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Original poster

Quick poll for all cat owners........

23 replies

Northerner · 20/03/2006 22:53

Do they scratch your sofas and other furniture?

The 2 we used to have did this and dh is against getting another one cause we have new leather sofas. I'm trying to convince him we can stop them from doing this.......help!

OP posts:

Aero · 20/03/2006 22:58

Ours tend to do this when we're not around - they know not to when we are, or we can give them a stern word if they attempt. You can't stop them doing it, but I just shut the door if I'm leaving the house, and at night to keep them out.

ps I'm hoping for leather sofas one day, so this is my way of getting around the fact that they do scratch.

QE2 · 20/03/2006 23:01

As a young 'un, my cat clawed the leather sofa and climbed up the curtains. She still claws the carpet on the landing even now and she is 9. Have always wanted to get one of those scratching posts but never got round to it - if I were you I'd get yourself one then get another cat!

Hattie05 · 20/03/2006 23:10

Did as a kitten, but stopped once i bought a scratching post and taught her to use it.

6 years on only scratches post or front door mat.

WigWamBam · 20/03/2006 23:22

Our cat didn't scratch for years - we bought a scratching post and taught her to use it by putting her claws on it every time we caught her trying to scratch anywhere else. She's 10 now, and over the past couple of years she's started to scratch again, usually just the carpet but occasionally the furniture.

You can buy strips to stick onto furniture you want to protect - I think they're called Sticky Paws. No idea if they're any use on leather though.

joash · 20/03/2006 23:28

NOPE - cause I'd turn him into a rug if he did (just bought a very expensive suite - wanted it for 15 years and the cat dies if he touches it)

nightowl · 21/03/2006 00:19

oh yes they do. they have also stripped my textured wallpaper off. i wanted a new suede effect choc sofa but im holding for now, i know they will just ruin it. they have the sticky strips in betterware, like transparent...well like sellotape kind of stuff. i dont know if they work.

we had a scratching post and the cats would never use it...grrrrrrrrr.

wabbitintheheadlamps · 21/03/2006 01:23

No my cat doesn't claw at anything - he eats houseplants for attention though - or knocks over all the chessmen - or jumps on tall shelves - or threatens my horse sculpture on the mantlepiece

Sorry you didn't ask that but had to let off cat annoyance steam!

No he doesn't claw the furniture or doors or anything

ghosty · 21/03/2006 01:25

Our cat only scratches the carpets ... and one of our chairs. For some reason (don't know why) she doesn't scratch the sofa (one of those macro suede ones) ...

GandT · 21/03/2006 01:57

My 3 have a scratching post. They used to have a go at the sofa but after a few quick zaps with the plant sprayer, they quickly got the message. There are oils that you can use to put cats off. I rubbed my daughters cot with a little orange oil to keep them out. There are other oils/smells but I can't remember off the top of my head.

catrin · 21/03/2006 14:36

Ours will scratch anything possible, with the exception of the scratching post. Sofas ruined, doormat shredded, keeps me awake trying to scratch way into wardrobe, claw marks on doors. Wouldn't swap her but threaten to kill her several times a day. No lovely leather sofa for us :(
Sorry is not much help - get one anyway!

Eve2005 · 22/03/2006 22:45

our current cat is a stray i enticed in as a kitten whos so grateful to be loved he's a perfect angel, used the scratching post from day 1 without having to be shown.

my previous cat/creature on the other hand..... he attacked everything plants, ornaments, tv, us, goldfish, you name it he attacked it. was warned when i adopted him he was a nightmare but didn't take it seriously. he was a sweetie when calm but tore the house apart when he was playing, yet oddly enough he used the scratching post from the day i got it for him and never touched the leather couch again![scratching head in confusion emoticon]

leggymamba · 22/03/2006 23:08

Scratches carpet too. Doesn't touch the leather sofa, but doesn't tend to go near it as too scared of the dogs and kids normally on it (who have scratched it!)

katyrocks · 23/03/2006 23:15

we took in two cats at the same time. the 7 year old wrecked everything with venom, including the new leather sofa, (grrrrrr - gutted...), wallpaper and panelling; whilst the kitten (1 yr) only occasionally scratched the carpet. don't know why there should be such a difference unless it's a territorial thing, because the older one was very much Top Cat.

sharklet · 23/03/2006 23:20

Ours doesn't. But he's allowed out and he scratches trees and the like to sharpen his talons. If they're indoor cats you need a scratching post of some kind - however they may not (being cats) go for it. You can always try using some catnip on them.

willow2 · 23/03/2006 23:22

Yes. And they chew things like wicker or seagrass baskets. Practically eaten their way through the base of the chair I'm sitting on, actually!

shimmy21 · 23/03/2006 23:29

nope but that's probaby because we have a manky old sofa that the cat wouldn't deign to touch

Journey2 · 11/04/2006 09:30

Yes.. sofas and the end of bed. Ignores cat post.
Nightmare since we are moving back to UK and now have rented furniture. Bought 4 sofa covers to protect them, cat not interested now but prefers to sit on the tv making it all hairy :) So much for the water spray!

Kelly1978 · 11/04/2006 09:43

yep, sofas and scratching post.

edam · 11/04/2006 09:52

God yes. Apparently rubbing the edges with lemon soap or a lemon candle stops them because they don't like the smell or getting something under their nails.

madmarchhare · 11/04/2006 09:53

HellKat · 11/04/2006 09:59

Yes sofas & carpet. But that's only one cat. the other one is a cutie and only uses the doormat to scratch (they don't bother with the scratching post)

DumbledoresGirl · 11/04/2006 10:01

We have two and no they don't scratch the furniture or if they try to they are quickly dissuaded!

Much to my surprise, the scratching post dh bought for them was well received and they scratch that instead. (I grew up with cats and never knew one to use a scratching post until we got these two).

colditz · 11/04/2006 10:12

My cat scratches the sofe, and carpet. He has a scratching post, but we threw it away because he wouldn't use it.

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