how can i get my cat to stop clawing my couch without getting her declawed?

Answer 1

go to Petsmart and buy one of those taller scratching posts or even a cat climber and put it in the same room as your couch. or you can buy those fake claws, but those are a pain... and the cat scratcher works very well.
also, you definitely need to act fast because once they claw your furniture and get their scent in it, it's almost impossible to make them stop.

Answer 2

Get her a scratching post and place it near the couch. Then, show it to her by taking her paws and moving them up and down along the post so she knows that's what it's for. Do this a few times so she'll understand. Hopefully, that will solve your problem. If not, try getting a cover for your couch; one that is durable so, if your cat continues to claw the couch, her nails won't go through to the upholstery of the couch. Hope these ideas help.

Answer 3

Yes, the nail caps will help, but you could also try spraying bitter apple spray *usually can find it in the dog section at a pet store" where the cat scratches. They dont like the smell or taste so they probably wont scratch. Or try taping foil in the spot until you see that the cat is no longer interested, then remove the foil. Good luck!

Answer 4

Get your kitty a scratching post or corrugated cardboard scratchbox. When your kitty scratches the sofa, say "no" firmly and lead her to the kitty scratcher. If that doesn't work, put sticky tape where kitty scratches. She won't like the way it feels and will probably stop scratching there. Many pet supply stores, both brick-and-mortar and online, sell products designed to keep cats from scratching the furniture. My cat is pretty good at not scratching the sofa and using her scratchbox instead.

Answer 5

Spray Bottle spray bottle!!!..when caught in the act spray your cat, only has to be water..eventually u can just make the pppsssst noise....after u sparay the cat, take her over to the scratching post and put her feet on it so her claws go int to it, then pet her and praise her...if at any time u see her using the scratch post give lots of love...u can also make scratching noises on the post with your nails, if she is playful she should pounce, then being a game give her treats on the post if it is one she can sit on...catnip sprinkled in the post helps too.....good luck

Answer 6

There are actually alternatives as ppl in all the countries that have outlawed it already know, stuff like:

Spraying with citrus oils on the surfaces.
Covering surfaces with tinfoil or double-sided tape
Getting scratching posts and every time kitty scratches, putting them on there. Rub it with catnip, they love it.
A tin with a few coins to rattle when they do scratch startles them away from it.
A water-spray also works well.
A loud clap when they do scratch.
Softpaws is like nailcaps. Comes in funky colors too.
Clipping the nails short yourself weekly or every second week.

See, all alternatives cost is time, something a lot of people are not prepared to spend.
They're all cheaper than the surgery.

There's a reason cats have claws.
They have certain places they can only get to groom with nails.
They need them for defence (do not let anyone tell you hind claws is enough defence, Yahoo answers gets so many posts where the person's declawed cat got out and got munched and died....strangely enough the pro-declaw people are very strangely silent then.
They are by nature climbers - and keeping them indoors and not providing them with stuff to climb is a recipe for disaster, they of course will climb curtains.


The surgery.... this comes with risks, and I always ask people if their vet advised them of all these things...

Did the vet mention that the cat requires its claws for balance, to jump, to climb, and that "declawing" your cat then makes your cat susceptible to back problems, arthritis, joint problems and other foot problems that he would not otherwise face – because declawing results in a gradual weakening of the back, shoulder and leg muscles? Did the vet mention that cats walk on their toes, not the pads of their feet, and declawing forces them to walk in an unnatural way? That your cat walks toe first? Declawing cats causes the tendons in the toes to retract, which eventually results in the attendant joints "freezing."

Did the vet mention that many declawed cats resort to biting as an alternative method of defense? That some declawed cats become very aggressive because their primary defense is taken away? That many declawed cats stop using the litterbox because it is so painful?

A pretty steep price to pay for being born with claws, don't you think?

These are medical facts, not just isolated occurances, folks, this all comes from vet journals. These are vets who see what this is and don't just look to make more money. Vets love offering now a package deal, spay and declaw together - I find this appalling. They're just after money.

Unfortunately, people don't bother doing any research into things like this and seek people who support their bad choices.

Did you know that up to 70% of cats turned into shelters are declaws who have behavioural problems?


Did you know there's NO medical benefit to declawing for the cat? It's a purely elective surgery done for lazy owners. Your cat is a companion who looks to you for protection, and people maim them.

People love to say their cat is happy without claws, as if they were a bother.So you think your declawed cat is a happy camper? Let me tell you about cats and pain: these magnificent creatures are adept at masking pain and discomfort. Because your cat purrs, he is not necessarily pain-free. Severely injured and even dying cats will purr with their last breath. I've always thought it was a way of saying, "Please don't hurt me anymore. I'll be good." Dr. Jean Hofve, DVM, of Englewood, Colorado, a pro-claw advocate, says of this trait:

Surely loving a cat means seeking those alternatives, and not just trying them once but putting surgery out of your mind as not an option? I mean, compare it to a hammer in the hands of a five year old kid - nobody chops their fingers off....

You can teach and train a cat so much, people are just not willing to take the time, they expect to bring a animal that by nature is outdoors indoors and it must now be like a dog.... doesn't happen.

People think of pets as their posessions, that belong to them so they are allowed to do what they want. They have no respect for that animal at all. It's also very handy how much more their kitty will need them after being declawed, how it would HAVE to be indoors, not unlike the empty nest syndrome, these people have a great need to be needed, when the cat does NOT need this surgery.

People will say it was that or the pound - rather let them go to the pound where thousands of people who actually care about cats enough to work around the claws they have will very willingly adopt them. Instead they'll just force their own need down on the cat and claim it was for the cat's own good. Even immune-deficient or diabetic people can work around it by clipping the claws. Most are simply too lazy, or self-absorbed to think about respecting an animal - but would most certainly not like that kind of thing done to them.....

Perhaps people need to ask themselves what they prize more - furniture or their cats. Sadly they pick the non-living replaceable thing over the living animal, and play God, knowing what the risks are and happilly taking that chance. Ask your vet how well a cat hides pain - and don't try tell me your kitty has no claws but is radiantly happy about it since while hiding that pain you cannot claim that at all. Many declawed cats silently suffer adverse effects, sometimes unnoticed by their caretakers, because the consequences can range from obvious to subtle and some may take many years to surface Many declawed cats silently suffer adverse effects, sometimes unnoticed by their caretakers, because the consequences can range from obvious to subtle and some may take many years to surface.

Animal lovers don't maim the animals they are meant to care for, plain and simple.

Answer 7

Soft Paws- vinyl nail caps that glue right on to the cat's real nail. She can scratch all she wants, and your furniture will remain intact!

Answer 8

get her a scratching post.
if you catch her scratching the couch, say NO! and put her in front of the scratching post.
i doubt it will stop her, but at least she'll probably do it less.

Answer 9

cat repellant spray and a scratching post

Answer 10

spray bottle anytime she goes near that area spray her
also a stratching post near that area tooo/