The cats and I may soon be in the dog house

:(
I just got new bedroom furniture last Tuesday and today I discovered four scratches on the top of my night stand just right to be claws from a cat paw. :mad: I've already touched it up with a stain pen (not too well) and I'm crossing my fingers that Richard doesn't notice. He will be so mad at me and the cats. They've have really been scratching up my dining room table which was an expensive purchase for us and he's ready to skin me and the cats over that now if they start messing up the bedroom furniture it will be heck to pay.

Any suggestions as to how to stop it? I'm looking into ordering table pads for the dining table (even though bad damage has already happened) but I don't know what to do about the bedroom. The way it is set up they can go from the bed to my nightstand to my dresser but short legged Scout and Rumor struggle between the nightstand and dresser that is probably how that happened. WAHHH! :( :mad: :(

Also, I'm looking for a new comforter set but now I'm terrified the cats will ruin it too. I'm getting depressed.

I keep all the cats paws trimmed already and keeping them out of the room isn't really possible either. Help!

Thats One Reason That I Have Never Had Expensive Furniture,as I Would Be Angry If The Cats Damaged Something Expensive.
The Only Expensive Thing That Jjj3 Broke Was A Vcr,an Old One And A Nice Collectors Cat Plate.

Check our computer desk out, and it wasn't cheap! Maybe keeping them trimmed as short as possible? Thank goodness Kevin nor I care or we'd be divorced by now! :D

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...6/efae4f38.jpg

That reminds me of a story when my dear Boo was still alive. I had just spent a couple grand on a new entertainment center, nightstand and armoire. It had been delivered fairly early in the morning and I hadn't had a chance to take my dog Bandit out for his morning walk, so I had to make him wait until after they delivery guys were done. So they leave, I take Bandit out, come back in and Boo had tried to jump to the top of the new entertainment center - and couldn't jump high enough. There were (and still are - I still have it) two perfect claw marks on the front of it. I had had this new stuff for 15 minutes - tops - and it was already scratched.

I don't know what to tell you - I know how good it feels to have nice stuff, but when you have pets that can often be compromised - they just don't understand the concept of nice stuff. Just try and remember that they don't ever wreck your stuff on purpose, and they are only doing what comes naturally to them.

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Originally Posted by boscibo

Just try and remember that they don't ever wreck your stuff on purpose, and they are only doing what comes naturally to them.

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I know that and so does Richard but it doesn't always help him to stay calm about it. I was upset when I first saw the scratches but then I kicked into prevention mode which is how I normally am. I know scratches and marks will happen but I was just really hoping to have the furniture a little longer than 6 days before it did. I guess I'm luckier than you though, 15 minutes - wow!

K&L - that desk looks similar to one I have but you win the prize, LOL!

I guess I'm going to have to stand guard with a water bottle to spray whenever they get on it. It worked for the kitchen counter tops so maybe it will work on the new furniture.

I'm still open for suggestions.

2 words...SOFT PAWS!

(Good luck getting them to allow it! :D )

I think that is why I have always preferred pre-owned stuff #1, beacuse I have always had cats and #2 because I like to change things a lot. #3 I have to have a good firm place to sit, once I start sinking into them, I want to get something that is firm again.

I did buy my first brand new sofa when I moved in here but I am already sinking into it after only 4 years so I will be looking around again before it messes up my back.

You could decorate entirely with "distressed" furniture. :D I've seen decorating shows where they take brand-new furniture, then hammer dents into it and scratch it with nails to make it look old. The cats are just helping you to be trendy!

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Originally Posted by CatsinDenver

You could decorate entirely with "distressed" furniture. :D I've seen decorating shows where they take brand-new furniture, then hammer dents into it and scratch it with nails to make it look old. The cats are just helping you to be trendy!

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LOL! I'll have to try that angle with Richard.

If you seriously want to keep them OFF get "Scat mats".

I use old towels for the gang to sit on - two on the bed, one on the dryer, one on Joxer's favorite chair, two on the dresser - mainly to catch the fur, but it might help with scratches also.

I don't have problems with the cats scratching things, but the tags(plastic) on their collars can do some nasty stuff. I have pretty pillowcases on the dresser and night stands. Unless they can get the pillowcases off(and there are lamps and things on them), and they cannot, so far, the wood is scratch free!!! Good Luck!!

Almost all cats leave little scratches on furniture, especially cats that leap on to tops of things. I have found that there is a furniture repair liquid called Old English - comes in all different colors. Not all stores carry it, but it can be found. I think Walmarts carry it. Anywho, it covers much better than those nasty pens and what it does is stain the gouge mark.

Right now one of my cats is digging in the closet, on top of a dresser stored in there. It already has scratches on it and someday when it comes out of the closet, I will touch it up with the Old English repair.

I have not tried softpaws. Table covers (pads) help lots for the table top...but other than having sheepskins on leather chairs....ahemmmm, all other surfaces are at risk...in my house.

Scratches happen. ... I just now saw Cats in Denver's post about distressed furniture. Maybe I could rent out my cats, to distress furniture for other folks.

I feel your pain.

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Originally Posted by sasvermont

I have found that there is a furniture repair liquid called Old English - comes in all different colors. Not all stores carry it, but it can be found. I think Walmarts carry it. Anywho, it covers much better than those nasty pens and what it does is stain the gouge mark.

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OMG, I forgot all about that stuff! My parents owned an appliance and electronics store and my dad always had that stuff around to touch up any scratches on those old console tv cabinets and stereos. People would call him to fix their tv and also ask touch up their scratches. If his memory was better he probably would have told me to use that. :( Thanks!

I keep a blanket on top of the dresser and a towel on the nightstand.

To hide the scratch marks on the nightstand keep it covert up with a heavy fabric doily.
Most likely Richard will never find out, since the scratches are on your nightstand, unless he is doing the dusting. LOL!

K & L, after seeing your desk I’m beginning to think my cats are angels.

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Originally Posted by sasvermont

I have found that there is a furniture repair liquid called Old English - comes in all different colors.

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I was just going to suggest this myself, but Sas beat me to it. :)
I hope you are able to find it Lori. If Rumor gives you too much of a problem, you could always ship her to me ya know. :D

I keep telling myself that I wasn't meant to have anything nice. :rolleyes:
Either the cats (or the husband) ruin every new thing I get, within a week! :eek:

It keeps me grounded, reminding me not to be so worried over material things. I'd give them all away for the welfare of any cat that I have here.

So, there are 'imperfections' I just have to get used to it, and think how wonderful a life full of cats really is. :p

I'd rather have furniture that's been personalized by cats than any expensive clean stuff. :)

I guess putting covers over it is about the most you could do or possibly get rid of the husband! :D

Soft Paws work really well. I know a bunch of people who use them.

no suggestions from me sorry,but there aregood ones here anyway, the thing mytwo scratch up is the big sparepiece of carpet, right when you step on the door, it looks pretty bad already, and thats their favourite thign to scratch, despite the fact we bought them ascratch pole. silly cats.

OMG! I am one person who knows all about this.We got such a beautiful coffee and end table set in our last home and right away the second day,Monty sctrached with BIG gouges very deep.I was so disapointed.I love this set.I still have it and use it for our NICE living room.All my couches were ruined.Emily had pee problems that were not from bladder infections so I could not do anything to stop her.Winston was peeing too all over our couches and new chairs.
I accually didn't care THAT much about Winston because it was accidental.Emily would NOT use the litter box unless I carried her or walked with her down the cellar.We never have company because of the cats.Most people look down on you for having so many cats.13 at that time.People without cats just don't understand how wonderful they are
We have to have 2 chairs up here reapolsted.1300 dollars one lady quoted us.That's WAY too much.We are going to look around.
WE have a new living room set that we got at Bob's discount with MICROFIBER made by HILLCRAFT.It's superb for pets.They really cannot hurt it.It's amazing.And it wipes clean of hair in an instint.And it's beautiful.A sand color.My camera needs fixing so I can't show you right now.
Our bedroom nightstands have scratches all over it.(I love the end tables too)
My Monty always was the one to put most of the scratches in the wood furniture.He gets crazy once a day.We say he does his squirell act.His tail curls and he runs all over the place gouging all the wood in the process.But he's a good boy.He's accually very funny.
I think I'll try that liquid repair old english like sasvermont had suggested plus scat mats that jenluckenbach suggested.All the cats we have now do not pee anywhere so that's good.We have 2 chairs that have pee on it (in the garage now)
But they all can scratch wood at any time without notice.Thank GOD they haven't reached any of our pictures on the walls :D

LOL!! Sorry Lori, I don't mean to laugh but it sure has brought back memories about everything new we have bought.
When we bought our new bedroom suite (big bucks for me and hubby) Pete was a youngster. He decided to cut his new teeth on the top of the footboard and literally ate the corners off! :eek:
Two new chairs in the living room that are about a month old and you would think I have had them for years! :eek:
Brand new kitchen table, still had the tags stapled on, and DEEP scratches on the top. :eek:
I just gave up! :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by auggie

K & L, after seeing your desk I’m beginning to think my cats are angels.

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:D :D Remember we're dealing with 25 cats at our place, so considering that, guess it's not too bad! :D :D

Well it happened again, and after I took some precautions. I woke up this morning to Scout hurling herself from the bed to the top of the dresser where she left an inch long scratch right on the top. :( I had placed some books on my nightstand and blocked the end of the dresser where they were hopping across with my jewelry box and a huge water bottle. So much for the blockaide. :rolleyes:

I broke down and told Richard about the dresser. He's really mad and down on the cats right now, on me too. I'm going out to PetsMart today to see what I can find, whether it be scat mats, soft paws (which I don't think will work well for us) or whatever. I'm really wishing I had never got new stuff but I'd been living out of mismatched hand-me-downs that were falling part for the past 15 years and wanted matching bedroom furniture so badly. :( :(

If you can't find the scat mats at PetSmart I know they are available on eBay. I have one and it works quite well. I put it over the spots in the carpet that are pee'd on and that gives it enough time to dry out after using an enzyme remover.

I have no words of advice about the furniture. I am very fortunate and the furry gang doesn't scratch visible pieces of furniture that often (but I have replaced the lining on the bottom of the sofa and a couple of chairs :rolleyes: ).

Do you trim their nails? That really helps too!

The bedroom might have to be off-limits to your cats. I know a couple that do that - the babies have their own special room - and they all are happy with it.

hugs
Catty1

You should see our leather couches...!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/berlut/clos4.jpg

Good luck....

It is so weird for me to read that cats cause problems on hardwood furniture........we have never had that problem. Our only cat issues have been on upholstered furniture where they do the clawing thing. They never mess up furniture, otherwise. Our dogs are much worse, and thankfully have outgrown the chewing on wood.


Logan

I am sorry it is causing distress in your household. And, I do know the "I finally got new furniture and the cats...." story. So, I am not saying this without sympathy. My bedroom furniture is less than six months old, and my couch less than two years- it was 'damaged' within days, both of them. I put the new purchases in the 4500 range. So, again, I am NOT without sypathy. The difference for me came with my adjustment in attitude. Like Rosethecopycat- it is only material goods, and the cats are so much more important. Do I like it? No, and I do discourage it. But, I also accept it, and it doesn't really get to me like it used to. Good luck.

My primary piece of living room furniture is a loveseat that is a strong contender for the title of Most Clawed Couch. I've tried putting the double-sided stickies on it... but then Don Juan would just claw the top of the arms.

Then there is the month-old air mattress. I can't talk about that just yet. :(

Lut, that picture of Snoopy and Zazou sitting on the leather couch cracked me up! Those little faces just scream "Guilty!" (or "Who, ME?")


I, too, share everyone's frustration. I once had a secretary (desk) from my grandmother that had a fold-out portion. You folded it down to write on it and then closed it back up. Our first cat tried to jump to the top of the desk while it was folded up and he didn't quite make it. He SLID down and there were 2 long permanent scratches right in the center. Never did get them camouflaged.

You'll both be happy you have a nice matching set later on.Scratches or no scratches.It will still look nice to you later :D after getting use to the scratches.

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wanted matching bedroom furniture so badly

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Don't feel bad Lori, you STILL have matching bedroom furniture (it ALL has cat scratches) :p


But seriously, after time, you won't even notice the scratches. It will blend right in. (it only stands out now becase the pieces are brand spanking new).

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Originally Posted by jenluckenbach

Don't feel bad Lori, you STILL have matching bedroom furniture (it ALL has cat scratches) :p


But seriously, after time, you won't even notice the scratches. It will blend right in. (it only stands out now becase the pieces are brand spanking new).

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Thanks Jen. I've never had a great knack at optimism. ;)

Thanks for all the "make me feel better" stories and pictures. They've helped.

Sorry you're having so much trouble, Lori. I don't have much advice for ya. Ours aren't allowed on ANYTHING so I guess that's why I'm probably no help to you. The only furniture they're allowed on is my computer desk & the bookcase in my office which was all built by my dad and he put a million coats of poly on it. I don't think it could be scratched with anything! I can't believe that they're even scratching up your furniture with trimmed nails! That's wild. We also have matching bedroom furniture but they're not allowed in our bedroom :) so no problems there. They're not allowed on the dining room table, not allowed on the coffee table or any of the tables in the living room . . . our cats pretty much are confined to the floor. I know that sounds horrible, right? Ah, it could be worse. ;)

I guess it would be hard to try to train yours to stay off of the furniture now that they're older . . . especially if they roam the house while you're gone during the day. I hope you find a solution. I know how expensive furniture is! And how upsetting it is when something happens to mess it up!