Scratching Posts Advice Needed

[greypaws]

Help folks

I'm up to #4 scratching posts, 2 he refuses to use, 1 was too short and 1 for now, seems to be a winner. So my question, we've a big house, I want to get another one or two to place where he attacks the carpet the most. Do I continue to try different textures or get 2 more of what seems to work today? 3 have found their way to the shelter. I'd really like not to have to send anymore. I've used both catnip spray, catnip, toys and interaction with me scratching & encouraging him. Honestly, I think this is more marking, it's mine behavior, as it escalates when my Grand dogs visit. Nails are clipped every three weeks, adult, indoor.

 

[mishventurer]

I've never had issues with scratching posts as my cat uses the only 1 I bought. But the carpets however, I had the same issue and I found a cheap solution - Listerine. It's strong so I sort of douse the corners of my carpet where my cat likes to attack the most, and she has not touched it ever since. Worth the try if you don't mind the smell of mouthwash.

 

[golondrina]

Hi Greypaws. There is a spanish saying that I'll try to translate:  " an evil  shared by many people is the consolation of the fool"   I confess being suffering from severe foolishness since I am glad to know I am not the only one with scratching posts problems.

 

In the course of the 5 years Cucumella has been with me I have NEVER succeeded in interesting her in ANY of the scratching posts offered to her not even a piece of tree trunk which is used since then  as an interior plant holder. But she  does love scratching the carpets, the furniture covers and the wall paper!!   I have recently  resorted to giving up the wall paper and having the walls painted instead.  Like you I have tried putting catnip on the various scratchting posts to no avail. she smells them for a little while and then walks away with her tail upright like saying "so what".   

Cucumella is very gentle and affectionate. There isn't any aggressiveness in her nature.  She puts up with my little great grandchildren's  teasing for quite a while before walking away to hide in peace but never shows any impatience or annoyance. When I catch her scratching where she shouldn't and scold her raising my voice she lies on her back offering her tummy as saying "punish me if you want I am guilty"  

I adore her  but.........................wouldn't  I welcome a solution to this annoying scratching problem!!!  SOS someone!

 

[Lyzzie]

Have you tried using a scratching post made of carpet? She seems to like it, so it may be worth a try.

 

[golondrina]

Merci Lyzzie, I never thought about that.But I am not vey hopeful because  she never bothered with the smalll bedside carpets, her favourite one  is a big beautiful carpet my husband and I bought in Mauritania some years ago.  I will give it a try though..  Thanks again.

 

[kittens mom]

I have cardboard. sisal and carpet available. Upright and ones that lay on the floor. We use catnip spray on the upright carpet ones. extra tall and put actual good quality catnip on the cardboard ones. My two 15 week old kits use the scratching post 99% of the time. We have one corner of the sofa we have to keep covered. It's the first thing they run into when getting out of their pen in the morning.  

 

[greypaws]

Thank you so much for the replies, several made me chuckle. Definitely, I feel like a foolish cat owner whom loves company. I'd be happy to donate the 300.00 carpet runner to my boy but he is also enamored with the huge matching area rug 

   I will definitely give the Listerine trick a try, picked some up last night. I'd been using Natures Miracle anti scratch stuff with mixed results. Some stuff he leaves alone, others are too tempting. The double sticky tape worked to save the couches but was a total fail on rugs and kitchen counter.

Unless someone else has a better idea, I'll go ahead & get two more scratchers, one like he using and another that is kind of curvey and lies on the floor. He hasn't touched anything that is vertical nor does he reach up & scratch door frames or walls, so that style is a fail for him.

 

[samuel medina]

I'm starting to feel fortunate... Snickers hasn't scratched anything but the legs on my pallet plant table that I don't care about, and her scratching posts.

 

[golondrina]

My latest trial, today:  I bought a scratching  colourful  ball covered with sisal.  I threw it at Cucumella as soon as I got home. She ran after it, caught it, smelled it and walked away. I threw it at her a second time and she ignored it. Nothing doing.

 

 

[golondrina]

Some 3 months ago I bought a scratching post made of recycled cardbox material which to my surprise Cucumella adopted as a cushion as if it offered a comfortable surface. She never used it as a scratching post until today. This is the first time in five years that she has recognized a scratching post for what it is although I bought half a dozen to no avail. View media item 400261
  Unfortunately I was too late to take a pic of Cucumella in action but here is the successful scratching post which I actually bought to encourage recycling of discarded material with little hope that it would serve the purpose for which it was intended. Which shows hope is the last thing to abandon.

 

 

[petey]

Hello Greypaws,

Misery LOVES company and YOU'RE my company!  LOL! My Dublin is such a finicky scratcher, but one thing I DO know is he's a "vertical" scratcher - not horizontal and doesn't like anything but a softer(?) rope - not sisal. I had/have the EXACT problem with his 1st scratcher being too short.  Amazingly, he still uses it, but I've since purchased a taller one.

I had to look at tutorials on You Tube to literally teach MYSELF to teach HIM how to use it.  It WORKED! I took something he loves to play with and slowly pulled it upwards against the post.  He reached for it, but I kept it just out of his grasp when suddenly, he began to scratch the post!  I tried this over and over and now he uses it, though I'd like to see him use it more.  He still uses his trustworthy short post among others I have for him.

Another thing is, catnip doesn't work on all cats.  As I understand something like 30% of cats aren't affected. Dublin's one of 'em.

Lastly, I find that the spray, "Sssscat" works WONDERS as a deterrent to keep him away from areas I don't want him, like all counters and tables in my house.  It has an electric eye and is motion activated. That means ANY MOTION, including mine.  Scares the HECK out of me if I forgot to turn the spray can off! Now, when Dublin even SEES the can, he stops in his tracks and walks the other way.  The dog is more DEATHLY AFRAID of the can than Dublin is, but that may be because Dublin is hearing impaired and the hissing sound the can makes isn't the 1st thing that scares him, but the air emitting from the can, itself. His brother, the dog, sees and hears it all.

Hope this works for you.  Don't forget to Google and You Tube your issues as well as coming to this site for your questions.  You're bound to find your answers between one out of 3 places.  Good luck!

Petey