Best Ways to Keep Cats from Destroying Furniture?

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sil

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you don't ever want to shock or hurt them.
At the end of the day: a cat is a living thing, and a couch is just a couch.
Very good point. Thats why I'm still researching this. Havent made a decision yet. But just so you know, these electric devices should be in the range of safety. Companies that manufacture them abide by strict legal and safety codes regarding animals.

As I've said, the devices reinforce behavioral training from a few zaps. But again I'm not advocating these devices. Havent made up my mind yet.
 

Maria Bayote

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I just bought couch covers on my sofas to hide the damage. I notice when I put them on they stopped scratching on the couches. But too late for me. They have already damaged my set. I wish I knew earlier. I used to yell at them, clap loudly etc, but when I am not at home they have free reign. Now I gave up.

But heck, my husband said they're cats so we'll just buy a new one. Let them scratch, he said. Oh well..
 

Uncled

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We have two cat trees, cardboard scratchers and scratching posts, we also used double sided tape when they were kittens,our furniture has never been used to as a scratching post. Catnip placed on all these items worked like a charm,also if they did attempt to scratch furniture they were redirected by saying No and brought to the scratching post next to the couch, more importantly they were and continue to be praised when they use the posts we provide.
 

di and bob

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The only methods I have found that really work is double sided tape, a pain to put on but really worked, they hate it. It's invisible so taht helps too. Cardboard corrugated scratchers with added catnip on top REALLY do work too! They so love the scratchers they completely ignore my furniture. If they are stubborn, and what cat isn't, place it next to teh furniture they are scartching. I know these have been mentioned before, but they are the only methods that I have found that worked over twenty years with all kinds of cats. when I was young I didn't worry about it, my furniture was crappy anyway, so how could they hurt it?! LOL
 

Neko-chan's mama

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For those of you who use catnip, how does that work? When I give Neko-chan her catnip toy, she licks it, rolls around on it and bites it while rabbit kicking it. I can't imagine her doing that to her 5.5foot cat tree.
 

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Try Ssscat. It's a can with a motion detector that will squirt a puff of air when the cat passes in front of it. To a cat, it sounds like a hissing cat. And it works. I've used it to deter all kinds of behavior I don't want, from jumping on the counters to scratching that arm chair of mine.
 

DreamerRose

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For those of you who use catnip, how does that work? When I give Neko-chan her catnip toy, she licks it, rolls around on it and bites it while rabbit kicking it. I can't imagine her doing that to her 5.5foot cat tree.
Sprinkle the catnip on the cardboard scratcher. Most of them come with a packet of catnip. The cats can smell it and scratch the cardboard to get to it.
 
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sil

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Ok I made up my mind. I'm going with the wireless fence.

Thanks guys for all your input though.
 

jcat

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I would be extremely leery of zapping any cat, let alone an 18-year-old. At that age, some heart problems are probably a given. That's like tasing an 88-year-old human.

Are you planning on leaving this fence up in the house permanently? Who's to say the cats will connect the shocks with the furniture and not just the fencing?
 

Srwheeler

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I had to quarantine my whole house and put most of the furniture into my garage while one of my cats had ringworm. So no cat towers, no scratchers, no toys, no tunnels. They started going stir crazy and were scratching up a spot on my couch. I covered it up with a towel and now everything is back in the house. No one touches the couches anymore. They need a place to sharpen their claws. It’s instinct. You can do whatever you want with your cats, we can’t stop you. But you came here for advice because you obviously have reservations about shocking your cat. That should be your last resort.
 

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In the end, it's all just stuff that will get dinged and worn and scratched from normal use anyways. Furniture can be replaced though may be costly to do so.

As already said, try different types of scratching posts and behavior modifications. Cats have a natural instinct to scratch. You need to direct them to the appropriate things to scratch so they're less likely to scratch your furniture. Can you keep the cats of the room(s) that has furniture you don't want them to scratch? Or install something like this to keep the cats out of a sort of open floor plan? Solid Hardwood Indoor Pet Enclosure - CatsPlay Superstore
 
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sil

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I would be extremely leery of zapping any cat, let alone an 18-year-old. At that age, some heart problems are probably a given. That's like tasing an 88-year-old human.

Are you planning on leaving this fence up in the house permanently? Who's to say the cats will connect the shocks with the furniture and not just the fencing?
Yeah I looked into the heart thing as extra measure as its a huge concern for older cats which I own one.

Not following what you mean about "connect the shocks with the furniture and not just the fencing." I just want to restrict the cats from the sofa in the living room as this is my bone of contention.

From all the vids I've seen on wireless, just a few zaps will reinforce into the cats to avoid the area in question. No more zaps will be needed.
 

She's a witch

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Yeah I looked into the heart thing as extra measure as its a huge concern for older cats which I own one.

Not following what you mean about "connect the shocks with the furniture and not just the fencing." I just want to restrict the cats from the sofa in the living room as this is my bone of contention.

From all the vids I've seen on wireless, just a few zaps will reinforce into the cats to avoid the area in question. No more zaps will be needed.
but they will most likely find another thing to scratch even if you manage to protect your couch, they need to do this to keep their nails healthy. So you'd need to reapply the shocks every time when they choose a different spot? They don't do this to mess with you, they do this because it's ingrained in them. Why don't you just buy them a scratching post and try to solve your problem in humane manner rather that starting from giving them pain&fear?
 
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sil

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but they will most likely find another thing to scratch even if you manage to protect your couch, they need to do this to keep their nails healthy.
You apparently didnt read my comment: "I just want to restrict the cats from the sofa"
 

She's a witch

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You apparently didnt read my comment: "I just want to restrict the cats from the sofa"
I read your comment but I didn’t understand it that you don’t care about the rest of your furniture, sorry for that. Plus, I admit this thread made me really emotional as I simply can’t grasp that someone would want to zap their own cat because of the object. Yes, I guess it can be effective, but do you know at what emotional and physical cost for your cat? Of course that the marketing video will focus on good sides of the product. And again, is it fair and respectful, even if they are zapped “only” few times?
 

PushPurrCatPaws

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My cats have scratched all my fabric and leather furniture. Tried shouting, getting angry. Never tried the scratching board. But if they target anything I'm certrain they wont distinguish between a scratch board and furniture.

One of my cats is 18 years old. The other is 8.
If you've had the two cats for their entire 18-yr-old life and 8-yr-old life and they've spent all (or most) of those years scratching furniture, they will be very difficult to "train" to not scratch and stretch on and mark your furniture.

This is a geriatric cat now and a senior cat: if you haven't come to terms by now --after many years-- that the furniture is a goner, I feel it's better to let them live the remainder of their lives with their familiar patterns and not stress them out considerably. You can get new furniture when they are no longer a part of your life.
:hearthrob:
 

daftcat75

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Make scratching the furniture unappealing using plastic covers, double sided tape, aluminum foil or other deterrents that fall under annoying rather than disturbing or frightful like shouting, electricity, or water. Cats are smart and stubborn. They may continue to test you here throughout their lifetime. So this can’t be the only thing you do.

While making the unacceptable unattractive, provide lots of acceptable, attractive, and stable (!) alternatives. As someone else mentioned, cats like furniture because it’s stable. They can really stretch and get into it on something that won’t wobble or tip.

In addition to providing alternatives, consider their location. Cats will prefer to scratch a centrally located couch over a tree in the corner. Scratching serves a territorial marking purpose as well as a grooming (and feel good) one. They have scent glands in their paws. Whatever scratching alternatives you provide, make sure they are somewhere they’ll want to leave their scent.
 
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RangersMom

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Very good point. Thats why I'm still researching this. Havent made a decision yet. But just so you know, these electric devices should be in the range of safety. Companies that manufacture them abide by strict legal and safety codes regarding animals.

As I've said, the devices reinforce behavioral training from a few zaps. But again I'm not advocating these devices. Havent made up my mind yet.
I guess you could try it, but try it around your own neck first.
 
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