Is there any way to stop my catch scratching the furniture?

Question

And don't say 'cut it's paws off' or other half-wit remarks. My sofa is getting mullared here!

Sorry, of course it should say cat!

Answer 1

ok go to walmart, in the pet section there are cat scratching posts made of cardboard they are like 5 buck or something, it has catnip in it, put 2 of these in your house and they will leave your stuff alone, I have 2 cats and 3 scrachers and they have not touched our new couch

Answer 2

There are two things you can do. First, you might need to trim your couch where the cat has been scratching. That will remove the rough bits that seem to attract the cat. Their paws leave a scent on the area scratched, so if you can clean the furniture in that spot, it might help. You can make a good scratching post out of a 4x4, some plywood and a big bolt and washer. The post should be at least 3' tall so the cat can stretch out and the base should be wide enough so the cat won't tip it over. Staple old carpet (or a carpet remnant from the store) over the scratching post. Once you make one of these you can replace the carpet over and over -- they last forever. The next thing you can do is buy a notched scissors specially made for clipping claws. If you clip your cat's claws every two weeks (clip only the hook -- make sure you don't clip the vein), then the cat can go through the scratching motions but won't be able to hurt anything.

As added insurance, keep a spray bottle of water nearby and if kitty starts to scratch, say "NO" and squirt him. Won't hurt him or the furniture.

As a last resort, keep the cat confined in one room while you're asleep or while you're away and then he'll have less opportunity to get into trouble. (It's always easier to remove the temptation than it is to fix it afterwards if you don't.)

Answer 3

Get a squirt gun and squirt kitty in the face. Cats hate water in the face and will take off fast when it is squirted. As you squirt kitty, yell as loud as you can. Let kitty know you aren't happy with this behavior. After a while kitty will know he or she is doing wrong and take off the minute you just show the squirt gun.

Get a scratching post, spray it with catnip spray, put a few treats on the very top of the post and guide kitty up the post. This will teach kitty to scratch on the post and not your couch.

There are repellents that are sold in pet stores. They come in aerosol cans. They have a very pungent odor to them but work very well. It won't hurt kitty in any way either, it will just keep him or her off of your couch. You will have to spray your couch every 24 hours as the scent will wear off if you don't and it won't work as well.

I hope this helps, I did the scratching post deal when I had 6 cats, all indoor cats at that. It worked like a charm. ; )

Answer 4

Trim their claws every 2 weeks, and buy a straw rug. Whenever the scrtach the furniture, grab them gently from the neck, like a mother cat, say No, and put them on the straw rug. Praise them when they scratch that. After a few consistent efforts, you will manage.

Answer 5

There are some products that pet stores sell that could help:

Get a really good scratching post that the cat will prefer to the furniture:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3261+10345+10290&pcatid=10290

Sticky Paws:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2755192&cp=2767033.2768983&fbn=Taxonomy%7CRepellents&fbc=1&clickid=topnav_dropdown1_link15&parentPage=family&keepsr=1#RatingsDetail
(just be sure to apply it horizontally and not vertically)

I have heard of people having good success with the Scat Mat but I guess it depends on how many different places you cat scratches up:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752971&cp=2767033.2768983&fbn=Taxonomy%7CRepellents&fbc=1&clickid=topnav_dropdown1_link15&parentPage=family&keepsr=1

There are also no-scratch sprays:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=1093&Ne=40000&R=1901&N=2002+2017

Plus you could try Soft Claws Nail Caps but they usually don't stay on too long.

I tried a few of these products, the really tall scratching post was the most successful. They we bought a 5-6 foot cat tree with 2 sisal posts and 2 carpeted posts and my cats don't even look twice at my furniture anymore. They really just need a good piece of furniture of their own that satisfied their needs to scratch and climb.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

Booby trap the area with aluminum foil pie tins that will fall with a great metallic noise. Lightly tap the nose and say, "No." Get a scratching post; I took my cats' paws and scratched the scratching post with them so they would get the idea. Also, if you learn to say, "FFttttt!" like cats do they will usually stop what they are doing.

Answer 7

I had that problem. I tried scratching posts, cat nip etc but the only thing that worked was wrapping tin foil around the things that she scratched. Looked awful but after a couple of days she stopped. Shouting at animals doesn't work. They don't associate loud noise with anger or discipline like humans. Its just a loud noise to them. Apparently the feel of tin foil on their claws is like us chewing foil with a filling in!

Answer 8

hi i got my kittens claws down and give him a scratch post, we have a leather three piece and it has got some scratches on it but what can you do we knew this when we bought them, also i got some stop scratch spray and sprayed the bottom of the suite it worked for me, make sure you have a good scratch post and when he start to go to the three piece gently lift him over to the scratch post i know it will be tiring but it learn soon (promise) just stick with it.

Answer 9

i have a problem w/ my cat at the door doing that...he has never been outside but wants out so badly...he scratches and chews the carpet next to the door....so i used a water squirter to start....didn't work...but i found one day after eating an orange that my hands freaked him out...smelled them to see what was up...it was the citrus..so i took the peels and placed them all around everything that he was bad w/ ....and w/i an week....all the clawing and chewing was over...
good luck...

Answer 10

i was told to pick him up and take him to the place where he can scratch! You'll need to do it a few times, but cats are intelligent animals, and he will soon get it!