| Paw Colors | Points |
|---|---|
| Grey | 0-49 |
| Red | 50-149 |
| Orange | 150-299 |
| Green | 300-599 |
| Magenta | 600-1499 |
| Purple | 1500-4999 |
| Blue | 5000-9999 |
| Brown | 10000-24999 |
| Black | 25000+ |
hello everyone, i’m new and i have a question. my kitties like to scratch my couch. it’s really old, and i guess i’ve been really lenient about scratching. i’m buying a new couch and i would like to know the safest and most humane way to have them not scratch it. they do have many scratching posts. thanks!
Keywords: scratch couch safe humane help stop scratching products
Answers to this question
8 Answers
0
I live with 13 indoor cats who do not scratch anything that isn’t theirs. They are not declawed and I do not use soft paws. I sometimes trim nails… but not as often as many people do to avoid clawing. They were all trained from babies that they are to scratch only their cat trees and one ottoman that we have that they will be allowed to continue to destroy as long as it lasts. It’s ugly, but a small price to pay to keep the other furniture in tact.
Ideas to help you save your new couch and retrain your cat:
Soft paws is a sure fire way to save your couch. Nail Caps that glue onto the claw.
Cat trees. Get your cat thier own tree and GIVE them a place to scratch. You can see my cat trees here: http://www.cats.com/question/catbehavior/play/would-you-like-to-see-my-cats-cool-trees/
Scratching Posts… again GIVING your cat a place to scratch.
You can also use deterrents such as furniture tape and tin foil to make your cat NOT want to scratch the couch… but it can be unsightly. The tape isn’t so bad because it’s clear… but still.
Scat Spray or Scat mats are deterrents that are useful and remove you as the punisher… but you only want to use it is you want to totally keep your cat away from the couch which I imagine you don’t want… because you like to snuggle with kitty on the couch.
My biggest Piece of advice is to give kitty something acceptable to scratch on. That is what has 100% worked for us. Our home is very neat and clean and after 8 years our couches are still in pretty good darn condition. They have a few wear marks… but NO major damage. And I attribute that to giving the cats their own furniture to scratch up.
Good Luck!
Kat
0
well i spray my cat’s with water and they do not like that so they quit just spray your cat when he/she does that he/she will learn quickly. 
Comments to Answer
0
The only thing you are accomplishing by spraying your cat is to make the cat afraid of you. Never spray a cat with water and never whip a cat for misbehaving. Use ONLY positive reinforcement to train your cats or kittens. If you must use negative reinforcement use something that disassociates you with the punishment such as Scatt Spray, tattle tale or a scat mat. All of those training devices can be purchased at Petsmart or Drs Foster and Smith.
0
I don't agree about the spray bottle - if it is used correctly. I have always used a spray bottle with water as a training aid for certain negative behavior. BUT I make sure the cat does not see me spraying him! We've only had a couple that we had to use it on for scratching on our furniture. I've also used the bottle for a few new cats that were trying to scoot out the door the minute we opened it. I've also used it when a new cat has attacked one of our dogs. I never spray them in the face and make sure they are not facing me when I spray a short burst at them. They're loving cats and have no fear of any of us or our dogs. We never use our hands as punishment or hit them in any way. That is cruel and certainly will make a cat fearful of you. Our cats have many scratching posts, condos, and raw wood to scratch on. A little mist of catnip spray on THEIR furniture will attrack them. There furniture is shredded but ours remains in one piece.
0
And we have 30 (20 ferals) inside cats and 7 foster cats.
0
heehee, thanks. i’ve tried that as well. my one little girl Kali love to stick her face in the water stream. kind of like saying “ha,ha, mom, I’m not afraid of this water” LOL! i think i’m looking at something that would be stinky to kitties, yet not hurt them in any way. i know their systems are very fragile.
thanks again
0
Soft paws is one idea. They also sell sprays that are supposed to repell cats from furniture. Scratch No More is one name but there are others out there. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t.
0
I have eighteen cat’s.let me tell you about your furniture.nothing work’s. not the sticky tape,soft paws,spray bottle,none of the spray’s in the store or does the foil.i have tried it all.my cat’s stay indoor at all time’s and i correct them all the time about scratching my furniture by telling them not to scratch the furniture and i would show them there scratcing post so they know what there allowed to scratch and what there not.sometime’s it work’s and sometime’s it don’t. good luck with your new furniture.
0
definatly dont get it declawed! you can try one of those pet nail files, ive seen them on tv alot.
Hope it helps!
0
If you are going to send the old couch to the “dump”, I would suggest taking a big scrap of the old fabric and wrapping it around a scratching post. Their scent is already on it and they are used to the knap of the material.
Another suggestion: choose a very tight woven fabric for your new couch. Microfiber suede is great. My cats have never touched it. The tape works, however, you really have to watch where your cat tends to scratch and they may become innovative and find new spots. The tape does show if there is a lot of light in the room.
Comments to Answer
0
"If you are going to send the old couch to the “dump”, I would suggest taking a big scrap of the old fabric and wrapping it around a scratching post. " that's a really good idea. thanks!
0
Add Your Answer
You must be logged in to post an answer.