What is the best method of keeping a cat from scratching up my sofa?
Friday, February 26th, 2010 at
1:49 am
My cat is 12 years old. Over the years, I have tried many things to keep him from scratching my furniture. He has had scratch posts that he ignores, I have put plastic claw covers on his claws, and I have clipped his nails. I just had my sofa and loveseat recovered, and I would really like to keep it unpricked by his claws. Any suggestions?
Filed under: Cat Furniture
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I recommend decapitation followed by a bag of lime to dissolve the body. You’ll be rid of it in days
Petsmart carries a clear sticky tape that you put on the furniture. Some people said it didn’t work for them but it worked for me. I put it on the places they scratched, they tried it once and never did it again. I think it’s worth a try. It’s called Sticky Paws.
We bpught a spray bottle for our cat. When you cautch him doing something you dont like spray him just real quick! sooner or later he will conennect the water with doing something wrong. but do it EVERYTIME u see it or he wont belive that your seroiurs.
Have you tried the double sided sticky tape on the edges of the sofa? Also is the scratching post over 4 feet tall? If not, that’s probably why the cat won’t use it. They like the taller treehouse scratching posts.
If the cat will wear the claw covers, I don’t see how that would mess up the furniture cause the nail is covered.
squirt gun!
my cat did that untill i bought him a scratching post— you sud either clip his nails urself or get a vet to do it hopefully it wont do it again
u can teach it not to do it by clapping ur hands and firmly saying "no" then he will know its wrong
You can get furniture protection from the pet store – they sell self adhesive strips that will make scratching unpleasant for the cat, they sell sprays like sour apple that will also make scratching unpleasant.
I bought a cloth "blanket" with audible alarm from Carol Wrights Gifts that alarms anytime my cat tries to jump on my couch. He doesn’t go near it anymore. It was only like $10.
The cat needs a scratching post, add catnip to attract him to it.
Do not declaw – that is not humane.
Clean up the pee with "Kids and Pets" cleaning solution available at Target or Petsmart. Buy a black light $15 at Petsmart to make sure the stain and smell is completely gone. Your cat will continue to pee there if he smells his own "scent" there.
Did you and the cat just move in to your girlfriend’s place? It sounds like your cat is trying to claim some territory. Give him his own space, like a window seat, a cat tunnel, a bed …. something that is his and his alone.
You can also pick up a cheap vinyl couch cover from Carol Wright Gifts for when you and your girlfriend are not home.
To train a cat – get a small water bottle sprayer and when the cat goes on the couch squirt some water at him. Try to make it seem to come from nowhere. You don’t want your cat to associate unpleasant stuff with you. He can’t know that you sprayed him with water.
Scratching is a normal behavior that is used to leave a visual and scent mark. It also conditions claws and tones muscles. It is best to offer the cat a scratching alternative while making forbidden objects less attractive.
A variety of commercial scratching posts are available. Cats are attracted to specific structures, surface textures, and locations. Situate the replacement object directly in front of the damaged area on the forbidden item. Gradually move the new scratching object to a more convenient location once the cat has switched its scratching allegiance.
Cover forbidden surfaces with cat repellent materials, such as heavy plastic runners (nub side up) or plastic shelf paper that has adhesive on both sides. Soft plastic coverings that attach to claws with non-toxic adhesive are an option in some cases.
Some behaviorists advocate the use of water squirted from a distance or a tossed soft toy that startles the cat. When done correctly, the cat does not connect the owner to these actions but associates them with scratching an inappropriate object.
Stick strips of double-sided tape on all the areas where he might scratch it. It works!
get those cardboard scratching posts and sprinkle a little catnip into it… it attracts them to it and you have fun watching them after.. hahah
using a spray water bottle sometimes works if u see your cat scratching spray it with the water to stop it unless u have a cat like mine which drinks the water when it gets sprayed but lucky for me my cat don’t scratch the furniture the other thing i did with mine was to enforce a sturdy no with yr voice so it learns who is boss hope this is a bit of help for you and good luck
get him a cat tree. if that doesn’t work, buy a spray that we can’t smell, but your cat can. i can’t remember the name of it, though.
spray bottle as mentioned before seems to work for us, but we also bought a scent deterrent from petco which worked well also. You just pray a little in the areas you dont want the cat to scratch.