Every morning our 8 year old male cat scratches a piece of furniture (usually closest to where he's been sleeping). This is after he's been inside for the night and ready to go out. I have bought an upright scratching post and covered it in catnip but he does not seem to be interested in it. Is there any product I can use on our furnishings that would deter a cat from scratching it? I have tried covering up the sofa and chair corners with towels and blankets but don't want to live in a house full of covered furniture all the time. Let me know if there are any better solutions.
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scratching of furniture
- Thread starter maretlyle
- Start Date
Have you tried Sticky Paws or any other kind of sticky furniture tape? I've heard with some cats it works really well (and, as always, with some cats it doesn't). It's probably worth a shot. You might also try a citrus or menthol scent around the furniture he's scratching, as many cats can't stand those smells and won't go near them.
One other thing you can try is filling a can with coins and every time you catch him scratching, shake it as hard as you can. That noise will likely scare him and he'll form a negative association with the scratching that might prevent him from doing it.
Is the scratching post you purchased for him his first one, or has he always had them?
One other thing you can try is filling a can with coins and every time you catch him scratching, shake it as hard as you can. That noise will likely scare him and he'll form a negative association with the scratching that might prevent him from doing it.
Is the scratching post you purchased for him his first one, or has he always had them?
Often you will need to cover the furniture just long enough to break the habit of his using it. Did you put the scratching post right next to the furniture he is scratching? Is it tall enough? Cats like to stretch when scratching and so often will need a taller post. Have more then one to offer him. Try different textures. The tips given by writingislove are good also.
Some cats prefer horizontal or slanted surfaces to vertical ones, so it's best to offer a variety of shapes and materials like carpet, sisal and corrugated cardboard and put them next to places he's scratching now.
I'd go for a combination approach: try and cover up the bit of furniture that he has scratched and is enjoying getting his claws in to, spray that area with some Feliway spray as that is supposed to deter scratching selected areas like this, then put a range of different texture and position/angle alternatives that you want to check out in terms of preference.
Do you respond to him when he is scratching and then let him out (which might be inadvertently encouraging the behaviour?) or does he do this then head off somewhere else until you let him out? Also, does he sleep in a regular location or move about and therefore numerous bits of furniture needing to be addressed?If he does move about it might be best to either limit his sleep locations initially or take the same action with all of them.
Good luck.
Do you respond to him when he is scratching and then let him out (which might be inadvertently encouraging the behaviour?) or does he do this then head off somewhere else until you let him out? Also, does he sleep in a regular location or move about and therefore numerous bits of furniture needing to be addressed?If he does move about it might be best to either limit his sleep locations initially or take the same action with all of them.
Good luck.
