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#11
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"Karen" wrote in message ... in article , .... and remember, you've only been trying this for a day. It will take a bit of time and consistant reinforcement to effect a change. Karen Oh, yeah, we are assuming that the post is sturdy and tall enough for a vigorous, stretchy scratching session. Annie |
#12
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She isn't repelled by the spray, and she actually goes AROUND the
sticky tape, finds a spot that's fabric, and scratches it! I saran wrapped part of my couch for this reason. Also, don't let her near the couch when you are not around. When she looks like she's about to scratch it, gently pick her up and take her to her tree. Scratch the tree with her little paws so she gets the idea. Then praise and reward he as she scratches. Here are some more tips I've gathered. 1. Hopefully he likes catnip. If so, rub it all over the scratching post. Scratch the post yourself, if he still doesn't use it, take his little paws and scratch the post with them and tell him he's a good kitty. Remember to associate positive things with acceptable clawing and negative things with unacceptable clawing. 2. Try a scratching mat. Some prefer horizontal over vetical surfaces. 3. Try sisal, rug, cardboard, fabric... covered trees or mat. You can get cheap thin door mats and staple gun them to a cat tree. Use canvas if he really likes fabric. Be sure the stapes go vertical like this "|" and not horizontal like this "--" so they don't get their claws stuck in there. 4. Put double sided tape where he likes to scratch. They won't like the stickiness. They may then scratch a few inches over from the tape so be prepared to add more. Keep no. 5 in mind when using the tape. 5. Don't let him in that room where he scratches when you're not around. When you're around stand gaurd with a squirt gun and squirt him from a distance when he scratches the furniture. If he's real persistent, put a little bit of vinegar in the squirt gun. You can also yell "NO!" when he scratches there. I also like to take him away from that area instantly and take him to the scratchy tree, hold his paws and help him scratch while praising him. Make it a fun experience, don't hold him forcefully or he'll fear the kitty tree. Make everything associated with the kitty tree positive. I sometimes will put a scratchy tree close to the furniture they are clawing so they have a nearby alternative. 6. Put vinegar where he scratches. They don't like the smell. 7. Try some of that cat away spray. 8. Try a scat mat where he is scratching. 9. Get rid of fabric furniture with vertical fabric sides. Get THICK leather or wood sofa and chairs. 10. Try soft paws. 11. Try trimming his claws every ten days. Some do once a week. 12. Whenever you see him clawing appropriately, praise and reward him lavishly. Continue to praise him forever or he may get lazy. 13. Try Feliway to calm them down. 14. Make sure your cat tree is tall and heavy enough. Big kitties will topple a small light one with a small base. I put weights on the bottom of mine. I get the big ones. I also have a multi-tier cat tree they like to rip up. |
#13
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She isn't repelled by the spray, and she actually goes AROUND the
sticky tape, finds a spot that's fabric, and scratches it! I saran wrapped part of my couch for this reason. Also, don't let her near the couch when you are not around. When she looks like she's about to scratch it, gently pick her up and take her to her tree. Scratch the tree with her little paws so she gets the idea. Then praise and reward he as she scratches. Here are some more tips I've gathered. 1. Hopefully he likes catnip. If so, rub it all over the scratching post. Scratch the post yourself, if he still doesn't use it, take his little paws and scratch the post with them and tell him he's a good kitty. Remember to associate positive things with acceptable clawing and negative things with unacceptable clawing. 2. Try a scratching mat. Some prefer horizontal over vetical surfaces. 3. Try sisal, rug, cardboard, fabric... covered trees or mat. You can get cheap thin door mats and staple gun them to a cat tree. Use canvas if he really likes fabric. Be sure the stapes go vertical like this "|" and not horizontal like this "--" so they don't get their claws stuck in there. 4. Put double sided tape where he likes to scratch. They won't like the stickiness. They may then scratch a few inches over from the tape so be prepared to add more. Keep no. 5 in mind when using the tape. 5. Don't let him in that room where he scratches when you're not around. When you're around stand gaurd with a squirt gun and squirt him from a distance when he scratches the furniture. If he's real persistent, put a little bit of vinegar in the squirt gun. You can also yell "NO!" when he scratches there. I also like to take him away from that area instantly and take him to the scratchy tree, hold his paws and help him scratch while praising him. Make it a fun experience, don't hold him forcefully or he'll fear the kitty tree. Make everything associated with the kitty tree positive. I sometimes will put a scratchy tree close to the furniture they are clawing so they have a nearby alternative. 6. Put vinegar where he scratches. They don't like the smell. 7. Try some of that cat away spray. 8. Try a scat mat where he is scratching. 9. Get rid of fabric furniture with vertical fabric sides. Get THICK leather or wood sofa and chairs. 10. Try soft paws. 11. Try trimming his claws every ten days. Some do once a week. 12. Whenever you see him clawing appropriately, praise and reward him lavishly. Continue to praise him forever or he may get lazy. 13. Try Feliway to calm them down. 14. Make sure your cat tree is tall and heavy enough. Big kitties will topple a small light one with a small base. I put weights on the bottom of mine. I get the big ones. I also have a multi-tier cat tree they like to rip up. |
#14
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I find it helps to put the scratching post right in front of the favorite spot on the sofa. You can also buy scratching surfaces that non-invasively attach to the corners of your sofa. Good luck! |
#15
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I find it helps to put the scratching post right in front of the favorite spot on the sofa. You can also buy scratching surfaces that non-invasively attach to the corners of your sofa. Good luck! |
#16
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Hi Mitch ,
When a cat scratches , it leaves scent from the glands in it paws . This is a way of marking territory and cats constantly reinforce the scent. If any thing makes her anxious she will scratch more to reassure her self This is why cats keep going back to the same spot .. You have to make sure that there is none of her scent left where you don't want her to scratch and somehow get her scent on the scratching post. I think shouting and spraying would make her anxious. I found making a psst sound as a distraction very effective, once you have her attention you could try dangling a piece of stringing on the post in the hope she will catch the post with her claws or if she doesn't mind being handled , press her paws gently on the post . How many posts do you have , one might not be enough and some cats also like to horizontal scratch . Alison wrote in message ... Ok...I sprayed the furniture with "No Scratch," I've sprayed the scratching post with catnip spray, I've put the double-sided sticky tape on the chair. She isn't repelled by the spray, and she actually goes AROUND the sticky tape, finds a spot that's fabric, and scratches it! All while her scratching post is sitting 3 inches away. So someone here mentioned foil. Do you use strips of foil, or do you just wrap the whole bottom section of the chair with it? So far she's still confined to the sunroom until the scratching is taken care of. But she's using her litter box and her bed, so that's good. |
#17
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Hi Mitch ,
When a cat scratches , it leaves scent from the glands in it paws . This is a way of marking territory and cats constantly reinforce the scent. If any thing makes her anxious she will scratch more to reassure her self This is why cats keep going back to the same spot .. You have to make sure that there is none of her scent left where you don't want her to scratch and somehow get her scent on the scratching post. I think shouting and spraying would make her anxious. I found making a psst sound as a distraction very effective, once you have her attention you could try dangling a piece of stringing on the post in the hope she will catch the post with her claws or if she doesn't mind being handled , press her paws gently on the post . How many posts do you have , one might not be enough and some cats also like to horizontal scratch . Alison wrote in message ... Ok...I sprayed the furniture with "No Scratch," I've sprayed the scratching post with catnip spray, I've put the double-sided sticky tape on the chair. She isn't repelled by the spray, and she actually goes AROUND the sticky tape, finds a spot that's fabric, and scratches it! All while her scratching post is sitting 3 inches away. So someone here mentioned foil. Do you use strips of foil, or do you just wrap the whole bottom section of the chair with it? So far she's still confined to the sunroom until the scratching is taken care of. But she's using her litter box and her bed, so that's good. |
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