Cats Scratching The Sofas

[wellbeloved747]

my cat is always scratching the sofas so i wan to stop it be four he ruins them any ideas on stopping him?

 

[mike455555]

get him a scratching post. and also whenever he does it make a loud noise unpleasant noise. condition him to link the noise with scratching. he'll come to expect the noise when he scratch's. so he wont do it anymore (because he doesn't want the unpleasant noise to happen, it does not have to be a noise it could be something else he does not like)

 

[IanL]

get him a scratching post. and also whenever he does it make a loud noise unpleasant noise. condition him to link the noise with scratching. he'll come to expect the noise when he scratch's. so he wont do it anymore (because he doesn't want the unpleasant noise to happen, it does not have to be a noise it could be something else he does not like)

pets at home do a scratching "pad" that hangs on the door handle.At £2.99 it's a lot cheaper than a post..
Just don't buy any fish in there!!

 

[Baccus]

A water pistol works well in conjunction with a loud noise for stopping a cat scratching at furniture. Our cat knows better, but does sharpen her claws every so often on the couch to get attention, she has a sratching post but she likes to still bait us.

 

[mishmash]

Lots of things he can scratch. Several scratching posts. No point trying to stop him scratching one thing if there is nothing else to use, as its a natural inbuilt activity. When you get the new things, show him what they are for. Take him to the scratching post, gently lift his front legs up towards the post and press lightly on his feet to extend his claws and mimic the scratching action a few times. Added to that, once you have the scratching posts and have shown him what you expect, then, and only then, use the water pistol (or cheap 99p greenhouse spray bottle) if he uses the wrong thing. I do not subscribe to the loud noise theory as I believe it eventually makes the cat fearful of the environment and can give rise to other behavioural issues. Try your hardest not to let him know it is you squirting him too.

Good luck.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

A water pistol works well in conjunction with a loud noise for stopping a cat scratching at furniture. Our cat knows better, but does sharpen her claws every so often on the couch to get attention, she has a sratching post but she likes to still bait us.

+1. My cats now associate scratching the couch with getting wet. So they prefer not to do it. They still manage to find other areas, but we are working on that..

 

[nanoMama86]

Also, if you feel confident enough, you can trim his nails right back to the quick. Not so far that you hurt him, but far enough that they are dull. There is also a nail cover product that you can buy as a last resort, but it will need to be applied at a groomer. I apply this product frequently at my shop, as I personally believe declawing is mutilation and should not be considered acceptable.

 

[StandbySetting]

A water pistol works well in conjunction with a loud noise for stopping a cat scratching at furniture. Our cat knows better, but does sharpen her claws every so often on the couch to get attention, she has a sratching post but she likes to still bait us.

+1. My cats now associate scratching the couch with getting wet. So they prefer not to do it. They still manage to find other areas, but we are working on that..

+2

give them a blast whenever they scratch it.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Also, if you feel confident enough, you can trim his nails right back to the quick. Not so far that you hurt him, but far enough that they are dull. There is also a nail cover product that you can buy as a last resort, but it will need to be applied at a groomer. I apply this product frequently at my shop, as I personally believe declawing is mutilation and should not be considered acceptable.

+1
I declawed a cat once, as I had a baby on the way. She escaped from the house and I never saw her again. I felt horrible about it, as I took away her defense. Never declawed a cat since, nor will I ever again.

 

[mishmash]

Also, if you feel confident enough, you can trim his nails right back to the quick. Not so far that you hurt him, but far enough that they are dull. There is also a nail cover product that you can buy as a last resort, but it will need to be applied at a groomer. I apply this product frequently at my shop, as I personally believe declawing is mutilation and should not be considered acceptable.

+1
I declawed a cat once, as I had a baby on the way. She escaped from the house and I never saw her again. I felt horrible about it, as I took away her defense. Never declawed a cat since, nor will I ever again.

Im glad you realised that its not the right solution DM Sadly a lot of people don't realise what they are doing when they declaw a cat. Not only does it remove any way of them defending themselves, it also takes away a means of escape as they cannot get up a tree. In addition, the operation is often unsuccessful and gives rise not only to other behavioural problems in the subject but can also lead to abnormal regrowth. "Declawing" is not just removing the scratch part of a cats foot, it is essentially the removal of the first element of their foot. It is like taking the ends of our fingers off from the tip to the first bendable joint (metatarsals and metacarpals). Many pedigree cat breeders (I am talking responsible caring ones who breed for the love and furtherance of their chosen cat breed not ones who are 'kitten farmers' include a clause in the kitten contract which precludes the new owner from having this type of surgery, me included when I used to breed cats. I should point out that like these breeders I mentioned I was a member of the Cat Fancy, not just a backyard breeder doing it for money. Having said that, if a breeder does not include such a clause it does not make them a bad breeder either.... so any other breeders, please don't misconstrue that comment).

Its far better to give a cat plenty of preferable things to scratch. And if they dont take to those straight away, spray the new posts with catnip and do everything you can to encourage their use.

A brief word of warning though. Get something sturdy and make sure its a decent height. These puny little ones that are a foot high are rubbish. Cats like to stretch up when they scratch a lot of the time so get something a decent height. I found that by having three around the house, my cats NEVER scratched anything I would not want them to. I had leather sofas and never save a mark on them

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I have 2 floor-ceiling cat trees that my cats LOOOOOVEEEE....but they still love the leather on my couch lol. My husband keeps talking about declawing them, but I refuse to let him. I think he knows I might divorce him (kidding) if he declaws my kitties.

 

[mishmash]

I have 2 floor-ceiling cat trees that my cats LOOOOOVEEEE....but they still love the leather on my couch lol. My husband keeps talking about declawing them, but I refuse to let him. I think he knows I might divorce him (kidding) if he declaws my kitties.

You can be serious about divorcing him on that one. I will support you all the way, hehe. Seriously, it will lead to far worse behaviour issues than the odd scratch on the sofa

 

[Dieses Madchen]

The good thing is, my husband will have absolutely nothing to do with my cats. He doesn't even like my cats to look at him lol, so of course, the cats go to him for cuddles out of spite. But, my husband lets me have cats, cause he knows I love them. And he knows my opinions of declawing after what happened, so I know he would never force me to do it. That is why we went to the water bottle. More humane, and it works

 

[cynic]

Also, if you feel confident enough, you can trim his nails right back to the quick. Not so far that you hurt him, but far enough that they are dull. There is also a nail cover product that you can buy as a last resort, but it will need to be applied at a groomer. I apply this product frequently at my shop, as I personally believe declawing is mutilation and should not be considered acceptable.

+1
I declawed a cat once, as I had a baby on the way. She escaped from the house and I never saw her again. I felt horrible about it, as I took away her defense. Never declawed a cat since, nor will I ever again.

De clawing is too much, as is taking them back to the quick, but just niping the very sharpest tip from the claw will save your furniture but still leave the cat very capable.

I used to trim my cats front claws and he was boss cat in the streat for years, (he is part ferral as he was 14weeks old when we rescued him from a farm) big lad and knows how to use it. He's 15 now and is far happier snoozing on the wife's lap than much else.

Do agree with the water pistol though, after a while you won't even need water in it.

 

[mishmash]

Also, if you feel confident enough, you can trim his nails right back to the quick. Not so far that you hurt him, but far enough that they are dull. There is also a nail cover product that you can buy as a last resort, but it will need to be applied at a groomer. I apply this product frequently at my shop, as I personally believe declawing is mutilation and should not be considered acceptable.

+1
I declawed a cat once, as I had a baby on the way. She escaped from the house and I never saw her again. I felt horrible about it, as I took away her defense. Never declawed a cat since, nor will I ever again.

De clawing is too much, as is taking them back to the quick, but just niping the very sharpest tip from the claw will save your furniture but still leave the cat very capable.

I used to trim my cats front claws and he was boss cat in the streat for years, (he is part ferral as he was 14weeks old when we rescued him from a farm) big lad and knows how to use it. He's 15 now and is far happier snoozing on the wife's lap than much else.

Do agree with the water pistol though, after a while you won't even need water in it.

Spot on cynic. Just the first mm or two to take the needle end off the claw is all thats needed Saves the legs too when kittens decide they want to sit on your shoulder.