How can I keep my cat off of the furniture and get rid of her fleas?

Question

My cat, Odie, is full of energy and loves to climb on the furniture in my apartment. It wouldn't bother me, except the furniture is leather and cost $3000 (I didn't pick it out, my boyfriend did). We got her declawed in the front but those back claws still leave some nasty marks. We just got a dining room table and she thinks it's her new playground. We've kept her off pretty well by laying scotch tape upside down on the table and chairs so if she does jump on the table she gets tape on her paws. However, she still jumps on the leather couch and love seat. A spray bottle wouldn't help because enough harm's come to the leather and I wouldn't want to cause more by getting it wet everytime she jumps onto it. We can't put upside down scotch tape on it because, well, we need somewhere to sit! We've tried popping and saying no. What are some other ways?
And her flea problem is horrible. How can we get all the fleas off of her and out of our apartment? (We've tried Dawn dishwashing soap)

I love my Odie and refuse to get rid of her!

Dipping for fleas is outlawed around here. I don't know why and, for some reason, even vets won't tell me. I tried frontline but it didn't work as well as I'd hoped.

And as for people who want to be jerks, I DO bathe my cat, once a week as a matter of fact. Your comment was uncalled for. You get over it.

Answer 1

The best way to keep her off the furniture is to provide her with alternative places where she is allowed to climb up high. Buy or build some tall cat trees for her to climb. If space is a concern, http://www.iroquoisinnovations.com has some nice cat trees that fit right on the wall and don't take up any floor space. Cats have a natural instinctive need to climb up high, so unless you provide her with alternative climbing areas, it's going to be very tough to keep her off the furniture.

To keep her back claws from damaging the leather sofa, try softpaws nail caps: http://www.softpaws.com

That way, she'll be able to jump up on the couch and chairs without damaging them. She's jumping up there to be close to you - putting nail caps on her will allow her that closeness without damaging your furniture or your relationship with her as popping her and spraying her with liquids will. Punishing your cat for a normal feline behavior may create other behavior problems.

http://www.thecatsite.com/Behavior/45/Cats-and-Discipline-Dont-Mix.html
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=playtherapyforcats

For the fleas, the most effective remedy is to go to your vet and get Advantage or Frontline Top Spot. It's a very easy solution, and much safer for you and for your pet than flea sprays or powders. All you have to do is apply a vial of the drops on your cat's neck once a month. The fleas will die within a day or so. Wash all the bedding and vacuum your apartment thoroughly, and when you're done vacuuming seal the bag inside a plastic bag and throw it away outside to prevent any eggs from hatching and fleas from crawling back out of the vacuum bag. That should do it! You don't need to use poisons around your house to kill them - the combination of physical removal of eggs by washing and with a vacuum and Advantage or Top Spot on your cat will stop the fleas. Only use Advantage or Frontline from your vet - DO NOT use the spot-ons, flea sprays, or collars from the grocery store, as they may make your cat seriously ill or kill her. Cats are extremely sensitive to pesticides.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

-Nails
At your local Pet Smart or Pet co they have cat nail covers. They glue on to the cats nails and keeps the tips soft. So no more holes or scratching.

-Now for the fleas.
Fleas are a pain to get rid of. Since they are through out your apartment you need to flea bomb. You and your pets must leave the place for at least four hours. Covering all electronics and putting away all food and sealing of cabinets. YES it is a pain but so are the fleas. Follow the directions on the bottle and how to clean afterwords.

I would recommend making your cat a grooming appointment on this day and have her get a flea dip. It will save you the hassle of doing this yourself. I would also recommend getting some front-line from your vet and putting that on her 3 days after her flea dip.

GOOD LUCK!

-Also so you know you may have to bomb more then once if the fleas are really bad!

Answer 3

simple answer.........keep the back claws trimmed and use advantage for fleas. Fronltline didn't work on my cats either.
You can also try a spray bottle filled with water. Squirt the cat, not in the face, when she gets on the furniture. Hopefully she'll get the hint after a while.

Answer 4

bathe the cat in a good flea shampoo, then remove the cat from the house. use fleabombs, you will have to leave the house for about 3 hours, make sure everything is sealed up (windows etc).
before you bring the cat in vacuum and clean everything, under everything. put advantage or frontline on the cat once a month for as long as it takes. i had a huge problem for about 7 months now and i still use the advantage on my cat. as for the cat jumping on your furniture, sorry about that, can't help. oh, mop and clean with pinesol...

Answer 5

maybe you should buy some of cats climbing wooden branch stick where you can put it on the floor and help the cats climb onto it and play on it and also if you dont want the cat to get on the furnitures you can just go to the store buy a plastic wrappers to put over the chairs or even move the chairs away so the cat can jump on it to lay on the table . if youguys hadnt brought her some cats toys yet then i will just go get something for her to play with all day to keep her busy . plus she love to lay on the seats then get her a cat bedding so she can have her own bed .

well you can go get a medican for useing the cats only at the petsmart or grooming store . Here are some things you can try to help youre cat to get rip of fleas and ticks go away.
you can go get a advantage box that does help the fleas eggs to die and will help the cats not to itch alot . there are cats fleas white collar that youre cat can wear on . and if you do take youre cat a bath sometimes then i will just go buy a bottle of fleas and ticks shampoo that only use on cats .

well you guys doesnt want to have any other fleas and bugs around youre place i will just call the bugs guy to come over and take care of it or you can just buy this bugs stuffs that use for fleas and ticks and other things that you dont like to see inside and out side of youre apt . if you ever go to the store where they have yard works products at the ware house where they sell flowers and plants pots, houses landscape stuffs well if you go check it out there they will have something for takeing care of bugs and fleas that you can use any ways . just ask some one who do work in the yard department .

Answer 6

Let me tell you, if I knew the answer to the climbing thing, my cat wouldn't own my apartment! I tried all of the humane tactics to keep him off of the sofa, dining table, refrigerator, etc...but to no avail. I finally discovered that I had to pick my battles. I keep a table cover on the dining table except when we are eating, then it comes off, the table is wiped down and we use placemats. The cover goes back on when we are through and the cat loves it. As for the sofa, since it is leather maybe putting a cover over it would help. I'm thinking that if you used something that would slide whenever the cat jumped on it, it might deter him from jumping up after a time. And as for the person who said 'get rid of the cat' I pity your child the first time he/she breaks something of yours!

Answer 7

if your cat is over 12 weeks old use frontline plus. it kills fleas, and eggs.....use a flea bomb for your appartment. and about the furniture, try using "indoor boundires"
oh dont do a flea dip, these are known to cause many intestinal problems. some cats skin cant handle so much of that stuff, too many have lost fur or have gotten chemical burns. frontline plus, your petstore may sell it....

Answer 8

Get a Scat mat it gives them a little shock when they jump on it they sell them at pet supply stores, and as for the fleas, give it a bath

Answer 9

give the cat a bath!!.............there is no way to keep it off the furniture....GIVE IT UP!!

Answer 10

Get rid of the cat!