scratch posts?

We recently got a new cat, an 8 month old female, who'd been living with a
foster after being rescued from a barn. She's a very, very sweet cat and we
haven't had any trouble with her, except she doesn't use the scratch posts
we have.

We bought a large climbing tree with carpeting on it, we also have a
cardboard scratcher (this is what my other cat prefers) and we bought a
third scratcher that has sisal rope around it. She won't use any of them to
scratch on, but she does scratch the carpet.

How can I teach her to use one of the substitutes? I've tried putting her on
the cardboard and the sisal ones, and rubbing her front paws on them, so
that she might get the idea that this is the motion she should be doing, but
it doesn't seem to be working.

I'm kind of hoping she'll watch my other cat and get the idea...

"[ medic ]" wrote in message
ink.net...
We recently got a new cat, an 8 month old female, who'd been living with a
foster after being rescued from a barn. She's a very, very sweet cat and
we
haven't had any trouble with her, except she doesn't use the scratch posts
we have.

We bought a large climbing tree with carpeting on it, we also have a
cardboard scratcher (this is what my other cat prefers) and we bought a
third scratcher that has sisal rope around it. She won't use any of them
to
scratch on, but she does scratch the carpet.

How can I teach her to use one of the substitutes? I've tried putting her
on
the cardboard and the sisal ones, and rubbing her front paws on them, so
that she might get the idea that this is the motion she should be doing,
but
it doesn't seem to be working.

I'm kind of hoping she'll watch my other cat and get the idea...

If she likes scratching on the carpet, an idea might be to buy one of the
smaller upright carpeted posts and lay it on it's side. I have four of
these posts for Matilda and though she does scratch on the two that are
upright, she prefers the two that lay on their sides. She likes to be close
to the ground, often laying down to scratch. Or - perhaps get a piece of
carpet to lay over the main carpet and try introducing her to that piece?

Judy

Judy

"[ medic ]" wrote in message
ink.net...
We recently got a new cat, an 8 month old female, who'd been living with a
foster after being rescued from a barn. She's a very, very sweet cat and
we
haven't had any trouble with her, except she doesn't use the scratch posts
we have.

We bought a large climbing tree with carpeting on it, we also have a
cardboard scratcher (this is what my other cat prefers) and we bought a
third scratcher that has sisal rope around it. She won't use any of them
to
scratch on, but she does scratch the carpet.

How can I teach her to use one of the substitutes? I've tried putting her
on
the cardboard and the sisal ones, and rubbing her front paws on them, so
that she might get the idea that this is the motion she should be doing,
but
it doesn't seem to be working.

I'm kind of hoping she'll watch my other cat and get the idea...

If she likes scratching on the carpet, an idea might be to buy one of the
smaller upright carpeted posts and lay it on it's side. I have four of
these posts for Matilda and though she does scratch on the two that are
upright, she prefers the two that lay on their sides. She likes to be close
to the ground, often laying down to scratch. Or - perhaps get a piece of
carpet to lay over the main carpet and try introducing her to that piece?

Judy

Judy

Preferably I'd like to keep her from scratching any kind of carpet except
when climbing the tree. Any suggestions on how to do that?

"Judy" wrote in message
...

"[ medic ]" wrote in message
ink.net...
We recently got a new cat, an 8 month old female, who'd been living with
a
foster after being rescued from a barn. She's a very, very sweet cat and
we
haven't had any trouble with her, except she doesn't use the scratch
posts
we have.

We bought a large climbing tree with carpeting on it, we also have a
cardboard scratcher (this is what my other cat prefers) and we bought a
third scratcher that has sisal rope around it. She won't use any of them
to
scratch on, but she does scratch the carpet.

How can I teach her to use one of the substitutes? I've tried putting
her
on
the cardboard and the sisal ones, and rubbing her front paws on them, so
that she might get the idea that this is the motion she should be doing,
but
it doesn't seem to be working.

I'm kind of hoping she'll watch my other cat and get the idea...

If she likes scratching on the carpet, an idea might be to buy one of the
smaller upright carpeted posts and lay it on it's side. I have four of
these posts for Matilda and though she does scratch on the two that are
upright, she prefers the two that lay on their sides. She likes to be
close
to the ground, often laying down to scratch. Or - perhaps get a piece of
carpet to lay over the main carpet and try introducing her to that piece?

Judy

Judy

Preferably I'd like to keep her from scratching any kind of carpet except
when climbing the tree. Any suggestions on how to do that?

"Judy" wrote in message
...

"[ medic ]" wrote in message
ink.net...
We recently got a new cat, an 8 month old female, who'd been living with
a
foster after being rescued from a barn. She's a very, very sweet cat and
we
haven't had any trouble with her, except she doesn't use the scratch
posts
we have.

We bought a large climbing tree with carpeting on it, we also have a
cardboard scratcher (this is what my other cat prefers) and we bought a
third scratcher that has sisal rope around it. She won't use any of them
to
scratch on, but she does scratch the carpet.

How can I teach her to use one of the substitutes? I've tried putting
her
on
the cardboard and the sisal ones, and rubbing her front paws on them, so
that she might get the idea that this is the motion she should be doing,
but
it doesn't seem to be working.

I'm kind of hoping she'll watch my other cat and get the idea...

If she likes scratching on the carpet, an idea might be to buy one of the
smaller upright carpeted posts and lay it on it's side. I have four of
these posts for Matilda and though she does scratch on the two that are
upright, she prefers the two that lay on their sides. She likes to be
close
to the ground, often laying down to scratch. Or - perhaps get a piece of
carpet to lay over the main carpet and try introducing her to that piece?

Judy

Judy

"[ medic ]" dumped this in news:VCzoc.7608$KE6.6920
@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net on 12 May 2004:

Preferably I'd like to keep her from scratching any kind of carpet except
when climbing the tree. Any suggestions on how to do that?

I'd have to concur with Judy. Some cats really like to scratch horizontal
surfaces. I have carpet remnants in certain places and the cats have
learned that those are ok to scratch rather than the wall to wall. Cats are
pretty smart. The only thing I haven't got Shamrock to leave alone is
an ottoman, but that was maybe $30 tops so I only try to teach him to leave
it alone to be consistant. It's easily covered during the times he
"forgets".

--
Cheryl

"[ medic ]" dumped this in news:VCzoc.7608$KE6.6920
@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net on 12 May 2004:

Preferably I'd like to keep her from scratching any kind of carpet except
when climbing the tree. Any suggestions on how to do that?

I'd have to concur with Judy. Some cats really like to scratch horizontal
surfaces. I have carpet remnants in certain places and the cats have
learned that those are ok to scratch rather than the wall to wall. Cats are
pretty smart. The only thing I haven't got Shamrock to leave alone is
an ottoman, but that was maybe $30 tops so I only try to teach him to leave
it alone to be consistant. It's easily covered during the times he
"forgets".

--
Cheryl

in article , Cheryl at
wrote on 5/12/04 9:42 PM:

"[ medic ]" dumped this in news:VCzoc.7608$KE6.6920
@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net on 12 May 2004:

Preferably I'd like to keep her from scratching any kind of carpet except
when climbing the tree. Any suggestions on how to do that?

I'd have to concur with Judy. Some cats really like to scratch horizontal
surfaces. I have carpet remnants in certain places and the cats have
learned that those are ok to scratch rather than the wall to wall. Cats are
pretty smart. The only thing I haven't got Shamrock to leave alone is
an ottoman, but that was maybe $30 tops so I only try to teach him to leave
it alone to be consistant. It's easily covered during the times he
"forgets".

Or, Buy a heavier throw rug (often on sale at Target etc. for around 20
bucks) and sprinkle it with catnip. My cats really like this and leave the
main carpet alone. It's easily replaceable and actually, pretty tough.
Honest, she will know the difference between that and the "real" carpet.

karen

in article , Cheryl at
wrote on 5/12/04 9:42 PM:

"[ medic ]" dumped this in news:VCzoc.7608$KE6.6920
@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net on 12 May 2004:

Preferably I'd like to keep her from scratching any kind of carpet except
when climbing the tree. Any suggestions on how to do that?

I'd have to concur with Judy. Some cats really like to scratch horizontal
surfaces. I have carpet remnants in certain places and the cats have
learned that those are ok to scratch rather than the wall to wall. Cats are
pretty smart. The only thing I haven't got Shamrock to leave alone is
an ottoman, but that was maybe $30 tops so I only try to teach him to leave
it alone to be consistant. It's easily covered during the times he
"forgets".

Or, Buy a heavier throw rug (often on sale at Target etc. for around 20
bucks) and sprinkle it with catnip. My cats really like this and leave the
main carpet alone. It's easily replaceable and actually, pretty tough.
Honest, she will know the difference between that and the "real" carpet.

karen

"Karen Chuplis" wrote in message
...
in article , Cheryl at
wrote on 5/12/04 9:42 PM:

"[ medic ]" dumped this in
news:VCzoc.7608$KE6.6920
@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net on 12 May 2004:

Preferably I'd like to keep her from scratching any kind of carpet
except
when climbing the tree. Any suggestions on how to do that?

I'd have to concur with Judy. Some cats really like to scratch
horizontal
surfaces. I have carpet remnants in certain places and the cats have
learned that those are ok to scratch rather than the wall to wall. Cats
are
pretty smart. The only thing I haven't got Shamrock to leave alone
is
an ottoman, but that was maybe $30 tops so I only try to teach him to
leave
it alone to be consistant. It's easily covered during the times he
"forgets".

Or, Buy a heavier throw rug (often on sale at Target etc. for around 20
bucks) and sprinkle it with catnip. My cats really like this and leave the
main carpet alone. It's easily replaceable and actually, pretty tough.
Honest, she will know the difference between that and the "real" carpet

I've used the liquid catnip spray on my post which has worked wonders.

- Ruby Tuesday