Cats annoying habits
Posted by: Anne
16th Apr 2011 10:05pm
have 3 cats and 2 of them have annoying habit of using the furniture as a scratching post.. they know they are not allowed to but sneak around the back of the sofa or wait till no one is looking. as a result the lounge suite is looking decidedly tatty. They had a scratching post but would not use it. Has anyone any suggestions on what I should do.
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Comments 32
Anonymous
I have two cats, taken in as strays, they clawed and jumped on everything, I work full time so was not around to use the spray technique, I ended up using double sided sticky tape. They hate their fur sticking to it, they no longer claw the furniture or jump on benches
Leanne6
Double sided tape on the furnitre really annoys them, spray water if you catch them, scratching posts with catnip scattered on it (sisal works best), a bit of jam on their paws and then put them on the scratching post, they lick it off and associate it with the post
Rachiiee
It is a nature thing your cats to scratch everything in sight but the best way to stop them scratching everything to pieces is to spray them with water every time they are doing the wrong thing. Even some times reward with treats which will in-curragh them to scratch at their post.
rachiebabe
I seen on cat tv shows where they make the cat so tired they wont have the need to scratch furniture play with them worn them out and see of that works
CSD
My 3 cats copy each others behaviours, as well as challenge them. Lemon hasn't worked for me or water. The worst thing is all of them stropping on a long, expensive, hall carpet runner.
I'm not always there to stop it and, even if I am, my big boy Slasher Jim will attack me!! The best thing I have read is mothballs. Really like that idea.
Anonymous
My cat loves to use a doormat as her scratching post... maybe something to try?
rosie
yea get some water with lemon and mix it up and warn the cat it will adapt
Yanno
Yes try and have a spray bottle with water in it, and spray them everytime they do it! Cats will always go back to the same spots where they scratch as they have somthing that comes out of there claws :/... But the spray bottle with wTet works a treat :)
Anonymous
Lemon spray
Anonymous
A good technique to say get a spray bottle and fill it with water and spray water at them when scratch the lounge. This technique can be done with any bad habits (dog or cat) such as chewing etc
yeyo52
i saw this on tv the other day a vet giving this advice for just that problem, he said to get some cat nip and scrub it over the scratchy post and not only have one post but several and also get a squirt gun with some water and a bit of vinegar and squirt them when they go near the spot you dont want them to go ( that is if you see them) good uck other choice get new furniture every few years.
Anonymous
has any one suggested to use water and squeeze some lemon in it to when they scratch or spray u squirt them cats hate lemon sence and after a while will get the drift, it works i didi that on my cats
Anonymous
three cats is alot, so first thing is first,l you must seperate them because they imitate what each other;s actions. you can do this buy placing them in different parts of the house
kitekat
I dont think cats immitate each other. I have three cats ,all with unique personalities. Only one scratches furniture and thats his way of getting attention if we ignore him, when he wants to go outside.
Anonymous
Sprinke a bit of pepper on the couch they hate they smell also put some catnip on there cat scratcher
dizzle
Lemonjuice works the best for my cat, pepper made them sneeze and it was worrying
di_par
We got our cat when she was 5 months old. Got her a cat tree with scratching poles.
Whenever we caught her scratching the furniture we would pick her up, take her to the scratching pole, grab her front legs and run her paws down the pole (saying "scratch your pole"). This significantly reduced the furniture scratching as she used the scratching pole more and more.
However, there was still occassions when she would prefer the furniture. After reading about double sided sticky tape, I put some on the lounge where she scratched it. Instantly she not only ceased to scratch the lounge, but took a wide berth around the sticky taped areas.
Sticky tape is great. You don't have to be there and see them clawing and spray them. The sticky tape is practically invisible. After a few weeks or months, you may have to replace the tape (depending on how much dust it collects).
Hope this helps you.
CSD
I've tried squirting water at my cats, spraying furniture with citrus cleaner and covering the sofa with packing tape. The packing tape worked but was hard to keep in position. Think I'll give double sided stick tape a go.
CSD
Di, I have three cats. I have tried the water spray, lemon scented spray on the furniture and scratching posts but think your sticky tape sounds the best. It can also pick up cat fur from soft furnishings and clothes.
Anonymous
I have a cat. Ever since she was invited into our home to be part of our family, she has had her very own scratching post. One was first placed in the laundry room, followed by another in the lounge room. Ricebubble (the name of the cat) has never scratched our furnisher cause she has her own to mark her sent onto.
Behr
LOL Our house has a cat that is about two years old - and my flatemate and I brought a brother & sister.. anyway.. Moth Balls are good - put some moth balls in a little net bag - or some netting used for those horrible almonds at weddings LOL and pin them around the couch. If you can get over the smell.. they will start going back to the scratching post..
Anonymous
I have 3 cats as well and I have found that as long as there is a scratching post for them to scratch and play with, they do not attack anything else.
Nyse
I have two cats and even though we have a scratching post, which they both use, they still scratch on our leather couches and dining chairs - so annoying. I just bought a new $2,000 armchair and I have to cover it with stuff to stop them scratching that as well!
Anonymous
try putting carpet around the scratching post. they might like that instead
kanky
Another thing to try would be to put a scratching post next to/obstructing where they are scratching in addition to spraying the area they're not supposed to scratch as others have said. Hopefully they'll start using the scratching post instead, and once they do, move it a short distance away from the no scratch zone every few days until it's in a spot you like, and they should continue to use it...
roxz64
yes spray them with water with a little lemon juice in it some cats like water (mine does) if you use a scratching post buy some cat nip spray they will be attracted to it and soon start using ther post
Anonymous
Will try this as our cats always scratching
Analog6
It is a natural need for them to remove their claw sheaths. Do you clip their claws. if you do this weekly/fortnightly they will not feel as much need to scratch. And if you have an area where you can put one, find them a small but solid branch off a tree, preferably with bark, I think you'll find they'll like that to scratch. A corner of the garage or a verandah is a good spot to have it. Needs to be heavy enough to withstand vigorous scratching.
jjdrer
A relative of mine has two special cat scratch poles. One even has a top on it that he can sit on. He still very occasionally claws the furniture.
We had one that when my Dad was doing the concrete paths in our yard, he would wait until it had been floated ( the top levelled and smoothed - not enough that it was slippery to walk on when i rained) and he would jump on to the concrete leaving his paw marks. He was growled at. He just put his tail up, turned around and walked away. .....We had to catch him to clean the cocrete off his paws or it would have burnt his skin if we didn't get it off quick enough. Wew missed a bit the 1st time and he got a very angry looking red patch. After he had done this on a few occasions on different sections of concrete done over a few months, Dad started to put supports around the outside of the concrete and cover it with sheets of corrugated iron. Not only was the cat injuring himself, but dad had to re-float the concrete. It was virtually a hands on knees job where he always did it.
woodie
When you see them doing it, spray them with water..Also spray Eucalyptus Oil in a bottle with water on the back of the couch. The smell deters them.
Anonymous
Will try it
Anne
Thanks woodie, will try that.