how do i get my cat from scratching the furniture?

Answer 1

When you see her scratch, grab her gently from the neck, say NO, and put her on a scratching mat. Encourage her when she scratches that. Trim her nails every 2 weeks. She will get the idea after a few efforts.
Don't declaw her. Go to my profile and see my previous answer about declawing. If training doesn't work, use claw caps
http://www.softpaws.com

Answer 2

Scratching the furniture is possibly the worst and most common naught behaviour of cats. They need something to scratch as this files down their claws and also allows them to stretch their whole body. If a cats claws get too long then they become rather uncomfortable. The best thing to get is a scratching post which works like a charm. Although sometimes cats do not get the hang of it by themselves...so if she/he does not start scratching that first then put catnip round it and on it which will incourage it to go near it and he/she will get the hang of scratching it. To help the process along, whenever you see her scratching the furniture say NO! sternly but don't scream and push your foot near her. This should make her go away from it. Vica Versa whenever you see her scratching the scratching post say good girl and at first stroke her and maybe give her a treat...do this for the first around 3-5 times he/she does it. I know that scratching posts can be a little bit pricy (depending on where you get them and what sort you get) it will be alot cheaper then having to buy a new sofa because it scratch the other apart!!!

Answer 3

Put some clear packing tape on the couch and other upholstered furniture that the cat is scratching. this way, they won't want to scratch it.

Do you have a scratching post? If not, you should get one. If you do, put some catnip on it so that your cat will be attracted to it. also, when you see the cat scratching where she is not supposed to, take her over to the scratching post and run her paws along it. This will let her know that that is where she is supposed to scratch.

When she does scratch on the post, reward her with a treat or something.

Also, you can use a squirt bottle full of water to spray her whenever she is scratching. This is also good for keeping them off of places where they are not supposed to go.

This can be a long hard process, but if you persvere, your cat should learn.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

I don't kow how much your cat has scratched the furniture or how long he or she has had this habit or how old your cat is or how long you have had him or her. And all this information is important, because it is easier to teach a kitten or a cat new to your home than it is an established cat from whom you have tolerated this behavior (and so, have trained him that it is okay to scratch furniture) for a while.

Cats "sharpen their claws" not because the claws need sharpening, but because the claws grow rather quickly from a cuticle at their base, just as your fingernails do. And as the claw grows, the cuticle binds the claws, and apparently that is an uncomfortable sensation to the cat. So he needs a tree trunk or a really rough sisal scratching post to dig his claws in to and pull, to loosen the cuticle. Cats also scratch out of excitement: at mealtime when the can comes out of the cupboard, or when they hear your footfalls outside the door in the evening, returning home from work.

So it is a cat thing to scratch, and it is a necessity for them, as well as a means of expression. And they are going to do it. What you need to do is retrain or resocialize you cat to express himself on HIS furniture, and not on yours.

The first thing you need to do is trim your cat's claws. You do this once a week. All the cat care books tell you not to use a regular toenail clipper to trim your cat's claws, because they split the claw and can cause bleeding. But I always used a toenail clipper, and didn't clip really far down on the claw.

What you do is this: you sit your cat on your lap. Actuall SIT him so his backbone is pressed against your tummy and is parallel with your backbone, sitting. Press your finger up into the palm of his paws to express his claws, and then just clip off the rapier sharp points. Clip them down far enough so that you blunt the claw. This way, his claws cannot pierce fabric (or for that matter, your skin). Indoor cats don't need sharp claws, and in fact, they often find the points catch in things and hang them up. My cat loved getting his claws trimmed every Sunday, and he used to sit in my lap like a gentleman sitting for his weekly manicure. The first time I did it, he was upset and angry. But he liked the result so much, he never complained again.

Next, the scratching post. There are many lovely scratching posts available on the market, but lovely is not what appeals to your cat. He needs to get his now blunted claws in to the scratching post so he can loosen those cuticles. So a really good, rough, natural sisal scratching post will lure him away from the furniture. Buy it and rub it with catnip, so he christens it right away and falls in love with it. Keep it by the piece of furniture he enjoys tearing up the most.

I also kept those cheapie, 3 inch wide cardboard scratching posts in other rooms for him. I mounted them with double-stick mounting squares on doorknobs all around the house, in case he got the urge. And I rubbed them with catnip so he would use them.

Other than a few (very few) bouts of emotional scratching on the rug from time to time, he never, ever, ever scratched furniture.

If your cat already has the human furniture scratching bug, you may have to wean him off it. So during his transition phase from the couch to the scratching post, you may want to put down a piece of plastic or vinyl or a smooth-surfaced fabric on the furniture he has been scratching, so it just doesn't work for him anymore. And keep a water pistol locked and loaded, and if you catch him at his old habits, give him a good squirt, and simultaneously say a loud, sharp "NO!" Don't hit him. The water is much more effective.

Without reading on, I know for a fact that someone will tell you to have your cat declawed. The phrase declawing is a misnomer. When a vet declaws a cat, he doesn't remove the cat's fingernails. He amputates the cat's "fingers" at the first joint, a surgery that is considered a mutilation by some animal groups, the ASPCA included. A declawed cat usually becomes a biter, and sometimes even gets mean. So no matter what someone tells you, the best thing for your cat and for you is to clip your cat's claws once a week to ten days, and get him a good, good, good, rough-and-tumble sisal scratching post. And just let him know he's gotten in to a bad habit that you don't like (squirt & "NO") and offer him a much more satisfactory alternative for both of you. It's a lot cheaper than surgery, and much more thoughtful.

Answer 5

I once had 6 cats and never had any of them declawed. I went and picked up some scratching posts. I sprayed them with catnip spray and put a few treats at the very top of the posts. I took each cat, one by one and led them up the posts towards the treats. It worked wonders, I only had to show them once.

A spray bottle is good, don't use one that had something in it like Windex. Fill it with water and put the nozzle on stream. When you see your kitty starting to scratch, squirt it in the face and yell too. Cats hate water in their faces. I have seen some people in this forum say to put lemon juice in with the water. That's not a good idea as the lemon juice will sting and burn kitty's eyes.

I hope this advice helps!

Answer 6

On your furniture put double sided tape and plastic on the sides and back. Spray orange citrus scent on the furniture.
Your cat now needs a diversion, so give it a scratching post. Make sure it is as tall or taller than him while standing. Put it where there is a lot of traffic. The family room is a much better place than the basement. Sprinkle catnip on the post and encourage use by playing with him on it and placing cat toys.

Answer 7

Get multiple scratching posts and place it near the place she's/he's clawing. Or have a spray bottle handy, catch 'em in the act and spray 'em! It's still good to have the scratching posts. I have one cat and 3 scratching post and he goes from one post to the another and doesn't touch the furniture! Good Luck!

Answer 8

You could try using double sided tape and stick it around the area your cat usually scratches on. The tape will stick to their paws. You could also try buying one of those cardboard scratching mats.

Answer 9

Try this website I think it will help you.

http://www.catcarehome.com/tips-for-cat-scratching-furniture.php

Answer 10

you should get a spray bottle and fill it with water when you cat scrachs the furniture spray it. it worked for me