Scratching hopeless in adult cats

hate to be the bearer of bad news. just visited a specialist today. was
told in cats that have the habit of scratching furniture it is pretty
much impossible to change. the only way to have a cat who wont scratch
your funiture is to train as a kitten to scratch on post. once they are
adult and grown its too late to change. feramoans won't work. the only
other alternative is to put 'soft paws'(plastic covers you glue to each
individual cat claw) or de-clawing. with lasor it costs $400 a cat and
they remove the claw from the first knuckle which to me seems more like
mutalation. on the positive side the tin foil suggestion is working
100% so far in protecting my plants from being dug up. either the foil
is working or the cats are sick and tired of me whacking them on the
nose with a rolled up piece of newspaper when I come home.

That vet needs some more training it is a matter of patience and keeping
at it
"Winnifred" wrote in message
ups.com...
hate to be the bearer of bad news. just visited a specialist today. was
told in cats that have the habit of scratching furniture it is pretty
much impossible to change. the only way to have a cat who wont scratch
your funiture is to train as a kitten to scratch on post. once they are
adult and grown its too late to change. feramoans won't work. the only
other alternative is to put 'soft paws'(plastic covers you glue to each
individual cat claw) or de-clawing. with lasor it costs $400 a cat and
they remove the claw from the first knuckle which to me seems more like
mutalation. on the positive side the tin foil suggestion is working
100% so far in protecting my plants from being dug up. either the foil
is working or the cats are sick and tired of me whacking them on the
nose with a rolled up piece of newspaper when I come home.

That's BS. I have 3 cats. They destroyed the old furniture I had in my
apartment.

After getting married and buying a house I swore I would not let the stuff
in my new home turn to car. I got "Soft Paws" and a few scratching posts.
Let them know I did not want then scratching the new furniture.

3 years later, I have the same furniture without a scratch on it.


"Winnifred" wrote in message
ups.com...
hate to be the bearer of bad news. just visited a specialist today. was
told in cats that have the habit of scratching furniture it is pretty
much impossible to change. the only way to have a cat who wont scratch
your funiture is to train as a kitten to scratch on post. once they are
adult and grown its too late to change. feramoans won't work. the only
other alternative is to put 'soft paws'(plastic covers you glue to each
individual cat claw) or de-clawing. with lasor it costs $400 a cat and
they remove the claw from the first knuckle which to me seems more like
mutalation. on the positive side the tin foil suggestion is working
100% so far in protecting my plants from being dug up. either the foil
is working or the cats are sick and tired of me whacking them on the
nose with a rolled up piece of newspaper when I come home.

Matthew wrote:
That vet needs some more training it is a matter of patience and keeping
at it
"Winnifred" wrote in message
ups.com...
hate to be the bearer of bad news. just visited a specialist today. was
told in cats that have the habit of scratching furniture it is pretty
much impossible to change. the only way to have a cat who wont scratch
your funiture is to train as a kitten to scratch on post. once they are
adult and grown its too late to change. feramoans won't work. the only
other alternative is to put 'soft paws'(plastic covers you glue to each
individual cat claw) or de-clawing. with lasor it costs $400 a cat and
they remove the claw from the first knuckle which to me seems more like
mutalation. on the positive side the tin foil suggestion is working
100% so far in protecting my plants from being dug up. either the foil
is working or the cats are sick and tired of me whacking them on the
nose with a rolled up piece of newspaper when I come home.

which method did you use that worked for you?

Every time they did it they got death from above water spray bottle I
took them and walked them over to the scratch post took their paws and
scratch the post it took patience and it was time consuming but I have
not furballs that scratch furniture
"Winnifred" wrote in message
ups.com...

Matthew wrote:
That vet needs some more training it is a matter of patience and
keeping
at it
"Winnifred" wrote in message
ups.com...
hate to be the bearer of bad news. just visited a specialist today. was
told in cats that have the habit of scratching furniture it is pretty
much impossible to change. the only way to have a cat who wont scratch
your funiture is to train as a kitten to scratch on post. once they are
adult and grown its too late to change. feramoans won't work. the only
other alternative is to put 'soft paws'(plastic covers you glue to each
individual cat claw) or de-clawing. with lasor it costs $400 a cat and
they remove the claw from the first knuckle which to me seems more like
mutalation. on the positive side the tin foil suggestion is working
100% so far in protecting my plants from being dug up. either the foil
is working or the cats are sick and tired of me whacking them on the
nose with a rolled up piece of newspaper when I come home.

which method did you use that worked for you?

123456789 wrote:
That's BS. I have 3 cats. They destroyed the old furniture I had in my
apartment.

I know it's not funny, but you make it sound funny

After getting married and buying a house I swore I would not let the stuff
in my new home turn to car. I got "Soft Paws" and a few scratching posts.
Let them know I did not want then scratching the new furniture.

3 years later, I have the same furniture without a scratch on it.


I don't think there is a cookie cutter for cat training
there are too many varied relationships going on here

some cats wouldn't dream of displeasing their owners, but for some it
is their daily delight.

In general when there is order in the home, I believe it is easier to
train a cat
when things tend to stay in disarray, I am certain our pets are aware
of it.

When you super clean the house and remove the clutter... and you
finally kick back and chill... notice how the cats also enjoy this same
feeling you do.

so, behavior problems are not exclusive to the cat, this is why I say
there is no cookie cutter or 100% 'proven method.

In solving a behavior problem, I think our first thought should be,
What is the message our pet is trying to convey..

before I dispense a discipline, I have to be convinced there is
willfullness in the cat against my wishes.

Scratching? Matt has the right idea... I also like the foil idea it's
very passive aggressive
they don't see it as correction, they just don't like it.

It's like spanking a child with a paddle, vs your hand, it's better to
use a paddle, this way you don't retract from your person through the
action, rather the paddle becomes disliked, not you or your hand (which
is associated with hugs and general doing and affection)

but can i be honest here...

if I had a stubborn cat who was over 5 or 6 and he was hard headed...

you don't wanna know, but i BET he wouldn't tear my furniture up
I would send him a very clear message. I wouldn't hurt him, I would
shock him

GODDA$%TT I SAID FU$#$%ING NO!!! CLAPPING MY HANDS, STOMPING MY FEET
RUNNING UP ON HIM.. MUTHER$%$%$CKER IM GOING TO CUT YOUR FU$%$%ING
TAIL OFF SO#$O#$#$BITCH...

and chase him down the hall, and rake him out from under the bed with a
broom...

the secret to training and this is the most important thing of all no
matter the method you chose... don't let them slide not even once...
every time you let them slide, You go back to start, do not pass go do
not collect $200.00

So, be consistent.

now if the cat respects you, and you respect him/her, you couple
respect with consistency, you got something then.

"Winnifred" wrote in message
ups.com...
hate to be the bearer of bad news. just visited a specialist today. was
told in cats that have the habit of scratching furniture it is pretty
much impossible to change. the only way to have a cat who wont scratch
your funiture is to train as a kitten to scratch on post. once they are
adult and grown its too late to change. feramoans won't work. the only
other alternative is to put 'soft paws'(plastic covers you glue to each
individual cat claw) or de-clawing. with lasor it costs $400 a cat and
they remove the claw from the first knuckle which to me seems more like
mutalation. on the positive side the tin foil suggestion is working
100% so far in protecting my plants from being dug up. either the foil
is working or the cats are sick and tired of me whacking them on the
nose with a rolled up piece of newspaper when I come home.


I don't know what type of "specialist" you consulted, but you need to find a
new one. I had no difficulty training any of my cats to use a scratching
post, including a former feral. I adopted Duffy two years ago when he was
estimated to be 3-5 years of age. It was obvious that he had no idea what a
scratching post is. Since he is blind, I expected that it would be
difficult to train him to use a scratching post -- it actually took two
days!! I *never* whacked, screamed, or sprayed water at any of my cats.
Positive reinforcement works much better than negative reinforcement.

First, you need a variety of scratching posts. I keep one in every room
because a cat is much more likely to use a post that is handy than to wander
through the house looking for one. You may need to experiment with
different surfaces and textures. Most of my scratching posts are wrapped
with sisal, and I have one made with sisal cloth. Duffy also likes the
corrugated cardboard center of his Turbo Scratcher. Again, most of my
scratching posts are upright, but some cats like horizontal scratchers or
incline scratchers. Make sure that any post you get is *sturdy,* and
upright posts should be *tall* enough so the cat cat stretch out when
scratching. It is important that the post be strong enough so your cat
cannot cause it to fall when scratching. If a post topples when your cat is
using it, your cat may become frightened and refuse to use it in the future.
Yes, it can be costly to have a post in every room, such as what I
described, but most of us buy them gradually over a period of time.Avoid the
type that is made with a cardboard base because they are too lightweight.
PetSmart usually has some sturdy posts, and some are not expensive.
Numerous varieties are available online, and some people make their own. If
your cat was previously an outdoor cat, you might even want to try a piece
of trunk or branch (again, heavy enough not to fall). You can see some of
my scratching posts if you scroll through some of the pictures under my
signature.

How did I train my cats to use scratching posts? I would go to a scratching
post and do something to get my cat's attention -- such as tapping the post
or running my nails over the post. Then I would pull a string (with a small
toy or piece of cloth tied to it) up and down the post. The cat will
invariably grab for the toy, and once his or her claws begin to scratch on
the post, I *praise* excessively. (Always put the string in a drawer or
other secure location if you are not watching it because it isn't safe to
have loose pieces of string, ribbon, rubber bands, etc. lying around -- many
cats will swallow them or become entangled.) I watched them *very*
carefully for the first couple of weeks after adoption. As soon as I saw
any sign that the cat was about to scratch on furniture or the carpeting, I
would say "no" (gently), walk over to the post, and begin tapping on it --
then lots of praise when the cat comes to the post. Sometimes, I would pick
up my cat, carry the cat to the post, and then begin the same process. It
doesn't take very long before a cat gets the idea that the scratching post
is the "preferred object" for scratching.

Good luck with this, and please ignore that "specialist" who seems to think
adult cats can't be trained.

MaryL

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf
Holly: http://tinyurl.com/9t68o
Duffy and Holly together: http://tinyurl.com/8b47e
Recent pics: http://tinyurl.com/clal7

MaryL wrote:

Good luck with this, and please ignore that "specialist" who seems to think
adult cats can't be trained.

MaryL

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'

Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf

what a very pretty desk and stool, i forget what you call that kind of
fabric on the stool

Nice 70's style mushroom modeled multi-tiered cat scratchier

Very pretty cats, you can't tell that duffy is blind
especially when you see him on the very top pedestal, or reaching out
playing with Holly

i don't think cats know when they are blind, maybe they do

see for you, your success came by watching them like a chicken
you said it yourself, for the first few weeks you watched them *very*
carefully

they probably lapped up all the attention

I like your creativity in training them, I would not have guessed they
would connect touching the scratcher in general (when chasing a toy or
something) with a scratching spot. That had to come off awkward for all
parties involved...

The cat is chasing a toy, all of a sudden he finds himself in school

They probably caught on quick for the praise of it.
--

You make me feel bad...

one time the cats (especially Jupiter the youngest) wouldn't let me
sleep so i shut the bedroom door and put them outside the door.

Jupiter kept scratching the door... it just so happened I had canned
foods on the mantle next to the bed (just temp storage) I heaved a can
of greenbeans at the door BOOM it sounded like a 22 going off... this
broke her for about an hour... then again, POW... that lasted for the
rest of the night...

the next night she tried to play on my door again.. BANG...

I never let her get by with playing on it, I was consistent heaving a
can upside the door..

in about 3 nights, she was broke forever.. and really to this day.. she
has no idea that i was the one throwing the cans... and I get to sleep.
I still have the cans as I cannot open them, the cans are mangled (it's
just awful)

"angel" wrote in message
oups.com...

MaryL wrote:

Good luck with this, and please ignore that "specialist" who seems to
think
adult cats can't be trained.

MaryL

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'

Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf

what a very pretty desk and stool, i forget what you call that kind of
fabric on the stool

The stool is an antique (the desk is old, but not as old as the stool). The
fabric on the stool is actually very old needlepoint.

Nice 70's style mushroom modeled multi-tiered cat scratchier

The cats *love* their cats trees (and, yes, one pole is wrapped with sisal
to provide a scratcher). If you don't have one, it's worth checking out --
just be sure whatever you get is *very* sturdy. I ordered both of mine from
www.createacatcondo.com. Their site is interactive, so you can "build" your
own and get an instant price (which is not as high as it sounds because
their trees are very heavy -- made of solid wood -- and the price includes
shipping).

Very pretty cats, you can't tell that duffy is blind
especially when you see him on the very top pedestal, or reaching out
playing with Holly

i don't think cats know when they are blind, maybe they do

Thanks. I think they are gorgeous cats, but most of us feel that way about
cats. Duffy has been blind from birth, so he did not need to learn to
adjust to a loss of sight. I suspect that helped him adapt so well.

see for you, your success came by watching them like a chicken
you said it yourself, for the first few weeks you watched them *very*
carefully

they probably lapped up all the attention

Yes, that's part of what I meant by positive reinforcement. I did watch
very carefully for the first couple of weeks, but it wasn't "hard" to do.

I like your creativity in training them, I would not have guessed they
would connect touching the scratcher in general (when chasing a toy or
something) with a scratching spot. That had to come off awkward for all
parties involved...

Thanks. It wasn't awkward, but I was very cautious when I was using my
fingers to scratch on the post because it usually isn't a good idea to use
hands in a play position -- too easy to be accidentally scratched.

The cat is chasing a toy, all of a sudden he finds himself in school

They probably caught on quick for the praise of it.

Exactly. Please give it a try instead of throwing stuff (as you described
below).

--

You make me feel bad...

one time the cats (especially Jupiter the youngest) wouldn't let me
sleep so i shut the bedroom door and put them outside the door.

Jupiter kept scratching the door... it just so happened I had canned
foods on the mantle next to the bed (just temp storage) I heaved a can
of greenbeans at the door BOOM it sounded like a 22 going off... this
broke her for about an hour... then again, POW... that lasted for the
rest of the night...

the next night she tried to play on my door again.. BANG...

I never let her get by with playing on it, I was consistent heaving a
can upside the door..

in about 3 nights, she was broke forever.. and really to this day.. she
has no idea that i was the one throwing the cans... and I get to sleep.
I still have the cans as I cannot open them, the cans are mangled (it's
just awful)

What does your door look like? It sounds like you would have a lot of
scratches and dents from the cans.

MaryL

"angel" wrote in message
oups.com...

in about 3 nights, she was broke forever.. and really to this day.. she
has no idea that i was the one throwing the cans... and I get to sleep.
I still have the cans as I cannot open them, the cans are mangled (it's
just awful)


*shrug* I don't know how awful it is, there are humans and cats living in
the house, so the needs of both have to be considered. You need your
sleep in order to be nice and fresh to go out and bring home the cat food,
after all. If they knew that they would rubbing your head for you until
you fall asleep and tippy-toeing around the house!

Cats hate loud noises, and so loud noises will encourage avoidance of
whatever they are engaged in when the sound happens. This is why
I yell NO! as loudly as I can when mine do stuff they should not. As
long as you don't abuse this, and do it all the time, I think it is fine.