a hernia from laughing so hard at the dumb human. There are products you can buy at the pet stores that is suppose to act as a repellent but I've always been nervous about spraying them on my furniture (stains and odors). I would never declaw a cat so I just smile and live with it. I have noticed the older they get the less they scratch so I guess there's hope for the future.

Answer 4

Get two squirt bottles and put equal amounts of water and vinegar in one and spray it on your furniture (it will not leave a smell) cats do not like the smell. Then get some catnip and put it in boiling water and drain it into the other spray bottle and spray the scratching post and toys. This will entice the cat to use them instead of your furniture.
DECLAWING should not be an option if you love your cat and don't want to see it suffer. It is very painful and traumatizing. Besides it will cause many other BAD BEHAVIORS, like not using the litterbox or biting (which is worse than scratching). Also most cats become withdrawn and skittish afterwards so it WILL change their personality too.
Some do all right but if you really love your cat you would not be willing to take that chance.
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/

Answer 5

Declawing a pet is not as horrid as it sounds IF and only IF you find a clinic that has a laser. The laser is much more safe to use than the standard clippers, much less bleeding and a lot less pain, and much more rapid recovery time. I have had all of my cats declawed and have noticed no changes in behavior. They will still even try to claw my furnature with the claws they don't have. If your not looking to declaw then just basic trimming of the nail will do. Just nip off the end of the nail, just be very cautious, you don't want to quick a kitty! You can usually see the quick in most cats, It will be a pink/red color inside of the nail, stay a good distance away from that if you can when trimming. That'll keep you, your cats, and your furniture happy. :-)

Answer 6

A spray bottle of water will help, and so will a scratch pad. The best ones are inexpensive, made of corrugated cardboard, and laced with catnip. This gets the cats to use it, and they will take to it and scratch it instead of your furniture. I know that pepper sprinkled in your houseplants works, so maybe you could try that too. Please don't declaw them. Would you want your fingernails and toenails removed? Well it's the same thing. I worked in a vet clinic for some time, and it is horrible to see them do it too. They are sore for weeks, and an infection can develop very easy. What if they get outside? They have no defense!

Answer 7

The best way to prevent this is by making sure he has a scratching post!!! It is in a cat's genetics to scratch and we, as humans, try to prevent this! Most cats, if they have an accessible scratching post (or box) can be taught to use that instead of your furniture. Once he is introduced to it and praised for using it, squirt him with a bottle of water if you find him scratching on something unacceptable. Cats hate it and will soon stop scratching where you don't want them to. Most declawing is unnecessary if the animal is given something that's his/hers to scratch on. Good luck!

Answer 8

There are one billion things to try before tearing off your cat's nails.Vets will not declaw until you have tried a few.
Try tin foil on the area being picked and scratched. Leave the foil on the area(S) for 2 weeks to a month and kitty will lose interest.It may look ugly for a while but it works.

Feliway spray will also work but more costly than foil.softpaws.com can be put on your kitty's claws by you or vet for about $12. They are harmless and kitty cannot scratch ANYTHING!
Another harmless discipline that works when you are around is a spray bottle with water and a little bit of vinagar in it. Spray them when you spot them attempting to scratch.
They are picking and scratching to mark their territory (yes, over and over!) Making you mad and annoying you is just a plus for them lol.

Answer 9

Spray bottles are just MEAN!

if you would like to get your cat to stop scratching, you have to train him. Get a scratching post and the cats favorite food. Sit at the post and show the cat how to scratch it. Each time the cat does it, reward.. REWARD... REWARD! Even when your not training and you just see the cat use the post, reward.


When the cat scratched the furniture, direct him to the post. Be sure to use your scary mean voice and SAY NO when he scratches the couch. When he scratches the post... the nice happy voice. "YEAH, GOOD KITTY!!!"


Double sided sticky tape also works.. You can buy it at Pet stores.

Answer 10

I use the spray bottle, but now the cat waits until we go to bed to do it. I am now trying to stop them by using clear 2 inch packaging tape on the corners of the furniture. They don't like the tape and it protects the furniture from further damage.