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My two cats, who need their claws, enjoy scracthing the furniture. They have many toys that are meant for their scratching enjoyment, but they aren't satisfied with just those. I use a squirt bottle of water every time I catch them in the act, but I'm not always home. I have heard poor things about plastic guards and sprays that don't work. Have any of you had success with other methods?

They have a scratching post, a "kitty condo" covered in carpet, a sisal bag, cardboard, and a large stuffed animal (meant for cats and holds catnip).

2007-03-03 07:47:58 · 15 answers · asked by me too 1 in Pets Cats

I have a dog, too.

2007-03-03 07:53:40 · update #1

15 answers

I recently returned a Kerosene heater. My 2 cats clawed the box sooooo bad I was charged a 15% restocking fee!
I have found that they LOVE the cardboard box's.
I have also loaded them up with every scratchy toy under the sun to no avail!
They have laid off on the "forbidden" zones only because of the cardboard box's.
The plastic guards do work as do the sprays. Not all sprays work mind you. I found one in "Walmart" and it did work vs one from a fancy schmancy pet store. Go figure.
Plastic guards, water bottles, all of the carpet covered toys rubbed with cat nip, ect. are great. Keep using them.
There is no "right" thing that will "cure" them.
I also scream a loud "NO" everytime they go near the "forbidden" zones.

2007-03-03 07:56:23 · answer #1 · answered by Spay-n-Neuter-Your-Pets 3 · 1 0

Yes, as I foster cats I have had to deal with hundreds of different cat personalities over the years.

Just put the cat-acceptable scratching objects into a room where there is nothing else to scratch. This might require removing other furniture or even locking them into the kitchen or bathroom. This is not cruel, it will force them to take out their scratching urges on the "good" objects.

Only allow them out when you're there to watch. If they begin scratching "bad" things, take them back for a time out (or use the squirt bottle since you are home). Most of my foster cats only took a few days to quit scratching furniture: I've had over a hundred and none of my furniture is ruined.

Go ahead and use the cat-repelling sprays or put their favorite "bad" scratching objects out of the way. Also putting their scratching post exactly where they prefer to scratch is another good thing to do (for example if they've been attacking the corner of a couch, moving the couch so that corner is inaccessible and putting their scratching post where it used to be).

Make sure all their scratching posts are non-tipping. This is very important. Cats really hate anything feeling like it's insecure and might fall over. A lot of my foster cats seemed to prefer the horizontal or inclined, corrugated cardboard scratching pads instead of the upright carpet-covered ones.

Good luck!

2007-03-03 07:57:09 · answer #2 · answered by charmedchiclet 5 · 0 0

Obviously your cats are vertical scratchers...I have 6 cats, new expensive furniture 3 years ago, Cats have never touched it..By far the best vertical scratcher is from www.catclaws.com..It is 3 sided and stands upright and comes with a big bag of the best organic catnip..Stand it at the corner of the couch where cats are clawing, slowly start to move it away a few inches every couple of days to the desired spot..My cats also love the mega scratcher that lays on the floor as I also have 2 horizontal scratchers, little pricey but both are well worth it..four friends also purchased 3 sided scratcher and it worked for them ....Never declaw. it is like cutting off your tips of fingers..Outlawed in most countries but the U.S...Never get a carpeted scratcher, Cats are not smart enough to figure that upholstery and carpet are not the same thing..and carpeted scratchers can actually promote the problem...I've had cats for 40 years now..Best litter: sweat scoop, best clean up: natures miracle, best food: Lifes Abundance from healthy pet net

2007-03-03 09:15:52 · answer #3 · answered by Tami G 1 · 0 0

You can buy sticky pads from your local PetSmart or Petco to put on places they like to scratch. Cats have glands between their toes that release scent when they scratch, so they keep going back. This is a territorial problem, as this is what cats do in the wild. Another cat's scent on a favorite scratching place prompts a cat to scratch in the same place if the two are having a dispute and the cycle is hard to interrupt. The sticky pads make it very unpleasant to scratch and make the more available scratching toys attractive.

2007-03-03 07:59:12 · answer #4 · answered by Heather 4 · 0 0

your neighbor pets store should have a sticky pad you can put on furniture or even the walls. wherever its scratching you need to a scratch post there and maybe some catnip would do. not much though. just enough they will smell it and know the post is theirs and not the furniture. my older male cat use to claw and climb my entertainment center, the old kind with the speakers down the side. i just but apple cider in a water bottle and lightly sprayed the speaker and put the sticky pads on there and he stopped doing it immediately. the pads aren't expensive at all.

2007-03-03 10:02:52 · answer #5 · answered by charlene 2 · 0 0

Though there are all sorts of scratching products on the market, which cost a lot and are supposed to satisfy a cat's natural need to sharpen their nails, I find that what they always tend to prefer is what nature provides like a tree!.... supply a suitable sized, medium to soft-wood log, fixed (nailed) firmly to some sort of surface so it stands at about a 60° angle and doesn't slip when pressure is applied. Don't totally strip it clean of it's bark, leave some on as they like the feeling of ripping it off.
There might be some sweeping or hoovering up of debris to do when you get home, but at least it won't be part of your furniture!

2007-03-03 08:07:50 · answer #6 · answered by Kikkaz 4 · 0 0

I got a spray to deter my cats from scratching the new furniture . But the door facing on the back door, I have never been able to keep the cats from scratching it.

2007-03-03 07:53:16 · answer #7 · answered by shekittee 3 · 0 0

Try putting new scratching post in the places that the cat is scratching at.

2007-03-03 08:21:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

for cat scrathcing problems
im kind of a dog person but a cat always come to my house and hang out with my dog

it likes to scratch old sofa with the weird fish smell and those useless toys or u can make ur cat super fat
so they dont want to move

2007-03-03 07:51:17 · answer #9 · answered by Ryan 2 · 0 1

if its just one particular piece of furniture, try putting a little lemon juice where they are scratching, cats don't like citrus smells. the beauty of that is that it should work even when you're not home :)

2007-03-03 07:53:35 · answer #10 · answered by Jenni C 3 · 0 0

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