How to convince my very lazy, very fat boy to scratch something else.

[fuzzymoon]

I would like to replace my landing carpet but our lazy , fat boy loves to lie out and scratch it. He does this laying on his side he can't even be bothered to stand up to do it.
Scratch posts are no good as they wobble under his weight and he won't climb up them.
Scratch boxes even sprinkled with catnip don't hit the mark as they move and he's too big to longe on them comfortably.
Carpet squares lift up and don't have the resistance.
He's got a 'don't feed me collar' and is on a diet from the vets but he is just large and very very lazy.
Has anybody got any quirky ideas that might work ? I'm sick of my thread bare carpet even though he's not.

Put laminate down. We did that.

Can you get a heavy horizontal scratcher?
Even a heavy piece of wood, covered with carpet offcuts?

Have you tried that citronella spray that is meant to stop them? Didn't work for us, mind.

Not sure why I am offering ideas - mine does the same.
Cat is just go e 1 now and had his boosters the other day. I asked the vet for advice to stop him scratching. He said he has one that scratches the sofa constantly and has wrecked it so he got some plastic boards to put where it happens.

So how he has a wrecked sofa with plastic on, and the cat scratches the chair.

We provided bits of wood about two feet long for our last cat. One upstairs on the landing and one downstairs. They are just plain off cuts of pine about two feet long. No covering.

We have just got another cat and he uses them too. Our carpets and furnishings have stayed scratch free. I do have to vacuum up the sawdust every morning.

Our cat has 1 horizontal scratching post on the stairs and a big climbing tree at the end of the stairs - never used either. When I got new carpet during the summer I bought 'pet behave spray'and sprayed that once in the morning and at night going to bed. He stopped pulling up the carpet and uses the horizontal box but not the tree. Used the spray consistently for 3 months and then lessened it down. He did scratch the odd bit but I kept it up and at this point, he doesn't scratch it at all. Worth a try maybe.

Google “cat scratching barrel” - way sturdier than a generic scratching post. They’re not “cheap”, but I’ve had mine almost 10 years and it’s one of the best things I’ve bought. they are tall and sturdy, easy for them to stretch to full height to scratch without tumbling over. Pop that on the landing and it might help.

If you can afford two, then put another one in front of a window - my boy loves a good scratch and then settling down on the top to check out what is going on outside (bit of a lie, he just curls up to go to sleep!)

Scratching barrels are good. We also have half-tube ones that strap to useful objects like sofa legs. Radius about 10", two feet tall.

Also if he's actually fat you need to manage his weight since he's not going to. It's irresponsible to have overweight pets.

HerNameIsIntercontinentiaButtocks did you actually read the OP's post about her cat being on a diet from the vets and wears a do not feed me collar?

I agree horizontal scratching post, my elderly cat totally destroyed the stair carpet, it was horrendous but is now too old to scratch anything and neds to have her claws clipped regularly.
I was ashamed to show people round when I was selling the house because of the state of it. Luckily they wanted to put hard flooring down.

Thanks everyone some brilliant ideas. I'm off to google them all.