Cat scratching advice?

1krazykitty · January 2011

I have a full grown cat that adopted us. He's been staying with my cousin while we moved and we finally got him back, yay! Anyway, we would use the scratching post at her house, maybe becuase the other cats were using it? But he refuses to use the one I got him! He's even clawing on the carpeted stairs. Any advice? Ive demonstrated how to use it, taken his little paws and showed him what to do etc. He doesnt seem to care and I feel dumb haha

cheryl2006 · January 2011

Hmm, do you have the same or a very similar scratching post your cousin had? Maybe he preferred that one. I'd also try buying a few different types so there are more around the house for him to see.

rachie17 · January 2011

I have tried the same things with my cats teaching them to use the post we bought with no success, they still prefer the back of the couch. Thankfully its an old hand me down couch so we don't worry about it much. I have read that is you put double sided tape where they like to scratch it will annoy them and they will eventually leave it alone, and hopefully move on to the post you bought them.

LoLoPanda · January 2011

One thing that might help besides getting the almost exact same post, but maybe rub some catnip on the post. That usually attracts them.

leolyns · January 2011

If your cat still isn't using the scratch post after getting some catnip on there, there is also soft claws. They go for about $25-30 at petsmart or petco. you have to glue them onto the cats claws and when their claws grow out, the soft claws fall out. One of my cats was bad about scratching the carpet and even my new couch, so the double sided tape and soft claws helped stop that.

starla487 · January 2011

Try looking on Sac SPCA's website for help. (Or, any local SPCA website, really.) There are usually articles on how to keep the cat from scratching your carpets, etc.

Take note to what your cat IS scratching. For example, Lucy LOVES scratching our door jams. So DH made her a wooden scratch post. She still scratches the door jams once in a while, but she loves her wooden post.

So, if your cat is scratching carpet stairs, maybe you need a post that has horizontal panels for him to "stretch and scratch" on. You can also put foil or lemon scents on the items you don't want him to scratch. (They don't like that stuff.)

When you do catch him scratching something he shouldn't, bust out a noise-maker or water squirt bottle. Don't punish him after he's scratched because then he'll just fear you.

leolyns · January 2011

one other thing which I forgot to mention in my previous post, if he isn't fixed, get him fixed ASAP to prevent other behaviors (like spraying) aside from clawing your furniture.

1krazykitty · January 2011

thanks girls. My little guy is fixed, and I have the same scratcher that was at my cousins house. He seriously stares at it like its foreign! haha. I also think he's bored and possibly lonely. If hes left alone in a room, he cries. So im toying with the idea of getting him a friend.

anneg · January 2011

douse the scratching post in catnip and put him on it. also, our cats really like the cardboard scratchers that lie flat on the floor. he might like those. a friend can be a good idea for a lonesome kitty.

Cat scratching advice?

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