OK, I just got new couches, and we have 3 cats. They really like the new couches. ALOT. They have started to sharpen their claws on the corner of one. Anyone have any tips or tricks to stop this? Declawing is the obvious answer, but that’s not an option for me. And we have tree thingy for sharpening claws. Any help? Please?
Thanks…
C
Since my cat doesn’t really like to have her nails clipped, whenever she claws the furniture I give them a clip. If they don’t really need it, I just use the snippers and make the noise.
So far this has been pretty successful but I have only one cat, small and black, impish and named India.
My Micky likes the carpeted scratching post. Rick still goes for a couch, but a sharp “No” usually stops him. If it didn’t, I’d consider a squirt gun.
Someone suggested covering attractive scratching areas with double-sided sticky tape. Ever put tape on your cats’ feet? They absolutely hate it (but it’s fun to watch).
With the post, you just have to be sure it’s well anchored, or really heavy. If the cat scratches it and it moves, well, it’s all over. Cat will probably never go near it again.
Never go near it again, eh? Hmmmmmmm, so if can just get the couch to fall on them, just once…
<g>
The squirt gun is loaded and ready. Problem is, they only scratch when my wife and I are at work or otherwise away. I guess I’m wondering if there’s some trick, like rubbing bay leaves on the couch or something. Something they can’t stand, but humans will not notice.
Elbows3:
That cat sounds like ours, it’s a Bombay cat. All black, black whiskers, nose, lips, everything. And small. India is cool choice of names if that cat is a Bombay!
C
Read this somewhere: Bubble wrap - you know, the stuff you put in packages to protect breakables. Attach it (although I’m not sure how – thumbtacks, maybe?) to the spot they scratch – the bubbles pop and scare the hell out of them and (hopefully) they don’t go near it again – at least in theory. I haven’t tried it myself, although I’m going to. One of mine uses the scratching post, the other loves the chair. Got a package the other day with some bubble wrap in it and I’m going to try it on the chair. The squirt gun method didn’t work for me.
My cat used to scratch my arm-chair, so I bought some cat repellent, sprayed it on a cloth, and wiped the cloth on the chair. That solved the problem.
The reason I didn’t apply the repellent directly to the chair is because I only wanted the slightest whiff of the stuff; I didn’t want the cat to avoid the entire room. (Mind you, on the first day he unhappily crinkled his nose when he entered the room, but the next day he was back to normal – except that he didn’t claw the chair.)
I agree with a previous poster: cats need a scratching post.
Sticky tape might work, another thing to try is aluminum foil. A lot of cats hate the crinkling sound it makes. I don’t know about rubbing bay leaves on it, but I do know cats don’t like the smell of mustard or orange peels. You obviously wouldn’t want to put mustard on the upholstery, but you might put a dish of orange peels right next to their favorite scratching spot.
Vera
I use clear packing tape. I cover anywhere they scratch with tape. I also fold it over and make a sticky surface. They don’t like sticky things on their paws and they want to dig into stuff when they scratch.
I also use clear tape at the corners of the windows so they don’t push their way thru the mini-blinds and eventually break them.
They are going to stratch so you better provide something for them. Give them an alternative and discourage them from using your couch. A water gun helps discourage them if you catch them, but they are sneaky, so you better give them some other place to scratch or you’ll have to set up all night with a water gun to try to stop them.
Jim
Electric leaf blower engaged toward offending cat when scratching starts usually does the trick. Keeps 'em out the living room for awhile too.
Only problem is that after a couple of rounds with the blower the vacuum (similar sound) will send them scrambling for cover also.
Nothing you can do, aside from seriously modifying your furniture, will stop determined cats from sharpening their claws. The best thing you can do is trim their claws regularly. Use a toenail clipper to cut the claw right above the quick (the red part inside the claw that carries blood vessels).
Most cats have a big problem with this. It doesn’t hurt them, but they are nonetheless annoyed by people messing with their paws. It’s best to catch them when they are sleepy and well-fed. For an especially stubborn cat, try putting a sock over his head to calm him down and keep him from biting. Just make sure the sock is loose enough so the cat has enough breathing room.
Cats… sigh
Our 3 scratch everywhere. We covered the chairs and couches with blankets or sheets, but they still get under them. They scratch the Hell out of their scratching tree, so a diversion didn’t work. And our Maine Coon cat digs at the corners and edges of the carpet with her teeth. (We’ve got so much damage to the carpet I doubt we’ll get our damage deposit back.) And our oldest cat has been spraying everything since the female first went into heat, then continued when my wife got pregnant, and still continues with the presence of the baby. (He doesn’t realize how short a lease he has at the house anymore.)
We’ve tried the squirt bottle; the Maine Coon doesn’t seem to learn from it. We’ve tried Bitter Apple spray, but if they don’t use their mouth they don’t get a taste. We’ve tried hormone spray, but it’s expensive and only moderately effective.
So, sorry. No advise, just sympathy.
Try this site: http://www.softpaws.com
…an alternative to declawing your cats.