[faile]

i can't seem to make kitty understand that my bed and my desk chair are not scratching posts, and he's doing some real damage to them. my bed is fairly new, and he's trashing the box spring. he has scratching posts, the cardboard kind, which he totally ignores, and he has a whole chair that i don't care what happens to it. he doesn't pay much attention to the chair either. it seems he only scratches what i don't want him too! how can i get him to scratch only the appropriate things and leave my bed alone?

 

[Ioana]

Frosty will sometimes stretch with his paws up on the bed, lazy-boy, or table foot and automatically start scratching. I stop him right away telling him "NO" + clapping my hands. Then I pick him up and put him right in front of his scratching post and show him how to do it (again!) myself. He won't pay much attention then but next time I say no while he is doing it he stops right away + he did start doing it more often at the post.
It just won't work when I am not there - the same with climbing on countertops. So I am assuming that we need some sort of sour apple/ citrus fragance to spray on the right spots. Any idea where to find it?

 

[faile]

i think i can find something to spray. i have to go to the pet store today anyway, my poor guy is out of wet food! should i maybe try a different kind of scratching post?

 

[kitkat]

Maybe you can try a different type of scratching post that is horizontal if the one you have is vertical or other way around..Make sure you tell him "NO" and spray the area with Bitter Apple or a similar bitter spray. Usually as they get older they stop doing all these bad habits or most of them. Hope that helps out your problem.

 

[ForJazz]

I can't say enough about sisal scratching posts. Every cat I've ever seen loves to scratch on sisal rope. They sell these at most pet stores (if they are good ones) or else you can just buy a piece of pvc piping and some sisal rope at a hardware store and make on yourself. I made mine for about 12 dollars and my cats love it and use it all the time. petguys.com also sells cheaper sisal posts, as well as stickypaws - -which I've heard very good things about. I'd check it out.

 

[faile]

thanks for the tip, i'll try that!

 

[red_kittycat]

Sometimes it's just a matter of moving the scratching post to a more convenient location. Try moving the posts near your furniture for the time being and see how that works. If he takes to them, you can move them slowly back to a place where they are more suitable.

But, I cannot say enough about Soft Paws/Soft Claws (same company, same website, different name). They're soft vinyl nail caps that are glued over your cat's natural nails. They work AWESOME!!! I never had problem scratchers until my kitten, who came to live with us in August. Despite his 6-foot cat tree with natural wood, carpet, and sissal, he only wanted to scratch the couch. I put Soft Paws on him, and he didn't even notice. When he tried to scratch, the caps just glided over the couch. Now he doesn't even try to scratch anymore. I'm going to let this set grow off and see how he does. They run $17 or something, for four sets. You'll have to replace a nail here and there as the natural nail underneath sheds off. You can get them at pet stores, vet offices, or their website - www.softpaws.com . And the vet who makes them is very nice, and she's easy to get a hold of, too, if you have questions.

 

[drjean]

cat clawing furniture

Try "Sticky Paws" (www.stickypaws.com) on the items you want to make off-limits. It's like double-sided scotch tape, but won't damage the furniture. You have to replace it when it gets too hairy...but after one or two rounds, most cats have given up and have gone somewhere else to scratch.

I agree that sisal is the best for an upright post...the flat cardboard scratchers that lay on the floor are the hands-down (or should I say, paws-down?) favorites in my house!

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

[Annissa]

I just had to make a quick, off-topic remark.

Dr. Jean, I think you rock! Your posts have been very informative and I've enjoyed reading them. Plus, I really appreciated the advice you gave me regarding Sabby's food.

Now back to your regularly scheduled thread...

 

[faile]

i have one of those cardboard scratchers, he mostly ignores it. i have some double sided tape, which i used on the counters and tables, until cujo figured out he could jump over the icky sticky stuff and continue to play on the tables. he's too smart for his own good.

 

[brandon]

I have in the past used doublesided tape on cheap rubber welcome mats and placed them where they jump too. That way you can move them around some and if you have company or you want to use the surface you can just move them.

 

[kungfukitty]

Cat nip sprinkled on his scratcher may entice him.