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Author Topic:   clawing
mom3tami
New Member

Posts: 2
From:Knoxville, TN, US
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-01-2004 06:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mom3tami     Edit/Delete Message
new here- hi
i've a 3 yr old 115 lb yellow lab, two mutt cats one is about 13 the other almost one, a bezillion fish in three tanks and a hermit crab.
my problem is the cats clawing.
i'm sure this is not news to any cat owner.
the old cat i've had since she was born and never a significant problem with furniture clawing. we moved a few months ago, and just bought NEW furniture (with a lot of money, that I thought I'd actually have to stay nice!) getting the problem??? these kitties are LOVING my new furniture I paid thousands for and my hubby is much quicker than I to rid ourselves of said pet/pests. to make matters worse,my daughter is just devastated at the thoughts of losing a pet. the kitten was great at first. then, after several months of awesome litterbox use, she decided my carpet wa sher litterbox. :-( Fortunately, she had a pattern to her pooping so that I could put her in the laundry room with her litter box after breakfast and wait her out til she pooped. Problme seems to have been solved for several months now, tho I hold my breath. I bought the sofa first and battle the kitties over the clawing with aluminum foil which infuriates my hubby- he hates having foil on when coompany comes, etc. i just bought the chairs, a lovely microfiber that is fabulous for stains but shows picks terrihbly. not good for kitty claws. They've tried out all four corners of both chairs :-( And my patience! They have a carpet post scratching post that they use, but it's just another scratching place among many to them. I keep it near the chosen area. They are clueless- I've hissed and made ugly noises when catching them. I've played with them with the appropriate scratchign object. I've put catnip on the appropriate post. I've put citrus spray on the no no's. Yesterady I bought some spray GUARANTEED to keep cats off of whatever you spray it on. A white bottle with blue writing, looks like ingredients include garlic mostly. It's supposed to last at least a week. I sprayed the chairs and couch thoroughly twice yesterday. Last nite, the old cat came in, hopped up on the chair and laid down to take a nap! Didn't phase her. Both cats have tried to scratch the chairs since spraying. Obviously that didn't work. I also paid yet even more money for the world's greatest scratching post, made of cardboard and filled with catnip. One of them rubbed up against it, but they couldn't give a crap about it. I trimmed both their front claws yesterday but just the tips- should i've trimmed down closer to the quick? I thought if the hook was gone, that no damage could be done??? I plan to buy double side tape today and put that on the corners of the furniture. But I'm wondering if this will EVER be solved and I dread having to give my kitties away. I've had the one all her life and my oldest daughter will be despondent. She's had her kitten less than a year, after years of waiting. HELP!

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MaryNH
Member

Posts: 240
From:Campton, NH USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-01-2004 07:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MaryNH     Edit/Delete Message
I find my cats prefer a sisal-rope covered scratching post...I have a couple of different kinds and that is what the go to all the time to scratch (to save money you could always make one).

Have you tried the water bottle trick? Give the cat(s) a squirt everytime they go near the furniture. Or another trick is to put some marbles or coins in a can and shake it when they start to go near the furniture. You can't let them see you doing either one or they'll associate you with the water or the noise.

Check out this website there is lots of info in here regarding litterbox issues.
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/9352/owners.html

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empressjulz
Member

Posts: 64
From:Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-01-2004 07:38 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for empressjulz     Edit/Delete Message
is your furniture leather? i noticed that with leather furniture, anything animal based, the cats are naturally more attracted to it. but it's curable.

find a good scratching post. some cats prefer rope. some like wood, others cardboard. invest in a kitty climber, there are numerous examples online. find something your cats love as a "substitute" for the furniture. they wouldn't necessarily like the first thing you bring them home, so be patient and give them choice.

the water squirting technique is good. another thing i do sometimes is to flick the ear. cats find this irritating, though it doesn't harm them in any way. everytime you punish them, reinforce with a stiff "NO!". it has become habits for my cats to stop/drop whatever offensive thing they're doing the minute they hear the word uttered.

///ej

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mom3tami
New Member

Posts: 2
From:Knoxville, TN, US
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-01-2004 04:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mom3tami     Edit/Delete Message
Thanks very much---
I have a carpet post, as well as a cardboard one supposed to be 'the' thing. I will get a sisal I guess.
About cat furniture--- are you saying that they have a tower or whatever that they lay on/in AND scratch and the 'ownership' of it make sit more desirable to scratch up???
The spray that was guaranteed does not work. My old cat jumped right up on the freshly sprayed chair and went to sleep. :-( it's by "nala barry laboratories", btw. I have now trimmed all their front nails, and sprayed the furniture with the nala spray, and sprayed the furniture with citrus spray, and put strips of double-sided tape in all the wrong spots, and have two scratching posts in the same room (which do NOT go with my decor)--- we shall see...

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Yahdah
Member

Posts: 75
From:Sydney,NSW,Australia
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 02-01-2004 04:38 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Yahdah     Edit/Delete Message
http://www.softpaws.com/about.html

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nern

Moderator

Posts: 1591
From:NY, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 02-01-2004 08:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for nern     Edit/Delete Message
Providing a variety of types of scratching posts might be beneficial....their bound to like at least one of them.
Not too long ago mine started scratching my couch(I beleive this was due to their scratching posts needing to be replaced because they were so worn out) so I went out and bought some double sided sticky tape and put it on the corners of the couch and they did'nt touch it after that.
Also, be sure and check out the site that Yahdah posted for Soft Paws. They are plastic covers that are placed over the nails to prevent damage done by scratching. I've never tried them myself but I've heard from others that they are relatively easy to apply and work well.

[This message has been edited by nern (edited 02-01-2004).]

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fleafly
Member

Posts: 996
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 02-01-2004 09:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for fleafly     Edit/Delete Message
My cats like the cat scratching pads they can lay on and scratch. Sometimes it takes them awhile to get the hang of those though.

You will probably have to deter the behavior either with a squirt bottle or the soft paws. With a squirt bottle its better if they don't see you. You want them to think it is an act of God so to speak. Meaning that they scratch and this water comes out of nowhere and squirts them. If they know you do it then they just will quite scratching when you are around.

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