How to Stop Cats from Scratching your Furniture

This article contains ways to stop your cat from scratching and also ways to protect your furniture if you can't manage to get the little fur ball to stop! I have two Russian Blue kittens, they are gorgeous and sweet and friendly. They ahve never scratched me on purpose, but they scratch the crap out of the furniture! Read on!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience!

1. Use organic pet sprays.
   
   You just spray these on the area that your cat is scratching and wahlah!
   
   Upside: Most really do work. They have no ordor detectible to humans and do not stain your furniture.
   
   Downside: This can be a pricey solution. Running around $7.00 to $9.00 for a 16 oz Bottle. That may not seem like a lot of money, but it adds up when you have to spray large areas of your furniture every other day.

2. Cat Scratching Post.
   
   These work best when introduced to a very young kitten before they develope the bad habit of scratching your furniture. If you didn't do that and are introducing it after they have already clawed your furniture then try using a little cat nip spray to attract them to it.
   
   Upside: Fairly inexpensive for a small standard cat scratching post. These can be bought for $20.00 at Walmart. You can get them in many different variations from a "cat lounger" to "cat carpets" to "cat trees" which double as hiding spots and play areas.
   
   Downside: They can sometimes be an eye sore and may not match your decor. Plus, cats just may not use them if not introduced from an early age.

3. Fake Cat Nails.
   
   Yup, you read right. Pet stores are now selling press on plastic nails for your INDOOR cat. If you can sit your cat still long enough to get these on, they work quite well.
   
   Upside: They are the ultimate compromise between you and your cat. They get to keep their nails and you get to keep your furniture nice.
   
   Downside: They are a pain in the you know where to put on. I don't know anyone who has a cat that will sit still for that long. The glue can be messy as well.

4. Double Sided Tape.
   
   Cats hate anything that sticks to them so you attach this sticky tape to the places that they are scratching and it slowly trains them not to scratch there. This would work best in conjunction with a scratching post. (See above)
   
   Upside: Very inexpensive! Clear tape, won't harm furniture, comes off easily.
   
   Downside: Can be an eyesore on your furniture. If you have guests over they may think you have forgotten to take the shipping plastic off of your furniture and may even go so far as to be "helpful" and remove it themselves.

5. Squirt Bottle
   
   If you see Fluffy scratching the furniture squirt them with the water bottle. This will train them to associate scratching the furniture with getting sprayed. Make sure you reward them for scratching the appropriate place.
   
   Upside: It immediately gets them to stop.
   
   Downside: It only works when someone is home

Tips & Warnings

• A combination of all of these is the norm for most cat owners.
• Remember: The earlier you start to train your young kitties, the better adult cat they will turn into.
• Never use physical threats on your cats. This will only work to make them shy and possibly violent and spiteful right back at you.

[alexinnva]

on 7/27/2009 The Spray bottle DOES work! Just buy an empty spray bottle and fill it with water, or a toy squirt gun too! either one works. It's quick, easy, and no harm done. Both my cats learned quickly too! My mom would use Tape too, clear wide Shipping tape, ..the type you would use to seal boxes for moving. cats hate the feeling on their paws. It worked too!

[makaksa]

on 4/7/2009 Great information as I know a lot of people have this problem.

[writedesign]

on 3/25/2009 Great tips. I did some of these when I had a cat years ago. 5*rec