Contributor(s): Jean Johnson. Jean Johnson is a cat expert and author of the KittyNook blog. Specializes in advice on cat health, cat play, and general information about cats and their breeds.
How to wean cats off forbidden pieces of furniture
Contributor(s): Deanne Pawlisch, CVT, MA. Deanne Pawlisch is a certified veterinary technician. She trains veterinary clinic staff and teaches veterinary assistants at Harper College in Illinois. He has been a board member of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Foundation in San Antonio, Texas since 2011. He holds a bachelor's degree in anthropology from Loyola University and a master's degree in anthropology from Northern Illinois University.
Number of sources used in this article: 8. You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.
If you train your cat to stay away from forbidden items of furniture, it will help protect sofas, beds, tables and other valuable objects from claws, scratches and hair. You can scare the cat away from furniture by using repellent sprays and auxiliary items with unpleasant textures for the cat's paws. You can also engage in training the cat with a clicker so that it will jump off the furniture at your voice command. Sometimes cats will start playing with pieces of furniture simply out of boredom. So be sure to provide your pet with enough entertainment so that it doesn't have to think about sharpening its claws on your furniture just for fun.
Discourage the cat from the furniture
- Keep curtains closed if furniture is near windows. This way, the furniture will be less likely to attract cats wanting to lie in the sun or look out the window.
- Remove unnecessary upholstered items from furniture when not in use. For example, if you watch a movie while lying on the couch, remember to clean up all blankets and pillows afterwards.
- Do not leave food or food scraps on kitchen surfaces that may attract cats.
Place prickly plastic floor mats on furniture. Prickly plastic floor mats can be placed on furniture when not in use. The prickly texture of plastic mats will irritate the cat's paws. It will not harm her, but it will be unpleasant enough to make her refuse to jump on furniture with this covering. [5] X Source of Information
How to wean a cat from sharpening her claws on furniture
This article is co-authored by Brian Bourquin, DVM, our regular contributor. WikiHow's regular contributors work closely with our editors to ensure that the articles are as accurate and complete as possible.
Number of sources used in this article: 18. You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.
When a cat is sharpening furniture and other things in the house, you might think it's just trying to destroy everything around it, but that's not entirely true. For cats, sharpening their claws is a natural need because it keeps their claws in good shape. In addition, the visual markings and scent that cats leave on objects help them mark territory and communicate that information to other animals, including other cats. In addition, when a cat is sharpening its claws, the muscles in its shoulders and paws tense and relax, which is a kind of exercise. [1] X Information source Caroline Davis, The Essential Cat, p. 35, (2005), ISBN 0-7621-0496-1 Since cats are naturally inclined to sharpen their claws, you'll need to be creative and make an effort if you don't want your furniture to get damaged. Remember that nothing is impossible.
Understanding and correcting the cat's behavior
- When choosing a scratching post, it is important to consider a few nuances. You should buy a scratching post that is at least as long as the animal's height when it stands on its hind legs. The scratching post should not be heavy и otherwise it may fall on the cat.
- Paws come in different sizes and shapes. Some need to be placed on the floor, while others need to be upright. There are scratching post made of hemp. It is better to buy several than to have none.
- Some cats prefer to sharpen their claws on a horizontal surface (like a carpet), so you may want to buy a lying scratching post. There are special claw mats made of cardboard, hemp, and carpet. [3] X Source of Information
- The most important thing is not to buy a soft scratching post. The material of the scratcher must resemble tree bark (on which cats sharpen their claws in the wild); it must be rough and hard. [4] X Information source Anitra Frazier, The Natural Cat: The Comprehensive Guide to Optimum Care, p. 111, (2008), ISBN 978-0-452-28975-8 It is best to use claw posts wrapped in hemp rope. The more the cat likes the scratching post, the less often he will be attracted to the furniture.
Use the scratching post effectively
- For example, if the cat likes to paw at the sofa upholstered with a soft cloth, this may be a clue that she will prefer a scratching post covered with carpet rather than some hard or prickly material such as sisal.
- Observe the cat's behavior to see if he likes sharpening his claws on vertical or horizontal surfaces. If the cat prefers to sharpen its nails on the carpet, buy a horizontal scratching post. If the cat prefers to sharpen its nails on door frames and furniture, get a vertical scratching post.
- Also remember that you and your cat may have different ideas about what an ideal scratching post should look like. You might want it to be tidy, not very noticeable and not bother you, whereas the cat might be dissatisfied if it doesn't get a whole pile of torn cardboard as a result of claw grinding, for example.
If your finances are tight, try making an inexpensive homemade scratching post. You can make a scratching post even from unnecessary leftovers of different materials. For example, you can make a great scratching post out of old wrapping cardboard and scraps of carpeting.
Turn the couch into an unattractive object
- Special enzyme pet cleaners will allow you to remove cat odor from your couch. You can purchase such a product at your local pet store or online. But don't waste your money on deodorants that only mask odors without removing the enzymes that are their source.
- It may take weeks to months before the cat stops trying to sharpen its claws on the couch. Leave unpleasant objects on the sofa for as long as possible and then start to remove them one by one.
- If the sofa protected in this way doesn't look very attractive, you will probably vacate it in the event of guests. Only then don't forget to return the cat repellent objects to the sofa as soon as possible, otherwise there is a great chance that it will start sharpening its claws on it again.
- A cotton ball soaked in perfume or cologne may also help. Keep in mind that a cat's nose is more sensitive than yours, so there is no need to use too many scents to discourage it from the couch.
- If you decide to discourage the cat from the couch with unpleasant smells, don't place the scratching post too close to the couch. If the scratching post smells bad too, the cat won't use it and it will lose any meaning for him.
