How do you get a kitten from scratching furniture?

A sack, some rocks, and a body of water.

Get it de-clawed while young and it won;t feel it, just like circumcised babies don't feel pain.

Apply scents cats are averse to on or near the furniture. Cats don't like mint and citrus, for example. Get a scratching post and apply scent the kitten is attracted to, like catnip.

You cannot, OP. You should have done a little more research before you got yourself a kitten. Scratching is not a stage out of which the kitten will grow. The kitten is practicing for the bigger and more dramatic destruction to come.

Take it back to the Humane Society now. It bothers you that the cat is scratching, but that is what they do. This is not a good match. It will not get better with time.

R2 is an idiot and a fool.

Yes, amputation, as r2 suggests. Spare the amputation, spoil the kitten!

De-fang it while you're at it.

You can try to scratch furniture for hours, OP, but it won't get you a kitten. It might get you an involuntary visit to the round rubber room, though.

Make sure you have designated scratching posts. When you catch them scratching something they shouldn't, make a loud startling noise and chase them away. I've also heard a spray bottle of water can work. You have to get them to associate scratching certain things with negative consequences. In the meantime, there is special tape you can buy to put where they scratch so it doesn't harm the furniture

R7 beat me to it.

Better a scratching kitten than an ungrateful, bedwetting hussy!

Four black socks.

Buy scratching posts and entice cat with capnip to transfer the need to scratch onto the posts.

Worked like a charm with my cat

My cat doesn't like scratching posts but LOVES those cardboard tray scratch pads and the Scratch Lounge. I put one in every room in the house so he always has a place to scratch when he enters. There's a few times he sort of scratches furniture but it's just to get my attention, mainly, and shooing him away seems to work pretty well. Just don't raise your voice with your cats so they get scared of you.

I attached a coir door mat to the wall near their litter box. They scratch that instead.

Double sided sticky tape or hang aluminum foil and / or use scents the cat doesn't like.

Get the cat used to your clipping his/her nails monthly. My partner hold our cat and pets her while I clip

Gas it!

That may work R15, thanks. R14 and R12, have those, and even a giant cat tree—he prefers my bed and couch. I may clip the nails, R16. Thanks.

Last thing a cat should be is declawed. Its painful for them and is selfish and cruel. A water bottle spray on stream will work as they are trainable. Also having cat scratchers helps give them something else to go at.

Ignore all the sadist, animal cruelty posts. Declawing a cat is like cutting off the fingers of a human - it is taking away an essential part of their physical apparatus. And the cat can never be let outdoors.

I have three cats.

I use throws and furniture covers on my upholstered sofas and chairs. You can buy them anywhere or get them online.

Outside cats never scratch furniture.

Who is the fucking idiot who wants to declaw a cat?

Throws are a good idea, thanks R20. Nah, indoor only R21.

You have not only tell them what NOT to scratch but get them a post and show them how to use it.

Each day you need to bring them to the post and put their claws on it, and show them how to scratch, then reward them with a bit of food.

When the scratch something they shouldn't, you need to firmly tell them no, and either a light tap on their backside or a squirt from a water gun, to discourage them. THEN bring them to the post and put their claws on it, and show them how to scratch and reward them.

Most get the hang of it quickly. Kittens don't know how to use their claws fully yet, so you have to be patient. I have see kittens actual put one paw behind their head and get their claw stuck in some fabric and them pin themselves, because they are not yet proficient in working their claws.

I have three cats in a 4700 square foot home and they do not scratch ANY of my furniture. That's because they have large scratching posts/cat trees throughout the house. They have known since kittenhood what is for scratching and what is not. Your training window is closing pretty quick though. Once they are older, habits are MUCH harder to break.

DON'T LISTEN TO THESE IDIOTS ABOUT DECLAWING. IT'S CRUEL

R20 here. The furniture covers and throws are also good for that other cat problem - shedding. Also vomiting hairballs. Cats also like to lounge on sofas and chairs and leave hair on the upholstery which is a bitch to get off. The throws and cloth slipcovers can be thrown in the laundry easily - the upholstery cannot.

Several posts for clawing and vigilance around the scratching. You have to catch them at it and react right away. If I saw kitty scratching on the post, she got a treat. If she scratched the chair, she got yelled at and chased away. I never hit her because this erodes trust....no water, no rolled newspapers. Just clap your hands loudly and yell. Took kitty two days to get it. Cats are pretty intelligent.

IF OP isn't the kitten trolling asshole who lost their kitters in an earlier ESP, I highly recommend watching Jackson Galaxy on Youtube for pointers. I've had cats and dogs my whole life and learned a LOT from that man.

Have you considered a rabbit or a dog?

Hopefully the people freaking out about declawing are women and not gay men. It would make me sad to think that DL gays were so lacking in humor, intelligence and style.

(Hint: Those people weren't being serious, you fucking retards.)

Our two cats stopped scratching the furniture once we started putting down scratch pads. We get ours at Trafpder Joe's, it comes with catnip and the cats love them!

[R28]

To intimidate the cat?

Have you tried cutting its head off, OP?

You don't deserve a cat if you can't figure this out yourself. Get a stupid dog and stop being lazy.

I love the idiots who think cats are 'low maintenance' pets compared to dogs. They're not. They more intelligent and demand a higher level of care than most people are willing to give. If you treat this cat like shit, OP, and declaw him, be prepared to fight it out for the rest of the time he/she is there.

*They're* more.....

Cats scratch to: 1) stretch; 2) mark scent; 3) manage claws; 4) enjoyment.

You need to use a combination of positive and negative rewards to change behavior. You must provide a variety of acceptable scratching posts, not just one.

Place the new scratching posts strategically around your house, especially places it likes to hang out. Use catnip or honeysuckle on the new posts.

Wrap the locations you don't want it to scratch in a manner that it can't reach under the covering. Use layers of foil and double sided tape, as well. Spray with citrus scented sprays - cats don't like citrus.

Use a wand toy to lure the cat toward the new posts.

Continue this for several days.

Actually, a study came out recently that showed dogs are more intelligent than cats.

To everyone saying just get cat scratchers...it may or may not work. Cats also like texture, so if you get a scratcher with a texture the cat doesn't like then the cat will just continue to use the texture it does like, which in this case is the furniture. You need to also use some sort of negative reinforcement like tape, foil and /or scent in addition to cat scratchers and catnip. Also, cat nip should be used sparingly since they become accustomed to it and it has less impact mthe more it's used..

W&W for R7

Brilliantly done.

My kitten is completely disinterested in cat scratch posts and his cat tree (other than to sleep in) . He doesn’t seem repelled by citrus, I’ll try that again though.

r37, no dogs are just more socially-aware than cats.

If you're an introvert, cats are ideal. If you're an extrovert, dogs are ideal. Both can be "needy", but with cats it's something that happens occasionally. With dogs, it's ~100% of the time. A dog is like a woman or a histrionic queen -- it needs continual affirmation & attention. A cat is like your best friend -- you hang out, have fun, and don't need to remind each other continually that you're still friends.

My kittens love this scratching post. They prefer it to the couch and tore the first one up. It’s out of stock at my local petco. I found it on amazon recently and just ordered 2. The material it’s covered in is similar to my couch plus it makes a crinkley sound as they scratch. I only wish it was available in a larger size as my kittens as getting big and sometimes tip it over.

R41, nice post.

Your problem, as far as I can see, R41, is equating human behavior to animals. Cats and dogs are not human and do not want to be.

I've had dumb ass dogs and smart as whip cats and vice versa. It's all in the time you take to train them to the behaviors that do not come naturally. Scratching to mark territory and sharpen claws is a natural behavior you have to provide space for. It's knowing these behaviors that make training a lot easier and understandable.

You want to see how long your cat will be your 'best friend'? Get another cat.

R41, dogs have twice as many neurons as cats. The more neurons the more intelligent.

Also, r41, is absolutely incorrect about his introvert/extrovert comments. Lifestyle plays a bigger role.

R7 is perfection.

^enough.

I bought a sofa which had loose covers on it. Not crappy loose covers, elegant ones. The cats never scratched it because they couldn’t get the resistance they want. So they scratched the carpeting instead.

Sorry OP

You can start a thread but you cannot control where it goes and R7 was funny.

Kitty's nose knows. Notice the one scent that makes kitty run.

I'm Irene Goldberg, r7's publicist. If you'd like more, my client is available at the Laff Snatch on 7th and Temple. I provide full service service, including faux posters to talk about how great you are until everyone is sick of you and wants you dead.

Sounds like somebody may jealous that someone else is getting attention.

Thanks for that video R51

I’ll have to try some Vicks

Irene Goldberg again. r53, can you forward your resume to my assistant? Your witty comment has my entire office rolling. I see a future at the Laff Snatch for you and your pet iguana, Pygmalion!

Camphor, the main iningredient in Vicks, is toxic to cats.

They sell an electric zapper strip at the pet stores and on Amazon. I forget what it's called but you put it where they scratch and they get an electric jolt, kind of like dogs get so they don't leave the yard.

Also good to know r56

[quote] DON'T LISTEN TO THESE IDIOTS ABOUT DECLAWING. IT'S CRUEL

Wouldn’t they have to ingest the camphor though? I need something I can spread or spray to stop my cat from shitting all over.

I’ve tried just about every commercially available and home remedy.

Oh Irene

I’m not R7 and make no claim to wit.

But you do seem mighty put out about something. Perhaps working on your own routine instead of taking potshots at people who found something someone else wrote amusing.

R60 not all cats like and hate the same smell. You would have to hope that your cat was repelled by the Vicks and not one that might lick it or paw it. As a rule you should never use things toxic to animals as a deterrent. You don't know how they'd react.

R52/R55

R7 here. You aren't my assistant, toots.

If you need work, perhaps you could get a job teasing the wigs in the McCrory's display windows.

A carefully used paper cutter works like a charm.

And, r60, shitting all over is a different story. That's more indicative of your cat is sending you a message that it's not happy about something or is ill. First thing to look at is the litter situation. It may not like the litter type. You may not be cleaning often enough for its liking. It may not like sharing litter with another cat.

Scratch pads AND trim it’s nails. Take nail cutters (human ones) and cut off the sharp tip. You do NOT go far down like a dog. You’re taking the sharp point off only. Have the vet show you. It’s very easy to do and get them used to it when they’re young. My cats don’t scratch when their nails are trimmed.

Its not it’s. Oh dear.

I put the claw caps on my cats. Worked great. Had them done at the vet the first time but after that I did them myself. Saved thousands in ruined furniture.

My furniture is gutted, so. Cats control me. I’ve cried.

Clip your cat's nails regularly. If you start when they're young / you first get them they'll usually get used to it. Have the vet show you how. My cat used to love his once a month "kitty beauty parlour!", mail clip, ear cleaning, extended brushing session and massage. He did not care for baths; if he got dirty I used a pet wipe. You can also buy little caps that fit over the nails to stop stratching. Tape & tin foil worked for my guy on the few pieces of furniture he tried to claw. He mostly used a cardboard stretch pad. Good luck.

"Nail clip"

R60 My cat got sick when she was younger and marked several spots in my apartment. She keeps going back and making them again. She still uses the litter box and she is okay with the litter currently in use. She just extra shits or shits in addendum outside and it’s random.

^meant to read R60 here^

[R72]

You could spread some moth ball powder on the spots the cat is marking. That might break it of the habit.

I spread moth balls in my garden outside and it keeps the ferals away because they hate the odor.

Get rid of either the furniture or the cat, problem solved.

Sigh, r74, moth balls are toxic to cats.

Cats don't eat the mothballs. They avoid them. They HATE the smell.

Seriously, r77, you are an idiot. NEVER tell someone to use moth balls for an indoor cat. Moth balls are toxic to cats, dogs and humans without needing to eat the moth balls.

Cays hate the smell of mothballs and Marigolds.

If you don't want to use mothball powder, find a spray with the smell of them or Marigolds.

The cat will avoid the spots it's marking.

The r7 fanclub trolls are fiesty!

People who keep recommending moth balls, especially powder, need to read up on moth ball toxicity.

Cats are very sensitive to toxins - they don't have to ingest them, they can get them on their skin. You have to be careful with things like essential oils and using diffusers and such around cats, many of the oils are toxic to them.

There is a song for everything.

Another recommendation for the cardboard scratchers. I had a cat tree, scratching post, things that hang on doorknobs and my cats weren't interested. I finally found the cardboard scratchers (and they are cheap, can often find them even cheaper at TJ Maxx), sprinkled with a little catnip and voila! Both cats were in scratching bliss. Like someone mentioned earlier, I also have them all over my house and no more scratching the furniture.

Ask it to stop. I'm sure it's a reasonable pussy.

Aluminum foil over furniture during this transition period is a good deterent because they do not like the texture.

Scratching mats and posts sprinkled with catnip work very well.

Clip the claws, get loose covers, try scratch pads and scratching posts. Indoor cats can be very destructive and they are not amenable to training. I knew I would always have cats so I organised my environment accordingly. Bought a house where I could close off rooms, no open plan. No carpets, just small area rugs over tile floors. No draperies they can reach. Fully enclosed terrace "catio". No toxic plants or flowers. They are not allowed the run of the house when I am not around; they are confined to one large room. And I close off rooms until I am using them. You get used to closing doors, just like you get used to switching off lights.

r84 my cat LOVES those scratch lounges. I get those as well as the just scratching box ones. They are a little messy but worth it. Incidentally if you haven't gotten your cat one of these yet, do so - mine loves rubbing his face on it:

[quote]My kitten is completely disinterested in cat scratch posts and his cat tree (other than to sleep in)

This is not uncommon. This is why you have to be very persistent and reward / discourage EVERY TIME. In the wild cats use trees mostly to scratch.

As for the cat tree, a cat is more likely to use the box it came in than the tree. That the nice thing about them, they don't require expensive shit. Get them a box, bunch up paper and they have a ball or throw some bobby pins or empty spool of thread in the tub and the cat has all the toys it needs

R57, you're a bit extreme in the use of shock, which is to prevent the dogs instinctual mechanism that drives them to hunt, or defend territory. Cats scratching is a natural thing for them but are not SO sensory stimulated with such poor impulse control as dogs when they bolt as to warrant electric shock.

One well aimed spray of water to the face is enough to get the cat to get startled and they then recognize the presence of the bottle as a warning, one or two times of just grabbing the bottle has the same deterrent effect, then reward the cat. Then make sure they have a good scratching space to exercise their instincts.

Those advocating scents, very slippery slope, quite a few are toxic especially essential oils and as for putting on furniture if the animal sleeps or rubs against it they absorb everything.

Can you hook up a scratching post to some kind of high voltage source? Just place the scratching post in a shallow pool of sodium chloride solution and kitty will learn quickly.

I just let my cat do what she wants. Your couch is going to get destroyed. Deal with it.

Airhorns

Fun for kitty: ripple rug cat activity play mat on chewy.com.

I’ve had cats for years. They’ve never scratched anything up. They’ve never destroyed anything. They never climbed a Christmas tree and snapped every single branch, cracked Christmas lights with their teeth, chewed up the corners of antique books signed by their authors that were loaned to me for a research project. They never jumped up on kitchen counters to steal a wheel of brie, jumped up on dining room tables to dip their paws in guests’ water glasses, dragged long strands of pasta under sofas, stole a stick of butter, ridden around on my Roomba just for the fuck of it, shredded rolls of paper towels, jumped into the shower with me to “play,” learned how to open basement doors and freaked the shit out of me when I came home to find the door wide open, claw every single window blind in the house at 1200 bucks a pop, doing a grand total of 19,200 worth of damage. Nope, never.....until the one I adopted last year. He is a nightmare.

No citrus spray or water bottles or aluminum foil furniture covers or vast array of cat trees and scratching posts and exciting new toys or anything at all has stopped this asshole. I’ve never seen anything like it. He’s also the sweetest, most affectionate cat I’ve ever had, which makes me feel guilty about the fact that I’m going to declaw him up to his elbows if this doesn’t stop.

Are cages cruel?

R95 I know you love your cat and am sorry he's being destructive.

Maybe he's bored and needs more playtime with you with toys that would exert his natural hunting instincts?

Give him own scratching post and a cardboard version as well. They use it.

I have a difficult cat now. I adopted him earlier this year, when he was a kitten

He doesn’t like his scratching post, but he does like the rugs - they are old anyway. The citrus spray has helped a little with keeping him off of other things though.

He has taken most of the Christmas candy and hidden it around the house, breaks stuff that I thought I cared about, dug a hole in the dry wall in the living room, bites me, knocked over lamps, walks on the counters and stove etc.

One night, I had put him in the tv room and shut the door so I could make dinner in peace. He peeled off several 2” strips of paint from the wall and slid them under the door to get my attention.

So cute though. He can even play fetch!

This thread convinces me I will never get a cat. Throws over the furniture? No. Cat climbing trees in every room? No. Coir welcome mats attached to the wall? No. Seriously do you cat owners notice no one wants to come over to your cat-decorated house? Your decor would be fodder for a Tasteful Friends thread - far worse than stacks of books.

I have absolutely no problem getting people to come to my home, r100.

The rule is: Nice pets or nice furniture.

You cannot have both.

r102

wrong you can have both. however you have to pick the right pet. it amazes me that people classify all cats one way. yes, there are generalizations but there are a lot of cats that are dog like and there are some cats that are simply like, "say hello, feed me, clean my box and once a week we may have a five minute play session, otherwise, leave me the hell alone."

r100

Those people that have that are ruled by their pet. Cats are easy, they like high places for instance, give him/her a high place and put a felt baby blanket on it, and your cat will spend most of his/her time up there surveying the world.

You don't need fancy toys, they love boxes, a paper that's been squished into a ball and bobby pins in a tub that make noise.

R101 those people that have no problem coming to your home are cat owners. You all are immune to that cat piss smell in every cat owners house. “My house doesn’t smell like cat piss!!!” Oh yes it does, Nose Blind, oh yes it does.

My sister ordered rubber claw clips online and they work great.

[quote] "How do you get a kitten from scratching furniture?"

Well, if you can get three wishes from rubbing a lamp, you can get a kitten from scratching the furniture.

Spankings.

No, r105, they're not cat owners. And a good cat litter like World's Finest, cleaned daily, keeps the place from smelling like cat pee. Try harder, you're failing at your trolling attempts.

R106 I've had friends take their cats to a groomer that will cap all their front claws with those tiny rubber thingies. Forgot to ask if they work but assume they do because they keep getting them.

I had two cats, r4. Neither scratched things they weren't supposed to.

I think my kitten scratches my furniture because he knows he’s not supposed to. It’s a become a game. All great suggestions though. I do clean with Angry Orange to get rid of cat pan smell and that’s a heavy citrus smell, but he’s not at all repelled by it.

They like to scratch the first corner they see upon entering a room.

Cats are vile.

Yawn, R105. I’d have people in my house for hours before they realized I had a cat, only noticing when she came out of a room or something.

You just spend time with people equally trashy and dirty as you, it seems.

"The kitten seeks to destroy."

Is it a "Kitten With a Whip"?

I love people who recommend putting tin foil all over their furniture. I mean, come on. Who really does this shit? I love cats, but I love them even more without claws. Get it done when they're kittens and they don't miss a step.

And most of us are either out of the house or asleep a combined 18 hours a day so it isn't realistic to try to follow a cat around and spray it with water when it scratches furniture.

You don't deserve to have pets, r117.

I hope someone removes the first joint on your fingers. I mean it. I really do.

If the kitten scratches it will probably end at 1 or two. Get scratching posts and encourage them to use those. Honestly the job the cat will bring to your life is worth some shabby furniture.

Really R120

It’s a kitten. Expecting it to bring you employment seems a bit excessive.

Let it start off with a cat toy or something.

Good catch, r121. I missed that.

LOL! Cat jobs!

My cats prefer these slanted cardboard scratchers above all others. They like to stretch out when they scratch. I put them up against the side of the furniture. The catnip that comes with it really attracts them to it initially, then they get the hang of it. I clean up little kitty nails all around the scratchers, so they’re doing their job

I also have a cat tree with sisal they scratch

My first cat didn't like scratching anything. What he loved getting his claws on were my empty cigarette packs. He would chase those all over the apartment, like a dog with a ball

Furniture scratching was never an issue for my cat. She used to steal food from the fridge as a kitten though and still likes to take bites of what I'm eating.

You dont. My cat has ruined my couch.

I bought my kitten a scratching post. A year and a half later, I still have it, and he still uses it about 2 or 3 times a day.

I've only seen him scratch at the couch one or twice. I shouted a quick "no", picked him up, and carried him over to his scratching post.

Some people who have this problem have bought two scratching posts and placed them in front of the arms of the couch to persuade the cat to use the alternative.

Do not declaw your cat. Get lots of scratching posts or scratching lounges, there is tons of great stuff out there. Kittens will scratch, mine did too when they were little but have outgrown it now. Finally, it’s only furniture, let it go, it’s not a big deal.

R95.. You made me laugh out loud. Thanks.. It's been a rough week.

Not all cats are the same. We had one who was really odd when I was a kid. She could open doors and unlock windows to let herself out. She stole a ham off the counter once too. I like to just let cats do their own thing, within reason. They always surprise you with their quirks.

Teach it needlepoint

[quote] What he loved getting his claws on were my empty cigarette packs. He would chase those all over the apartment, like a dog with a ball

Back in the days when everyone smoked, I took care of my mother’s cat while my parents were in Florida. This cat used to play with matchbooks. The flip top kind. She would run around, bat it a bit and then try to fit all four paws on the matchbook. She’d be teetering & tottering trying to get all four feet on that little matchbook

Grab it and hurl is with force against the wall.

R95 That was indeed hilarious. Thanks for the laugh. Especially loved the pasta detail.

This is a Scat Mat cat zapper that gives them a 3 second low voltage zap.

All you holier than thou anti-declawers please post pictures of your pristine living room furniture covered in aluminum foil! LOL

This is what both my couches look like. Plus, one of my couches has been gutted—my cat removed all the stuffing, so I sit on a frame. My new kitten ripped the lining from underneath my bed. He’s trying to gut my bed, but I won’t let him. I try every night for him to sleep with me, but he insists on clawing my bed—even though his giant cat tree is right next to my bed. I do put him in his cage so I can sleep. If I put him out of my room and shut the door, he scratches at my door all night.

My cats hang out on the cat trees all day and evening, but when it’s bed time they head for their soft beds. Nothing fancy, just a soft bed with raised sides to use as a pillow, but not raised all the way around the bed or else they feel trapped. Don’t forget to season it with catnip

I hear all of these stories like R139 and I just can’t imagine a life like that.

Next time, throw it out a higher window.

I am not a cat person.

Most of the time when cats are acting out and tearing up the house, scratching furniture, etc, it's because you need to play with them more. You need to get all that energy out every single day. Some cats are content to lounge around and be chill, but some have this crazy cat energy that needs to be directed during playtime. Wear them out. Then they will eat, groom, and chill out.