#1
|
||||
|
||||
Cat scratching furniture
Sunny Boy (our 3-legged monkey-cat that we adopted last July) has started scratching the furniture and carpeting He did it a little bit when we first got him, but it was short-lived and we thought everything was fine in this department. We have provided him with many scratch posts and pads (he doesn't scratch the posts much -- he just likes to lounge on them. He loves those corrugated cardboard box thingies best) - almost one in every room he frequents (our's has truly turned into a Cat House). We trim his nails every 2-3 weeks (he likes to knead on our laps, so we don't like sharp kitty claws...ouch!!!) Anyway he's being a little rat lately and scratching furniture and carpeting.... .
In the early spring when we'd go into our backyard, he'd cry and cry at the doors and windows and it just broke our hearts (he always follows us everywhere we go around the house). So we got him a harness and now bring him out in the backyard with us from time to time. At first, he wasn't too sure if he liked it, but now - if you rattle the harness, he comes a-running! He loves to chatter with the birds who give him heck for being alive. We don't go out into our back yard every day -- but he really wants to and cries at the doors to go out. If we are not out for a few days (like during the latest heat wave) he seems to quiet down. We're wondering if this has started the scratching. We have different friends who said this is what happened with their indoor cats (they gave in and these cats are now outdoor cats) - but we have NO INTENTION of doing this - he will never be an cat who is allowed out on his own (with or without a harness). We expect to be sharing our house with Sunny for another 16 - 18 years, (we just adore him). His meowing at the doors and wanting out we can deal with (he stops eventually) - but the scratching the furniture is a problem we must try to fix. I'd hate to have to stop bringing him in the backyard when we go out -- he has such a fun time and is cute to watch. I picked up some of those "sticky paws" strips to put on the furniture in the spots he's scratching. Has anyone used these with success? We've put a bird bath were he can watch it. He loves to laze on his scratch post by the big picture window in the living room and watch the world go by. We play with him every day. My summer project is to install one of those cat shelves on my office window and put yet another scratch post or something he can climb up to the window so he can watch the action in the back yard (lots of birds and squirrels, etc.). We have really changed our house to accommodate (OK, OK and really spoil :love: ) our little monkey-boy. Any more advice/ideas/suggestions? Oh - here's a picture of my office assistant 'helping' with some flip chart notes....
__________________
Cheers! |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
I have a couple of suggestions, don't know how helpful they'll be, but here goes...
First, have you tried softpaws? Most vets have them, and I even saw some in Petsmart today! They're vinyl caps that you glue into your cat's nails. It helps keep them from shredding things. Some cats hate them with a passion and devote their life to getting them off, others don't care so much. http://www.softpaws.com/ Second, have you tried a cat tree? Something that he can really hang out on and play on? Our cat, Loki, never really used his scratching post, but we bought a floor-to-ceiling tree from Walmart, and he's ALWAYS on it now. He especially likes playing spy and dropping down on top of the dog. We spent about $40 on it. Third, have you tried squirting him with a water bottle when he's scratching at bad places? That may help give him a clue. Fourth, if he's not fixed, getting him fixed may help his hormonal teenage urge to wander. That's all I've got, anyone else?
__________________
Clover, Australian Shepherd Mutt Loki, Shorthair Catbrat Gizmo and Mogwai, Guinea Pigs Tailchaser and Scuffledig, Gerbils |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|