DO scratching posts actually stop your cat from scratching other thigns?
Friday, February 5th, 2010 at
3:31 pm
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Filed under: Cat Furniture
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no they will still scratch othr stuff
As another poster mentioned: go with the sisal and the card board. Another thing I have found that works well is a sturdy piece of wood: my cat went nuts for the split logs I brought in for the fireplace. But I am in agreement with other posters. The scratching posts alone will not stop your furniture from getting scratched, it will only give them an alternative to the furniture. Here is what worked for me. (I will not declaw a cat- or recommend declawing a cat. I have seen the surgery and I have seen many sweet kitties turn into schizophrenics afterward. Whether it is too little pain control or something insidious about the anesthesia or the trauma of having the toe amputated at the distal joint or all the above I don’t know.) Anyway.
Trim the claws! Start them out young so they get used to you handling their toes especially the hind paws as those back claws can be quite tough.
The best deterent I have found is to place aluminum foil on the surface of the item kitty is shredding or shows an interest in shredding. Make sure to offer an alternative- ie: scratching posts. And make sure to offer them lying flat and on an incline. Eventually your cats will be ‘trained’ and your furniture and wood trim will no longer need all the chrome. You may need to slap on a piece every now and then to reinforce the claws off rule.
And trim the claws! I can not preach this enough. And no, don’t waste your money on the pet pedicure thing. The scissors type clippers are quiet and quick- two very important things when trimming a cat’s claws. Most cats will let you know when their claws are getting long- they will generally start to claw things. Believe me you will get the message fast and usually once puss is trimmed and the dreaded aluminum foil makes a return for a couple of days the attempts at clawing your possessions usually cease- and they will go back to their more claw friendly furniture. Some people like the "Soft Paws" solution, which are little plastic caps that cover the nail. I have heard mixed reviews with most people usually reverting back to the trusty scissor style clippers.
Good luck
If you scent the scratching post with some catnip you may attract the kitten to it. In my own experience though I’ve had scratching post ignored and instead they choose a piece of furniture or a corner of the woodwork. I’ve had cats all my life and when they reach 6 months of age, we take a trip to the vet to be spayed and de-clawed. Some cat lovers will tell you that is cruel, but they work past the uncomfortable feeling with your vets help and adjust just fine
Not all cats respond to scratching posts.I have 2 posts and ruined chair
be ready to consider soft paws etc
no i bought my cat a scratching post and she scratches it of course but she also scratches couches,beds,rugs and chairs just about anything that is able to dig your claws in.
Yes, I mean cats will be cats. But my cat has both the cardboard and the sisal rope kind and she loves them both! Don’t use the kind with carpet (as the scratching part) because all that does it make them think that carpet is an appropriate thing to scratch. In the beginning I used cat nip and showed her by putting her paws on the post and mimicking. they also sell a double sided tape to deter scratching a place they shouldn’t. Just remember that de-clawing is very painful and many (including myself, oppose it), it is also illegal in the UK (I think). Good Luck!
Side note- The better quality(more expensive) food the less stink and actual waste in litter box!!
If im to go on the cat I used to have then the answer is no , I had a scratching post for her and she still used to scratch on the sofa and wall edges and roughed them up cause of doing it so much.
absolutely NOT.lol
They can, but you have to train them to use it.
What you should do is when you first get the kitten, put it in a room where there is nothing for it to ruin, this is where you get it used to your smell, being somewhere different, etc. Place the scratching post in there, and you can use catnip or something to make it appealing. Place the cats paws on it and scratch them down. The cat will learn to like it.
Also keep the scratching post somewhere near where you and your husband spend time, because cats like to be around their people, so it won’t use the scratching post if it’s shoved into a corner somewhere.
Also for the litter and hair, put baking soda in the bottom of the litter pan, it absorbs the smell and brush the cat once a week and that should eliminate most of the hair issues.