Hi my kitten looney i bought her a standard scratching post but she will only use it when she feels like it otherwise she uses my chairs i have told her off and sat playing with the scarching post but i doesnt work. should i buy her a jungle jym sort of thing if anyone knows please help.
2007-09-06 21:18:10 · 12 answers · asked by eugenia m 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
yes, or try a different material for scratch post. word of the wise, you can NEVER have too many scratch posts.
2007-09-06 23:38:37 · answer #1 · answered by catloverme123 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The catnip is a great idea and also place the scratching post near a window that she loves to look out of. It could also help to put an old chair that you don't care about near the scratching post so she does have some sort of a jungle gym. That's what I did and my cats love it, and don't bother with the nice furniture anymore- now boring to them :)
2007-09-06 21:32:13 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If she uses it at all then you've got a lot to work with. My first cat had no interest even if I smothered it in catnip (and he loved catnip). My carpets suffered for it (he preferred carpets to furniture, luckily).
Try the catnip thing. Also try rubbing his favourite dry treats on it, though he may prefer licking the post then.
Put the post near the furniture he uses to sharpen his claws most. Also, if your post is only carpet it may be a good idea to get one that has the actual post wrapped in rope. A different texture may be all he needs. Likewise a rattan basket on the floor or a sisal throw rug might be good too. My cats love anything rattan to sharpen their claws.
I have two cats now and a large scratching post with three levels and platforms on each level. The posts are wrapped in rope and that is what they use to sharpen their claws most. They also have a "kitty condo," basically a large tubular box with two levels that they can hide in or sleep on. It's covered with carpet and they do sharpen their claws on it but not as much as the rope. Both, however, they love because they know that they are theirs and not shared with the people.
They still claw at the furniture if they are visiting us or just waking up after napping there, but not enough to cause damage.
You probably just need to find a texture your cat prefers to scratch at and keep it near the furniture you don't want her scratching at.
2007-09-06 21:44:26 · answer #3 · answered by ophelliaz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I currently have a kitten that 'had' the same problem. I bought him a standard post to scratch as well. The key is for you to be persistent about it. When she scratches something she shouldn't, tell her in a firm voice, 'NO!' then bring her over to the scratching post and hold her paws. Rub them against the post in the scratching motion. Eventually she will catch on and once she does, be sure to give her lots of praise and pets so she's encouraged to continue.
2007-09-07 00:48:38 · answer #4 · answered by Dark ~ Dreamer 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If she likes catnip,you could sprinkle some on the post. Also, praise her when she uses it. Hanging a toy on the post interests some cats, too.
Some cats will use *any* surface to scratch on, whileothers are pretty fussy about what they like. Some prefer horizontal posts, or vertical ones. Some don't care for carpet but like sisal. Some enjoy those corrogated cardboard disposable scratchers, but others won't touch them. Sometimes you need to experiment to discover what works best for your cat.
We've got posts & climbing trees in nearly every room but not everybody would want to do this.
2007-09-06 21:30:57 · answer #5 · answered by Catkin 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
catnip is a good idea, another one is (if you can) take scotch tape and tape it to the things you don't want her scratching in such a fashion that the sticky side is facing out. when she goes to scratch those places she'll get the tape on her paws. after a while of this she will avoid those places. just be sure to help her get the tape off if she has any problems afterwards.
2007-09-06 21:26:08 · answer #6 · answered by Kita 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Put some cat nip on the scratching post and take her over there and take her paws and make a scratching motion with them. She will probably take right up with it after that.
2007-09-06 22:28:53 · answer #7 · answered by Turtle 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try sprinkling some catnip on the scratching post, and using one of those water squirt bottle thingys when she tries to use your furniture. if those dont work, do the gym thing.
2007-09-06 21:46:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sprinkle some catnip on the post. She'll engage in it.
You can try this, which is available at PetSmarts, Petco, etc:
http://www.thecatconnection.com/miva/graphics/00000001/fur_2602.jpg
2007-09-06 21:27:36 · answer #9 · answered by CELTS! 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
one word catnip- they love it and it will get her on the post and off the furniture.
2007-09-07 05:45:59 · answer #10 · answered by Deb 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋