How can i stop my cats from scratchin my new sofa?

Question

They wont use a scratching post! We've tried!

Answer 1

Don't leave them on their own in the living room. Or use a throw when you're not there to cover the sofa

Answer 2

Part of a cat's natural desire to scratch is to mark territory, both visually and with scent in their claws. How many cats do you have and do they have their own scratch items or are they happy sharing them?

Cats also have preference for the types of items they like to scratch and because of the scent marking aspect, some won't share scratch posts. Our male cat is very good and uses his scratch post every time, but our female will only scratch on corrugated cardboard or wood. A lot of cats dislike using scratch posts if the sisal rope is wound around the post as their claws can get snagged. Cats generally like to scratch items where the thread runs vertically, hence their attraction to sofas and fabrics. Other options are the underside of a heavy duty door mat, a heavy tree branch. Rubbing catnip over the scratch item encourages many of them to use it. I don't know what ages they are, but try trailing a piece of string or favourite toy over the post. This will entice them to dig their claws in and once they get the hint, they should begin using it. Feed them treats, play with them or groom them next to the post so as to make all the associations with it, positive ones.

Try offering them a few alternatives to see what they enjoy scratching, and make sure that you place a few of them around the home. Cats usually scratch when they first wake up (it's part of their exercise routine) so it's a good idea to keep scratch items near where they sleep.

Once you find what sort of item they like to scratch, place the scratch item next to the area of the sofa where they keep scratching. Cover this area of the sofa with a non-scratchable substance like thick plastic from DIY store, or tinfoil. Put double sided sticky tape or wire netting on the floor, where the cat’s back legs are while it scratches. If the cat finds it uncomfortable to stand there, it won't be able to scratch. You must provide an alternative scratching item otherwise it will just scratch on another area of the sofa. When the new scratch item is well established, you can remove the plastic cover. If this goes smoothly you can then move the scratching post, a few inches every 3 days, to a better area in the house.
If the cat continues to scratch the old area, this is because it is more attractive than the scratch post. The old area still smells like the place to scratch so the cat keeps topping it up. If you can do so, cover this area with something that can be transferred to the scratching post. Iike an old towel, piece of cloth or newspaper which, impregnated by the scratch scent, is then tacked on to the scratch post/item.

Curiously enough, cats don't tend to scratch places that they have chin rubbed. Feliway mimics this scent, so you can spray the area once a day for 21 days to help deter them from scratching the sofa.

Apologies for the length of the answer, but I hope some of the suggestions help.

Answer 3

You can buy "sticky paws" or a double sided tape from the pet store or target carries some in the pet aisle. This has worked great for me, the cat no longer touches the sofa. She used to do it to some areas of the carpet and I put that stuff there too and she stopped. I trim my cats nails often too. I also have several small scratching boxes - they are cardboard boxes for cats you can get at the pet store.

Answer 4

1- Keep the cats nails trimmed so they are blunt.

2- Get a larger and more solid scratching post.

3- Go to pet shop and buy cat nip spray and spray it on the cat scratching post.

4- Buy sticky strips from pet shop to stick on sofa and prevent scratching.

Do all of these and you will solve the problem.

Answer 5

The best thing to do, and NO it is not being horrible, if you get a small plant water mist bottle then everytime they do it you just squirt them with it. In time they will stop because they don't like the water. Trust me it works. Also, get some catnap to put on the scratching post, they will then start to use this instead. I also, have a log in the garden which my cats use all the time.

Answer 6

Although you can suppy a scratching post you cant ensure a cat will use it. Slap them gently when they scratch the sofa, they'll soon get the message. As well try and get catnip spray from your pet shop and spray in on the scratcher, it may encourage them to use it.

Answer 7

We had the same problem with our cat - make sure it's not left in the room on its own, and what we did when we noticed him doing it we just clapped our hands loudly, or make a big noise - it should give them a scare without having to touch them. They'll know what they're doing is wrong sooner or later and stop, or at least try to do it much less often!

Answer 8

Hi there Mummy2be (Congratulations!!)

Well If a scratching post doesnt work, try sprinkling some cat nip around it.Otherwise you might like to try these suggestions;

** Spray the cats with water when you catch them. (Not the mist)
**Place some cirtus peel around (orange usually does the trick) They hate the smell.
** Double sided sticky tape (They hate the stickyness)
*Maybe for other things you could try sprinkling pepper granules around as they dont like the grittyness and it will be hot when they lick it off, be careful it doesnt get into their eyesand that there is water for them to drink.)**

I hope some of these suggestions were of use to you.
Feel free to email me.
Regards. =^..^=

Answer 9

Teach her not to shred the furniture: grab her from the neck whe sh edoes that, say No, and put her on a straw mat, that she is allowed to scratch. I have never failed to teach any of my kittens, by consistently teaching them.
If you declaw, besides the fact that it is a cruel amputation, the cat may start biting or stop using the litterbox, because it is no fun digging without fingers. we have seen so many posts here of people who want to get rid of their cat for having such bad "habits", after they have ruined him by declawing.
As an alternative, you can use claw caps, check out http://www.softpaws.com

Answer 10

If you need to worry about stopping them scratchin' the sofa,

aint you goin' to have fun stoppin' them from scratchin' the new baby!!