Hello!

After the recent lost-kitty thread I realise there are quite a few cat owners (ha!) on here – i’m hoping someone may be able to assist me with an amused cat / shredded sofa issue…. 😕

I’ve had cats for years and my previous two were pretty well behaved and just too lazy to cause much trouble in later life, and I think i’ve forgotten what they were like when they were young! Fast forward a few years and I now have a lovely little 1 year old rescue kitty called Alice who is pretty chilled but utterly determined to shred my fabric sofas at every opportunity 🙁

Is she using a scratching post?
You can get a spray that puts them off scratching, it worked for us.

spray them with anti bacterial cleaner worked for my cat.

or and get a scratching post, or get cats claws cliped.

Sorry – my computers going mental with the rubbish internet connection here – managed to post the same half a post twice… 🙄

But yes, she has scratching posts sprayed with catnip, a cardboard scratcher thing, lots of toys etc. I have also tried a water squirter when she scratches it but she isn’t really that bothered by it! I don;t know whether i’ve turned it into too much of a game or what…

I think she knows what she is doing is wrong but just doesn’t give a toss!!

Maybe this would be useful?

Water pistol every time she does it

utterly determined to shred my fabric sofas at every opportunity

You think that’s bad, we got two rescue kittens – sofas, carpets, rugs, cushions, etc – all shredded!

What’s the anti scratching spray? Have tried a citrus spray on the sofa but she’s not put off by that!!

I think my other cats were probably like this when they were little, but I was only 20-something then and a) didn’t have expensive sofas, and b) I didn’t give a toss about them anyway 😆

Pussy needs a scratching post.

An attempt to scratch at anything else needs a firm “no” and manual transference of the cat from sofa to scratch post. Occasionally the cat will test their person, on such an occasion it’s OK to stride towards the beast, clapping, waving hands and vocalising your displeasure. As soon as the cat stops, so do you. Then, shortly after, a few soft words and a firm rub to the chops to show there’s no hard feeling is the right way to keep the cat on-side.

Disapproving cat by rOcKeTdOgUk, on Flickr

We have a water pistol but she isn’t scared of it. We have a scratching post and she never used it until tonight when I sprayed it with some cheap febreze. Not sure if it has catnip in but the mrs’ jumper just got sprayed and that’s also being loved! Most scratching posts unscrew so get some fresh cat nip and fill the tube with it.

An attempt to scratch at anything else needs a firm “no” and manual transference of the cat from sofa to scratch post.

Yeah, i’ve tried doing it all properly and have been doing this, which has evolved into the water squirter, but either she’s a bit dim (which I don’t think is the case!) or the sofas are just too appealing I guess!

We have a scratching post, it’s only use is when they bring in a half dead bird and they use the post as an obstacle to attack the bird from behind, all other scratching only involves expensive furniture or carpets.

The cats have trained us just to accept it.

The cats have trained us just to accept it.

Yes, I fear this may be Alice’s devious and wicked plan…

Try a couple of strips of double sided sticky tape, cats tend to hate anything sticky on their paws. You could try having her claws clipped so they’re not quite as razor sharp.

Second the sticky tape…… I used to use my ex’s tit tape™

They’ve also trained us to open doors for them, pick them up on demand, feed them on demand. They’re working on getting us to catch birds for them, right now, but we’re not very good at that.

Send it to sleep by the fire?

Yeah, i’ve tried doing it all properly and have been doing this, which has evolved into the water squirter, but either she’s a bit dim (which I don’t think is the case!) or the sofas are just too appealing I guess!

So this is when you escalate to…

“HOY…CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA…!!!!” as you stride quickly and purposefully towards her, clapping in time with the CHA CHA CHA CHA. Yeah, of course you look like a dick! If you do it right, she’ll be temporarily freaked out and probably jump down and scuttle away. This is when you look her in the eye and say, calmly “that’s right”. Then look away for a few seconds and shortly after give her a fuss. Keep doing this and before long all you’ll need is a look and a the right tone of voice.

1st point you don’t own a cat they own you.

after that everything else falls into place

afaik trimming cats claws is a big no-no. something to do with the blood vessels being so near to the end of the claws.

a scratching post and plenty of toys should help. 😀

afaik trimming cats claws is a big no-no. something to do with the blood vessels being so near to the end of the claws.

You can see the blood vessels in a cat”s claws and so long as you don’t cut into these, trimming them is fine.

Yup, you can see the pink bit, stay well clear.

However they grow back so fast (I have to trim my old cats claws as she hardly goes out so they don’t wear down, they can grow in to the paw pads)

rather than trimming claws, use belt linisher*….gives a lovely finish 😀

*not really, my cats would kill me in my sleep 😯

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKvNqe8cKU4[/video]

I wouldn’t bother clipping claws I’m afraid. Cats claws are made up a bit like an onion ( if you can imagine that!) lots of ‘layers’. When you clip them, all it takes is a few ‘scratches’ to get than back to needle sharp status once more!
Believe it or believe it not, cats are loners. They don’t like one another. Scratching could be an indication that she feels the need to stake here claim to that area or even just make her presence known.
I would strongly suggest Feliway. It’s very expensive but worth the time and effort!
It’s a feline appeasing pheromone. Buy, introduce to important areas of house and wait 6-8weeks.
Good luck! 🙂

Laser guided fully automated pressure washer?

dog person….

Trimming cats front claws is fine just be careful not to remove too much, it’s pretty easy to tell by sight. Never trim their back claws, it’s the last self-defense.

Scratching post, perhaps with some cat-nip as an early incentive, and, as with all cats, freedom to go outside when it pleases (cat hatch).

Rorschach – love that 😆

Lots of good advice, thank you! I’m not really a fan of getting claws clipped personally – I have always had outdoor cats and Alice is no exception, so she has lots of fence posts etc to sharpen her claws (which is fine!).

Solarpowered – I hadn’t considered Feliway actually, so good call. I’ve used it once years ago with Oscar and Jemima when I moved, and it helped then. I’ve only had Alice since December so she may well still be wanting to make her mark!

I’ve re-catnip’d all the scratching posts anyway and she’s currently licking it all off and trying to eat the base 😉

You lot don’t understand cats at all.

The only reason cats hang around humans is because they’re good at providing heat, food and strokes. The rest is just them screwing with you.

If you believe anything else then they’ve won. Both our cats would happily see us all dead as long as we opened all the tins of cat food before we did it.

Wake up people. They’re furry leaches.

Several things to look at. Firstly the scratching post needs to be pretty solid. Best ones are either attached to wall or floor so they can really go at them. Then add catnip etc

The double sided sticky tape on things they like to scratch is also great but on its own just transfers the behaviour elsewhere.

Lastly something like a pet corrector or aerosol keyboard cleaner needs to be used. They produce a hiss of compressed air that scares most cats but isn’t directly associated with you.

Alternatively you can buy plastic covers you glue on their claws which prevent them damaging anything. Good luck gluing them on though!

Good idea about the hissy keyboard cleaner – will add that to the list.

As for the claw covers… There must be one hell of a disclaimer on those, I know who would come out worse from the attempt and it wouldn’t be the cat!

Good idea about the hissy keyboard cleaner –

Going “PSSSS!” has the same effect.

When Shep started to wee behind the tellybox where all plugs were I used an airsoft pistol. 6mm bb’s accurately aimed at his kitty nipsy cured him of that.

Soon just the sound of racking the slide shifted him.

He did wee in my trainers though, but better than him getting electrocuted and breaking the TV.

My cats now leg it the second they hear me cock the Nerf gun I was bought as a gift. A few (harmless I might add) shots across the room and I don’t see them for half an hour.

Strangly though they don’t seem to notice the gun and will happily sleep across it? Cats are ace.

When Shep started to wee behind the tellybox where all plugs were I used an airsoft pistol

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