In the fine newsgroup "rec.pets.cats.health+behav",
(B G) artfully composed this message
within on 13
Jul 2004:

I know this subject has probably been covered but I scrolled
back thru 1500 posts and couldn't find it.

When I first got my cat he'd scratch the couch. I got him a
scratching post and got him to use it. Problem is he kept
growing and growing. Now he's huge! He outgrew the post and my
Girlfriend moved out which left just he and I in the Apt. I
began to let him scratch on the couch. (It was old I didn't
care) Now I've moved into a new apt wih all new furniture. He's
tearing up my brand new couch. I realize its not his fault but
I need to stop him from doing this fast! He's 2 1/2 yrs old and
very big. I bought some spray from the pet store thats supposed
to stop him from scratching the furniture but it does'nt work.
Bought him a bigger scratching post today and sprayed it wih
cat-nip spray but he's still using the couch.

What do I do? I love him to death and I know this is all my
fault(I've spoiled him rotten!) He's only doing what I've
allowed him to do for the past 2 yrs but I need to protect my
new furniture. What can I do?



I used to let mine scratch my furniture before I moved into my
house. I got rid of that stuff when I bought my house and at first,
I left the big plastic covers on the furniture that it was
delivered in. Removed them when I had company. When I first moved
in, mine were much older; 8 and 12 yrs old. This was around the
time I first started reading these news groups and I was amazed
that people had trained their cats not to demolish furniture. I
took their advice, got a big sturdy cat tree, and some horizontal
cardboard scratchers and they learned quickly that they liked their
stuff better. I still keep an old chair downstairs that has a
tweedy upolstery and they know it is theirs.

--
Cheryl