Can cats be trained to never scratch the sofa or is it just pot luck???

[Magicpinkshadow]

I have a 9 week old kitten and a 3 week old sofa!! Not a great combination I know!! I previously had a cat and he was never interested in scratching the sofas I'm hoping this kitten will be the same. Do any of you have any tips to try and safe guard against this???

[isseywithcats]

plenty of alternatives to sharpen his claws on as in scratching posts what i did when i bought a leather suite was put some lemon juice and oil into a spray bottle and sprayed the sofas and polished it with this mixture as cats dont like lemon, or if material suite you can mix lemon juice with water and spritz the suite with this mixture

[isseywithcats]

also keep a spary bottle near you with just plain water in it and if the little dear goes to scratch the sofa a quick spray of the kitten soon gives them the message that its not a good activity to indulge in,

[lljkk]

You can encourage them to scratch elsewhere (a surface you provide), by showing them how great it is to scratch there (you have to act like a cat). Read up online or see youtube.

One of our cats copies & others are too thick to figure it out.

Cats like to scratch right after naps, eating or poo'ing: so you want your desired scratch surface near where they sleep-eat-open bowels.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Ours never used the sofa as a scratch post.

Then I bought a Duresta sofa.

You can imagine the rest.

[Magicpinkshadow]

Ah great seems like I'm on the right track then, he has a scratching activity thing which he uses, also a few toys and he is played with for a couple of hours a day by me and my dc! I do spray him with a little water when he try's to jump up . Does lemon water damage the leather on the sofas at all??

[isseywithcats]

on leather you mix the lemon juice (only a little) with oil not water it polishes and feeds the leather so no it doesnt damage it

[chockbic]

Oh dear Fluffy

You can get a catnip spray to put on his toys or scratch post. Hopefully as an alternative to your sofa.

[Fluffycloudland77]

It's ok, I'm having his legs amputated and mounting him on wheels.

[RubbishMantra]

^^

[springalong]

Fluffy - with you on the wheels :) Cat is on about his 19th life for sofa sabotage (and stair carpet)