Protecting leather furniture

[Stuart Reed]

I'm about to buy a leather sofa. Any advice about training/preventing cats
from damaging it?

TIA
Stuart Reed

[Hans Schrøder]

"Stuart Reed" > wrote in message
...
> I'm about to buy a leather sofa. Any advice about training/preventing cats
> from damaging it?
>

It is always risky to buy expensive furniture in a home where cats live. If
the sofa is made of real leather, the smell will be irresistible to the
cats. But, of course you can train them. If you, from day one, tell them not
to scratch the sofa, they will learn after a while. A simple and strong
"NO!" combined, maybe, by a squirt of water from a bottle, will do the
trick. BTW, declawing is NOT a solution!

Good luck, and keep in mind: Cats rule the house, furniture doesn't...

--
Hans
Do I like cats? Yes! Do I care for chairs and sofas? Well....

[Hans Schrøder]

"Stuart Reed" > wrote in message
...
> I'm about to buy a leather sofa. Any advice about training/preventing cats
> from damaging it?
>

It is always risky to buy expensive furniture in a home where cats live. If
the sofa is made of real leather, the smell will be irresistible to the
cats. But, of course you can train them. If you, from day one, tell them not
to scratch the sofa, they will learn after a while. A simple and strong
"NO!" combined, maybe, by a squirt of water from a bottle, will do the
trick. BTW, declawing is NOT a solution!

Good luck, and keep in mind: Cats rule the house, furniture doesn't...

--
Hans
Do I like cats? Yes! Do I care for chairs and sofas? Well....

[lakinapook]

<snipp>
> It is always risky to buy expensive furniture in a home where cats live. If
> the sofa is made of real leather, the smell will be irresistible to the
> cats. But, of course you can train them. If you, from day one, tell them not
> to scratch the sofa, they will learn after a while. A simple and strong
> "NO!" combined, maybe, by a squirt of water from a bottle, will do the
> trick. BTW, declawing is NOT a solution!
>
> Agreed!

My cats scratch up one "authorized" chair, if they go for any of the
other furniture, I startle them with a loud yell or spritz them with
the water bottle if one is near me at the time. I also slipcover my
furniture just in case. I figure if the slipcover gets ruined I just
get a new one. But ultimately I made the decision that my cats are
more important than furniture. I can always get new furniture. I
also regularly trim their claws, that cuts down on the scratching of
furniture quite a bit.

[lakinapook]

<snipp>
> It is always risky to buy expensive furniture in a home where cats live. If
> the sofa is made of real leather, the smell will be irresistible to the
> cats. But, of course you can train them. If you, from day one, tell them not
> to scratch the sofa, they will learn after a while. A simple and strong
> "NO!" combined, maybe, by a squirt of water from a bottle, will do the
> trick. BTW, declawing is NOT a solution!
>
> Agreed!

My cats scratch up one "authorized" chair, if they go for any of the
other furniture, I startle them with a loud yell or spritz them with
the water bottle if one is near me at the time. I also slipcover my
furniture just in case. I figure if the slipcover gets ruined I just
get a new one. But ultimately I made the decision that my cats are
more important than furniture. I can always get new furniture. I
also regularly trim their claws, that cuts down on the scratching of
furniture quite a bit.

[Stepdawn]

"Stuart Reed" > wrote in message
...
> I'm about to buy a leather sofa. Any advice about training/preventing cats
> from damaging it?
>
> TIA
> Stuart Reed
>
We just got two new cats from shelters, one is a kitten and one is three,
and neither of them have scratched our leather living room furniture. They
aren't interested in it at all. I have heard that cats don't like the
texture of leather for scratching. IOW, you may not even have a problem.

Dawn

[Stepdawn]

"Stuart Reed" > wrote in message
...
> I'm about to buy a leather sofa. Any advice about training/preventing cats
> from damaging it?
>
> TIA
> Stuart Reed
>
We just got two new cats from shelters, one is a kitten and one is three,
and neither of them have scratched our leather living room furniture. They
aren't interested in it at all. I have heard that cats don't like the
texture of leather for scratching. IOW, you may not even have a problem.

Dawn

[Drew Eckhardt]

In article >,
Stuart Reed > wrote:
>I'm about to buy a leather sofa. Any advice about training/preventing cats
>from damaging it?

My cat ignores the leather couch apart from sitting on it with his people.

--
<a href="http://www.poohsticks.org/drew/">Home Page</a>
Life is a terminal sexually transmitted disease.

[Drew Eckhardt]

In article >,
Stuart Reed > wrote:
>I'm about to buy a leather sofa. Any advice about training/preventing cats
>from damaging it?

My cat ignores the leather couch apart from sitting on it with his people.

--
<a href="http://www.poohsticks.org/drew/">Home Page</a>
Life is a terminal sexually transmitted disease.

On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 11:34:52 -0000, "Stuart Reed"
> wrote:

>I'm about to buy a leather sofa. Any advice about training/preventing cats
>from damaging it?
>
>TIA
>Stuart Reed
>
My experience has been the opposite of those who have already replied.
My cats ruined my leather chair. The problem is that when they jump
down from the chair, they put out their claws. That puts holes in the
seat of the chair.

I do not know how they put the long scratches onto the seat, but it
was typical cat scratch looking marks. Bottom line in my experience is
that cats and leather did not mix well for me.

I do have a scratching post, I do trim their back claws properly and
they are front declawed.


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On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 11:34:52 -0000, "Stuart Reed"
> wrote:

>I'm about to buy a leather sofa. Any advice about training/preventing cats
>from damaging it?
>
>TIA
>Stuart Reed
>
My experience has been the opposite of those who have already replied.
My cats ruined my leather chair. The problem is that when they jump
down from the chair, they put out their claws. That puts holes in the
seat of the chair.

I do not know how they put the long scratches onto the seat, but it
was typical cat scratch looking marks. Bottom line in my experience is
that cats and leather did not mix well for me.

I do have a scratching post, I do trim their back claws properly and
they are front declawed.


----== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! >100,000 Newsgroups
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[Suzie-Q]

Drew Eckhardt wrote something on-topic.

Hey Drew! I'm an Eckhardt, too. Send me an e-mail and
let's see if we're related.

8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~

"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson
*************************************************
http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/

[Suzie-Q]

Drew Eckhardt wrote something on-topic.

Hey Drew! I'm an Eckhardt, too. Send me an e-mail and
let's see if we're related.

8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~

"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson
*************************************************
http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/

[Hans Schrøder]

<<Fan>> wrote in message ...
> On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 11:34:52 -0000, "Stuart Reed"
> > wrote:
>
>
> I do have a scratching post, I do trim their back claws properly and
> they are front declawed.
>
Oh, no!! Not another f***ing declawer! Shouldn't be allowed to have a cat at
all, putting the furniture's value before the cat's good life. <<Fan>>:
Haven't you understood yet that declawing is considered a crime to your
animal in other countries, and most of the members in this group
disapprove...

Hans

[Hans Schrøder]

<<Fan>> wrote in message ...
> On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 11:34:52 -0000, "Stuart Reed"
> > wrote:
>
>
> I do have a scratching post, I do trim their back claws properly and
> they are front declawed.
>
Oh, no!! Not another f***ing declawer! Shouldn't be allowed to have a cat at
all, putting the furniture's value before the cat's good life. <<Fan>>:
Haven't you understood yet that declawing is considered a crime to your
animal in other countries, and most of the members in this group
disapprove...

Hans

[Ray Ban]

"Hans Schrøder" > wrote in message >...
> <<Fan>> wrote in message ...
> > On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 11:34:52 -0000, "Stuart Reed"
> > > wrote:
> >
> >
> > I do have a scratching post, I do trim their back claws properly and
> > they are front declawed.
> >
> Oh, no!! Not another f***ing declawer! Shouldn't be allowed to have a cat at
> all, putting the furniture's value before the cat's good life. <<Fan>>:
> Haven't you understood yet that declawing is considered a crime to your
> animal in other countries, and most of the members in this group
> disapprove...
>
> Hans

Hans, you'd feel stupid when the poster replies that the cats were
already declawed when he got them.

[Ray Ban]

"Hans Schrøder" > wrote in message >...
> <<Fan>> wrote in message ...
> > On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 11:34:52 -0000, "Stuart Reed"
> > > wrote:
> >
> >
> > I do have a scratching post, I do trim their back claws properly and
> > they are front declawed.
> >
> Oh, no!! Not another f***ing declawer! Shouldn't be allowed to have a cat at
> all, putting the furniture's value before the cat's good life. <<Fan>>:
> Haven't you understood yet that declawing is considered a crime to your
> animal in other countries, and most of the members in this group
> disapprove...
>
> Hans

Hans, you'd feel stupid when the poster replies that the cats were
already declawed when he got them.

[Hans Schrøder]

"Ray Ban" > wrote in message
> "Hans Schrøder" > wrote in message
>...
> > <<Fan>> wrote in message
...
> > > On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 11:34:52 -0000, "Stuart Reed"
> > > > wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > I do have a scratching post, I do trim their back claws properly and
> > > they are front declawed.
> > >
> > Oh, no!! Not another f***ing declawer! Shouldn't be allowed to have a
cat at
> > all, putting the furniture's value before the cat's good life. <<Fan>>:
> > Haven't you understood yet that declawing is considered a crime to your
> > animal in other countries, and most of the members in this group
> > disapprove...
> >
> > Hans
>
> Hans, you'd feel stupid when the poster replies that the cats were
> already declawed when he got them.

Sure I would feel stupid, but <Fan> never said that. And as long as I don't
know anything else, I will stick to my first assumption.

Hans

[Hans Schrøder]

"Ray Ban" > wrote in message
> "Hans Schrøder" > wrote in message
>...
> > <<Fan>> wrote in message
...
> > > On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 11:34:52 -0000, "Stuart Reed"
> > > > wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > I do have a scratching post, I do trim their back claws properly and
> > > they are front declawed.
> > >
> > Oh, no!! Not another f***ing declawer! Shouldn't be allowed to have a
cat at
> > all, putting the furniture's value before the cat's good life. <<Fan>>:
> > Haven't you understood yet that declawing is considered a crime to your
> > animal in other countries, and most of the members in this group
> > disapprove...
> >
> > Hans
>
> Hans, you'd feel stupid when the poster replies that the cats were
> already declawed when he got them.

Sure I would feel stupid, but <Fan> never said that. And as long as I don't
know anything else, I will stick to my first assumption.

Hans