Kittens & scratching...

**Catsnclay** · 09-01-2007, 03:43 PM

We have now had Taz in our house for 2 months, and happy to report that he and his new brothers are getting along just wonderfully!

As a matter of fact, we have noticed that we now have 3 kittens! Both Yoshi and Lucky have begun to play more, run around the house and all in all just act like kittens again!

There is one thing Taz is doing that is driving us crazy.......using the new sofa & loveseats as scratching posts

He has 3 scratching posts and uses them, but for some reason just loves the couches....

...... my mind is going blank as to what we did for Lucky & Yoshi when they did that..... I really can't remember them doing that!

Does anyone have any suggestions as what to do or how to prevent this from happening?

We do have a squirt bottle, but he just doesn't understand the word 'no'! I actually think he thinks his name is 'NO'

we seem to be saying that word a lot lately.......

**rg_girlca** · 09-01-2007, 04:03 PM

There are a few things that come to my mind that you can try. Putting aluminum foil around the area, as cats do like the feel of it, two sided sticky tape, soft paws, or putting some orange peels around as they really don't like the smell of citrus.

Good luck and Taz, use the scratching posts and not the furniture.

**catmandu** · 09-01-2007, 04:32 PM

They tend to scratch the corners and I think that there are palstic appendages that you can put there so the Kitten would damage anything.
Thats great that having a Kitten has sparked Your Older Cats into being Kittens again soon.
That was what happened with my Kitten Trio too.

**Medusa** · 09-01-2007, 05:48 PM

My Creamsicle did that to one of my chairs even though she regularly uses all the scratching posts. I couldn't say 'no' loudly because she's deaf and I couldn't bring myself to squirt her because she's a vestibular hypoplasia cat. So....every time she scratched the chair, I immediately removed her from it, took her over to the nearest scratching post and moved her paws over it so that she got the message. Took a few times but she doesn't scratch the chair any more.

**Catsnclay** · 09-02-2007, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by rg_girlca

There are a few things that come to my mind that you can try. Putting aluminum foil around the area, as cats do like the feel of it, two sided sticky tape, soft paws, or putting some orange peels around as they really don't like the smell of citrus.

Good luck and Taz, use the scratching posts and not the furniture.

I will try the aluminum foil and sticky tape, orange peels will be the last resort!

I too feel really bad when I squirt him, but it does get the message across!

Sometimes I do believe he does know right from wrong and does it just to get our attention because he is bored and wants to play

Thanks for the suggestions..............will try them!

**Catty1** · 09-02-2007, 03:52 PM

Just a thought - cats are supposed to hate the scent of cedar chips. I wonder if there is a safe (for cats and humans) cedar-scented spray around?

They hate vinegar too - spray some on, and it won't hurt the furniture. After a short time you won't smell it - but they still will!

I guess giving more attention to him when he is NOT clawing the furniture might help...but then you do have the others as well.

Good luck.

**Barbara** · 09-03-2007, 11:28 AM

I also thought of squirting. I don't LIKE to do it- but Taz has to understand the message.

But I love what I hear about Lucky and Yoshi

**Randi** · 09-03-2007, 02:33 PM

What a joy it must be to see Yosha and Lucky play again.

Fister used to scratch my recliner - only on the side and back of it though; when I put a blanket over, he didn't find it interesting any more.

Good luck!

**Freedom** · 09-03-2007, 05:04 PM

You had me stumped for a minute there with the "3 kittens in the house" statement. I mean after all, this IS PT where everyone keeps finding and adding. Anyhow, so pleased the younger is getting the older ones off their duffs!

I used the double sided sticky tape with good results. I also rub catnip on the scratching posts to make it MORE enticing, and squirt the vinegar and water mix on the furniture to make it LESS enticing. I did all that for about 5 weeks each time I had a cat who didn't "get it."
Good luck!

**krazyaboutkatz** · 09-03-2007, 07:49 PM

Bunny, I just covered my recliner and couch with covers. At first I used blankets but now they look much better with the fitted corduroy covers on them.

You might want to try buying catnip spray and spraying the scratching posts with this to make them irresistable.

Also feliway,comfort zone, spray is also supposed to help cats stop scratching furniture and other things. You might want to try this. Good luck.