My cat keeps scratching my furniture, what can I do to stop her from doing that?
I have just gotten this beautiful calico cat from the shelter yesterday with the help of some of your guys’ advice 
She’s really sweet, playful, well-behaved, affectionate and incredibly intelligent. She already understands the word "No", she’s learning the word "Inside" and she’s only been with me roughly 24 hours. I love the fact that she’s a finicky eater and she knows how to get my attention + she’s not needy nor overly vocal.
…However, I have a problem w/ her marking her territory on MY couches LOL. She keeps scratching them even though I bought her a scratching post & showed it to her. What can I do to make her interested in the scratching pole? Any suggestions??
Filed under: Cat Furniture
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Declawing is cruel and extremely painful. Declawing takes the last "knuckle" of the cat’s paw off, along with the equivalent of the fingernail. Declawed cats can become agressive because they have lost their first line of defense against predators. Declawed paws are also prone to infections. Do not declaw your cat. Here are some simple ideas that will keep your cat from clawing at your furniture:
1. Everytime you see your cat going for your furniture, pick her up, gently place her in front of the scratching post, and praise her when she uses it.
2. Sprinkling catnip on the scratching post will attract the cat.
3. Make sure the scratching post is sturdy and does not fall over, wobble, or slide when the cat tries to use it.
4. Many pet stores and pet catalogs sell clear, safe, plastic covers for the cat’s nails. They slide on and they prevent the cat from doing any damage to furniture (or your skin) with her nails.
5. Many cats have a tendency to claw or scratch when they first wake up (kind of like a good stretch). Make sure that the scratching post is near where the cat sleeps, as this will encourage her to use the post instead of the furniture.
6. Double-sided tape on the surface of the furniture often keeps cats from scratching.
7. Aluminum foil on the surface of the furniture often keeps cats from scratching.
8. Many pet stores and pet catalogs sell a clear plastic covering that you can put on your furniture where your cat scratches. It’s non-permanent and can be removed when company comes over. The cat can’t claw through the plastic and the plastic helps to protect your furniture.
9. Be patient and thorough with your cat. All behavior modifications take time. Since your cat has only been with you for about a day, she’s going to need time to learn what’s OK to do and what’s not OK to do in your home.
10. Get in touch with the shelter where you adopted her from and ask them for ideas on preventing the cat from scratching. Your vet may also have ideas too.
Good luck with your cat, and remember not to lose your patience with her. She won’t understand why you’re so angry, and this is the crucial bonding period for the two of you.
The only sure way to prevent her from clawing your furniture is to get her declawed. There are a number of sprays on the market but their effectiveness is limited.
There is a spray at the pets store that work great. It cost roughly $10 a bottle and you keep re applying it frequently. I used it and it work great. I, too bought a long hair calico from the shelter. They are wonderful pets. Did you know that all calico are female?
try squirting her with a water gun when she starts scratching maybe she will stop but doubt it. they have a nautral instinct for that.
Try leaving her some treats around her scratching post… my cat still likes to try attacking the furniture but mainly uses her post.
two things try a scratching post or get her declawed
provide her with a few scratching posts, made with sissal rope, and toys to play with. every time you catch her scratching the couch, bring her to the scratching posts and show her to scratch on that. it will take time, but she will get the hint. also, spray or sprinkle some catnip on the scratching posts, that helps too!
ive had all my cats declawed, i love it because it also keeps me from getting hurt. but if thats not an option:
i would suggest maybe putting cat nip near the scratch post, to intice her to play there instead of on your couch, and to punish her (saying "no" or using water) when she uses the couch.
good luck!
I would not suggest getting it declawed but you should buy it a couple scratching posts and put them around your house especially where she usually scratches things
I have to disagree with some of these answers. DO NOT declaw her. That’s just cruel and unusual. There’s caps you can buy to cover their claws, buy a nail trimmer, cut just a bit of her claws and slip them on. They don’t fall off and you can mix and match colors.
If you don’t want to go that way, buy some catnip and rub it on the post. Lure her into rubbing against it and she may start using it. But she may not like that type of post that you’ve bought though, she may like something that’s flat on the floor and made of cardboard.
Buy a good sized water bottle and squirt her every time she does it, firmly speak the word "No!". Do not smile or laugh when she reacts to the water, it may confuse her.
please DO NOT dewclaw the cat, your cat can wear soft-paws (like fake nail on top of its), give scratching post, and there is a clear tape you can put on your furniture, it is sticky and cats hate it, and once your cat knwos the feeling it won’t go on the furniture
Oh man! Don’t declaw.
Try the Soft Paws
I have used them for years.
They truly work and your cat is not mutilated.
Many, many, declawed cats suffer pain for the rest of their lives from declawing.