Is there a to stop the cats scratching stuff?

[Sparrowlegs248]

They have scratching posts and a coir mat. They are scratching at doors etc to be let upstairs. I am keeping them downstairs as they keep waking the baby up twatting about in the night. Does anything work or do I just accept they will ruin doors, carpets etc?

You have to accept it. People have had some success with putting carpet offcuts in places where they scratch, but generally cats scratch stuff (especially if you are not letting them go where they want to).

You could try double-sided sticky tape. Won't damage your paintwork or hurt your cats, but they don't like the feel of it, and you can remove it once they've stopped scratching.

I tried that Hirples. It made no difference whatsoever.

You can encourage them to scratch in the right place (eg. scratch pole) by spraying catnip on it.

There are citrus sprays you can buy to discourage them from scratching in the wrong places.

However, I have had limited success with these and agree with the previous poster on the whole.

If they're scratching at doors and you have carpets, watch out for getting trapped in your room because they've pulled the carpet up outside - happened to me when I unusually shut my cats out of my bedroom because I was ill - there followed 20 minutes of trying to unwedge the carpet from under the door through the small space I'd manage to create by shoving.

I've never tried it but I've heard that putting tin foil around chair legs etc stops them as they don't like it.

Citronella can help, they hate the smell of it, do adding it to a water spray bottle & then spraying it where you don't want them scratching will work,for a lot of cats, you need to keep doing it though as it wears off quite quickly

Thanks all. It's definitely for attention/to be let upstairs. We have a door at the bottom of the stairs, which are carpeted, and the carpet kind of comes below the door and is ruined

They have a large area downstairs so I don't feel bad shutting them down. Ds has started finally sleeping through but the cats either wake him or me.

I'll try the tinfoil I think, should fold over the step quite easily.

They want to be with you, just give in. Once a cat knows it has free reign it will settle happily. Lock it outcat. We need a imojo for pissed off with slave

You can try "Pet Behave Spray" from P@H... but I can pretty much guarantee it won't work!
🙄

If you do find a solution please let me know.

Scratching is part of marking behaviour and I have had success with feliway spray. You need to keep spraying it to remind the cat that the item belongs to them and they don't need to scratch it.

We bought some cat behave spray from the vets. Sprayed it on the sofas and places he's been clawing.

Apparently they don't love it on their paws and it smells weird to them, so they stop clawing the sprayed places.

Worked for us

Unlike Felix who used to mark his places with his head, Sev never does this.
He always scratches. So we've got scratchmarks at all places he thinks are his (on the wall at the top of my wardrobe, the wall next to the kitchen waste bin, DD's sofa etc.) He's immune to "cat behave sprays" and ignores catnip. He uses his scratchposts as well...

I got me a "dry wall repair kit" and a few robust spreads for furniture.
He is like that and he wont stop.

I bought 4 of these.

www.bitiba.co.uk/shop/cats_accessories/cat_trees/scratch_pads/371324

I have put them where the cats clawed the carpet and it seems to be working. They come with a sachet of catnip which they love and I have another bag of catnip so sprinkle some on the boards a couple of times a week. They also have scratchposts all over the place but still on the odd occasion decide the back of the sofa is a good place, they get told no and they walk off looking offended.

Try putting some scratchboards by the doors you want them to stop clawing at during the day so they get used to using them and then pull them as close to the door when you close it at night. And just hope for the best.

At least they are pretty cheap if they don't work.

Squeak That is so true! One of ours goes nuts if the downstairs toilet door is shut. Even if there is no one in there! If you open the door for her, she just looks at you as if to say 'what?' and then walks off!!

I spray areas with a mix of water and lemon juice. Just a light whiff of the lemon puts my cats off scratching :) I do have to keep spraying it every now and then though.

+1 for double sided sticky tape. Worked well on our bottom carpeted step.

Mycats, you know cats little buggers(gorgeous felines) are in charge, DO NOT SHUT A DOOR ON ME, otherwise, life is hell. I have door stops in every room to keep the little (buggers) gorgeous furry ones happy