This is all well and good, you say, but he's not going to do that on my new leather sectional.
Fair enough, and in this section we will discuss ways to keep you happy, your furniture unscathed, and your Cat in prime condition.
First Assignment: Scratching Post
We've already discussed how your Cat's drive train is dependent on stretching exercises to keep those muscles supple, so the first task is to find a way to encourage that exercise while discouraging its practice on your satin sofa.
The first step is to buy or build a scratching post for your Cat-- no, make that two or three. Some Cats have distinct preferences in the way they scratch: vertically or horizontally, while others practice both styles. Fortunately, scratching posts come in both configurations, and several "cat trees" provide scratching surfaces for both modalities. I recommend at least one of each. One company even makes a " cat scratch feeder" which rewards Cats' using the scratching pad by dropping dry food into a bowl.
If you're handy at carpentry, you can make your own basic vertical post with a 4" x 4" post, some plywood for a base and platform, and sisal rope to wrap the post. Instructions for a basic scratching post can be found at the Cats International site
I've designed a basic horizontal scratching pad, and will post photos as soon as my prototype is built.
If your Cat has never used a scratching post, you might need to introduce him to it by rubbing a bit of catnip leaves on the scratching surface, then scratching the surface a bit with your fingernails, so he gets the idea. Most of them will take to it immediately, like cream cheese to a bagel.
Second Assignment: Negative Reinforcement
Chances are, once your Cat is satisfied with his scratching posts, he won't return to your satin sofa for his exercise. However, if he forgets, there are several aids you can use to remind him.
- Sticky Paws - this is double-sided tape which you apply to areas where your cat has been scratching your furniture. Cats hate the feeling, and will avoid the area. Sticky Paws is available in many pet stores, and on the Sticky Paws web site. A good substitute is double-sided tape available at most hardware store.
- Aluminum foil - whether it's the noise or the texture, Cats will avoid it as well as the areas where you've placed it.
- Sofa Savers - These are clear plastic corner protectors with a flat piece on the bottom that fits under the leg of the sofa. No web site, but you can call them for information at 972-790-6658
- Citrus - Cats hate the smell; most humans like it. Do double duty by spraying around the no-scratch zone with a nice citrusy air spray.
- Trim those nails! It may not stop them from scratching, but it will make those claws a bit less lethal, and less apt to snag on carpeting and bedspreads.
- Soft Paws - Invented by a veterinarian who considers declawing inhumane, soft paws are plastic nail caps that are glued on the nails, and last four to six weeks, depending on your Cat's mileage. Available from your veterinarian, or at the Soft Paws web site.
- Spray bottle - the trick is for the cat to associate the spray with the scratching, not with you, but it has to be done the instant he scratches erratically. If you want to carry a spray bottle around with you all the time, okay-- but you'll have to be both sneaky and quick, or it's all over. And puh-leeze - drowning the cat is not necessary.
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