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Cat scratching my mattress...help!
My darling kitty Harley is driving me nuts - he won't stop scratching the corners of my bed mattress! It's almost a game now, where he'll get the zoomies, go barrelling down the hall, into the bedroom, and attack the corners of my mattress. There is a perfectly good scratching post in the bedroom (which he also uses) literally 2 feet away, but when he's ripping around the house he goes straight for the mattress!
If I'm close enough to catch him in the act, loud noises (saying "No!", clapping my hands) and sudden movements (slapping the bed beside him) don't stop it. The only way to stop it is to try to grab him under the belly, to which he runs away to the other end of the house and goes to attack his other scratching post. He's put holes in 2 sets of sheets and done some damage to my 1 year old mattress.
Any ideas to get him to stop? Is there something I can spray on that will make my bed less fun for him, but that won't damage my bedding or mattress? I did try tinfoil on the corners of the bed for awhile, but the crinkling was driving me nuts.
Re: Cat scratching my mattress...help!
I have a cat who likes to occasionally attack our mattress too, but she scares fairly easily when we catch her.
Maybe Harley would like a different kind of scratching pad? Obnoxious, I know, but worth it if it works, right?
This one is very popular at my house. And a lot of cats seem to prefer the cardboard kind which is great since they're very affordable.
Can you put something like this or this on the bed somehow?
Do most pet stores carry this, or is it something I'll have to order online?
Try putting the scratching post right next to the bed where your kitty is scratching your mattress. Maybe he (she? short term memory tonight!) will start going after the post instead of the mattress
Though the zoomies tend to make things difficult. I'm not sure even Feliway or something would work in the case of the zoomies. All common sense seems to go out the window when they happen around our home.
I've tried cardboard, carpet, and sisal scratch pads/posts and carpet is the only one he'll bother with - he's a picky (yet adorable) little brat. The double sided tape sounds intriguing - I can probably pick some up at the office supply store for cheap and do a couple of strips horizontally around the whole box spring...I like it!
First off, I would never, ever consider declawing him. Too cruel, not an option. Ever.
I did try the soft paws nail covers awhile ago, but they were expensive, a pain in the butt to put on, and fell off pretty quickly. He did look purty with his purple claws though!
No no no no no! Declawing is NOT an option. Please research declawing and see what an inhumane process it is before you ever suggest it again. It is so heinous that it has been banned in many countries.
It is not simply removing the cat's claws. It is amputating a portion of their toes. Cats walk on their tiptoes. Declawing is essentially lopping off the tip of their toes - like if you were to use a pair of pruning shears to lop off the the tip of your finger up to your first knuckle.
Uhm, no no no no no to suggestion #1. But I think you know that. Still had to say it.
Soft Paws are great. But considering Harley is just having problems in one spot, I'd deal w/ the spot first, vs. dealing with the claws. If it doesn't work, you can get Soft Paws at most pet stores and online. Sometimes your vet or a groomer will apply them for you but most people DIY w/ no trouble.
edit - I see I am slow. :-) Good for you!