I've done everything- the water bottle, double sided tape, physically moving the cat from where he isn't supposed to scratch and show him where he IS supposed to scratch and so on and so forth- nothing has worked.
They've got a 7 ft. cat condo with multiple scratching posts, a carpet covered scratch post, and a million toys. Why won't the stubborn one scratch where he is supposed to? The only place he happily scratches is my gosh darn furniture!
He certainly is not a stupid cat either- he's learned all sorts of tricks and is very trainable and quick to learn. Is he just a stubborn little mule that will continue to scratch where he pleases?- my furniture can't take it! Advice please….
Yes, he's neutered. He HATES having his nails clipped, so we have to take him to the vet's office to have it done.
Cats have scent glands on their paws, so once they begin to scratch somewhere it leaves a smell that says "scratch here". If your cat has been scratching the furniture for a while, it's impregnated with his claw scent, and that is why he keeps returning to the same spot. They also have preference for the type of item they like to scratch, so you may have to offer him alternatives such as a sisal post, sheets of corrugated cardboard, a wooden log or even the underside of a heavy duty doormat.
Part of their desire to scratch is to mark territory, both visually and with scent, so many cats will not share the same scratch item. (My two cats won't). As someone else mentioned earlier, it may also be the location of the furniture itself that is attracting him.
You need to temporarily cover your furniture to conceal his claw scent and place a scratch post in front of it. Encourage him to use it by trailing toys or string around it so that he has to grab for it. Reward him with food treats and lots of praise when he does use it, as cats are much more inclined to adopt behaviour that benefits them in some way. Once regular use of the post is established, it will be safe to remove the protective covering from your furniture and you can then gradually move the scratch post to a more convenient area of the room if you prefer.
The web site below has an article with lots of information and advice on training cats not to scratch furniture, wallpaper etc., which you may find helpful.
http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/pet%20problems/cats/frameset.html
Generally cats won't scratch areas that they chin rub. Feliway mimics the scent in their facial glands, so spraying items that you want to protect, once a day for minimum 21 days can also help prevent unwanted scratching.
Hope some of these suggestions help.
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did you get the big pieces of double sided tape? that works for my guy. we put a couple pieces on each arm of the chair and he gets stuck and runs away. he used to scratch furniture all the time. we also sprayed bitter apple spray on some stuff and that seemed to keep him away. he really likes to scratch rugs too so we bought a rug that is very cute for our home, but also one that he can't ruin (not all fluffy, etc).
ugh. i don't know. you're in a tough spot. call t he vet…see if he/she has any advice.
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feel your pain!
Yes, he is a stubborn little mule the will continue to scratch where he pleases. and yes cats are trainable. But like there owners stubborn.
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My cat is declawed. I don't care where he scratches
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First, I think you're doing a great job. It sounds like you've done everything right so far.
Is your cat neutered? Cats scratch for a number of normal reasons, but sometimes they scratch to mark territory. If he hasn't yet been neutered, that can be a contributing factor.
With the scratching posts, have you tried putting a scratching post right next to the spot on the couch he likes to scratch? Sometimes location is everything for a cat. You can probably get a small, inexpensive scratching post to put right next to (or in front of) the area on the couch that he's scratching.
Do you (or can you) clip your cats nails? Keeping the nails regularly trimmed can help. Some cats are very good about getting their nails trimmed, but for others it may be a 2-person job.
Another option might be a product called Feliway. It's a cat pheromone that is used to calm anxious cats. If he's anxious about his territory, he may be marking (scratching) to reassure himself.
References :
http://www.humanesociety.org/petsforlife
You've done almost everything that you can do. You might want to try keeping your cats nails cut short. Short enough that they can'not scratch your furniture, but not so short that you cut the quick. Here's a video that will help with that http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/node/300. You could also try the honeycomb cardboard scratching posts. They even make ones in a circle which have a toy around them to make them more fun. Another thing that you could use is soft paws- softpaws.com. Good luck.
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If you get a couple of the short sisal rope scratching posts, and place them next to the areas that they scratch, it might help. My cats would not use the regular scratch posts, but a friend suggested sisal rope ones and to my amazement it worked. I don't know what it is about it, but it worked for me and might work for you.
Here is an article that might help too:
TRAINING: To introduce the post to your cat you may want to use catnip as a lure for older cats (kittens younger then 5 months of age are not affected by catnip). Rub the catnip right into the rope so that the cat can smell that wonderful smell. Once your cat has smelled the catnip scratch your nails, gently, along the surface of the rope. This will help teach your cat where to scratch. Once your cat begins to scratch, praise your cat, tell them what a good cat they are. You could also reward your cat with a food treat, cats love treats. This post can help save your furniture, if your cat is using a certain corner of the couch for a scratching post start out your new post right by the corner of the couch. Cover that corner of the couch with double-sided sticky tape that is completely unattractive to your cat (the tape can easily be removed for entertaining company). This will repel your cat away from your couch and right there is a post that they will love.
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Cats International
Cats have scent glands on their paws, so once they begin to scratch somewhere it leaves a smell that says "scratch here". If your cat has been scratching the furniture for a while, it's impregnated with his claw scent, and that is why he keeps returning to the same spot. They also have preference for the type of item they like to scratch, so you may have to offer him alternatives such as a sisal post, sheets of corrugated cardboard, a wooden log or even the underside of a heavy duty doormat.
Part of their desire to scratch is to mark territory, both visually and with scent, so many cats will not share the same scratch item. (My two cats won't). As someone else mentioned earlier, it may also be the location of the furniture itself that is attracting him.
You need to temporarily cover your furniture to conceal his claw scent and place a scratch post in front of it. Encourage him to use it by trailing toys or string around it so that he has to grab for it. Reward him with food treats and lots of praise when he does use it, as cats are much more inclined to adopt behaviour that benefits them in some way. Once regular use of the post is established, it will be safe to remove the protective covering from your furniture and you can then gradually move the scratch post to a more convenient area of the room if you prefer.
The web site below has an article with lots of information and advice on training cats not to scratch furniture, wallpaper etc., which you may find helpful.
http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/pet%20problems/cats/frameset.html
Generally cats won't scratch areas that they chin rub. Feliway mimics the scent in their facial glands, so spraying items that you want to protect, once a day for minimum 21 days can also help prevent unwanted scratching.
Hope some of these suggestions help.
References :
A cat needs to scratch, that's natural behavior and should not be punished at all! sometimes though, this behavior can interfere with our lifestyle and we don't want our best sofa or newly fitted carpet being used as a scratching ground. Cats scratch because they want to keep their claws in good shape. the claw-nails are shed and underneath sits a new and sharp nail which provides the best protection possible for self-defense. Scratching is also a form of territory marking. every time a cat scratches, it leaves its personal scent behind. small glands between the toes make that possible. You can watch how a cat stretches itself while scratching. this helps to keep the muscles in its legs, back and paws in good health. the claws act as a sort of anchor, and are buried into the surface of the scratched item.
Problem
Most commonly destroyed are furniture, ripped carpets and stripped wallpaper. You want to eliminate the problem before it occurs. buy or build a stable, tall scratching-post, right from the start. Here are some tips to do it right:
Solution
• The post should be at least two feet high, covered with sisal-rope
• Get more than one, especially when you have a multi-cat household
• Place the post close to the wall, a corner or close to the furniture which are most at risk
• Introduce a new scratching-post with some catnip sprinkled on its surface, cats love that and it’s more attractive to them
• If your cat starts scratching the "wrong" object, say "NO" and carry your cat gently to the desired post, take its front paws and start scratching movements with its paws
• Never force your cat too much. when it starts scratching the post by itself, make a big fuss and give it a treat
• When you have a kitten, start early with the "pawing at post" technique
• Show your cat and scratch your own nails against the rope, cats pick up quickly what you mean
• Invest in a so called "cat tree", which acts also as a leisure area for your cat, different textures and heights make it more interesting, you perhaps want to build it yourself
• Try some repellent like pepper-dust or some commercial products on your furniture to keep your cat off this area
• Be persistent and don't give up to soon
References :
http://www.catcatcat.com/behav2.html