New sofa versus The Cats

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When we were searching for the Fur OverLords we knew our furniture was at risk and luckily (being as I am a domestic slattern) the sofa and hall/stairs carpet were quite old so not too heartbreaking when it got a bit mauled .

The sofa has pegged it , new one on order , nothing snazzy , Ikea which changeable covers .
Our little boy cat likes to waltz over , stretch up and apply the claws , doesn't hack at it , more a grip.
And they have a cat tower scratchy post that's nearly my height

I'm hoping as its new he'll want nothing to do with it .
I even bought one they can hide under Bonus points for the Cat Mum here .

So , how to start the very one sided conversation of "Oi , peasant , leave my sofa alone"

I have found after a lifetime of having cats that getting a small animal clipper and giving their claws a trim that they offend an awful lot less afterwards.
Anything is worth a try :) Its a two man job btw :) :)

Bunty I'm an NHS Podiatrist and I've treated potentially violent patients with dementia , I used to cut the guinea pigs' claws (and they were judgey but not jaggy)
These cats would have me , I kid you not .
I'd be picking my bits up and off to A&E

Years ago , with our old cat ( 15 years ago) I asked in the carpet shop how to stop this (she hacked our carpet through to wood)
He said "Kill the cat"

I nearly told him just what to do with his roll of carpet

@70isaLimitNotaTarget

Bunty I'm an NHS Podiatrist and I've treated potentially violent patients with dementia , I used to cut the guinea pigs' claws (and they were judgey but not jaggy) These cats would have me , I kid you not . I'd be picking my bits up and off to A&E

Years ago , with our old cat ( 15 years ago) I asked in the carpet shop how to stop this (she hacked our carpet through to wood)
He said "Kill the cat"

I nearly told him just what to do with his roll of carpet

Couldn't you wrap the cat in a towel with just the head sticking out and hear me out here... one of you has something the cat loves eating as a distraction and the other one clips the claws. Quickly :)

I have three Siamese. The biggest one who has claws like a bloody eagle and has damaged just abut every piece of furniture I have ever owned, just sat there and let me do it. I could not believe it.
The other two however were a different story and bit us both, but we confined the clipping to one foot at a time

If the scratching post you already have isn't one like this, I'd really recommend you try it. We've ended up having to have 2 of them and they are huge, but both cats much prefer them to any other type, and most importantly, prefer them to declawing on our furniture.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B000634MH8/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

This is Mr Butter Won't Melt , I'm just snoozing here

Shabby old sofa .

I'll measure up thise scratch posts , our cat tower has tall colums wrapped in that sisal ropey stuff , maybe he'd like a full body length streych ?

Ah the old Black Cats Don't Photograph Well thing .

we have two little mini panthers .

They're definitely big enough for a full length stretch. The cat on top is our massive 18lb-er and the little looking one stretching is a normal size/length adult cat, just slim.

we had to get velvet sofas for this reason so that the fabric doesn't snag (and their claws get caught - even though we do periodically trim them)

I bought a Habitat sofa made out of some very tightly woven man made fabric - he tries to get into it and gets caught in it. So it's very unsatisfactory and off he goes to the scratching post. I won't have natural fabrics again as my linen slipcovers on the armchairs look terrible in comparison.

I’m a podiatrist too & can confirm dementia patients are easier 😂.

I watched lots of YouTube videos too. I feel our training didn’t prepare us for patients who are fluffy footed & liable to bite then sulk all night.

We have clear plastic scratchguards which pin to the sofa (so they can be removed with no trace). Just on the side they scratch the most, and there's a scratching post in front of it. Works very well.

I feel our training didn’t prepare us for patients who are fluffy footed & liable to bite then sulk all night
yes , I can get away with "Nearly done" "You're doing great" . "This'll feel much better when you put your shoes on" with human patients .

My cats would give me a judgey wide eyed I have 18 claws . Don't lie. You're nowhere NEAR done

My little fluffster had a favourite area of carpet, bit of a spray with feliway spray & he doesn't touch it all all now.

Also has a few scratch posts dotted around the house which have a liberal sprinkling of cat nip every so often & (his absolute favourite) a willows cat scratch box

My two shredded my ikea Ektorp. But the covers are replaceable. They barely touched my leather sofa. However magic has now started looking me directly in the eye and scratching before she jumps up. Little bugger.

@Fluffycloudland77 you should try cutting Cheddars claws. She's an absolute dream boat. As good as gold.

My old girl was the most tolerant, placid thing 99% of the time. The other 1% of the time was when anyone tried to touch her feet and she went absolutely batshit crazy. It was possibly to trim her nails at the vets, when she was off her turf and (frankly) terrified about it, but at home - nope, not happening. The mobile vet tried once and had to give up, even after engaging a large and thick towel.

Our two new rescues arrive on Monday, and there are plans for new sofas later this year. DH does not see the madness in this plan. I'm pretty sure my lovely new carpets are doomed. Ho hum.

At least you don’t have to say “relax your foot” to them all.day.LONG.

We’ve got this one - 120cm tall, it is huge (I was shocked when it arrived!)
They do use it - smallest cat shins up it and sits on top - but still scratch sofas and carpet

www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/scratching_posts/scratching_posts/385123?

We had one like that! I threw it in the garden in a PMT temper and it broke! I had to buy him another one.

Sofa is here and he hasn't given it a glance (yet) but he really doesnt like change .
The sight of the wrapping plastic and cardboard boxes had him scuttling under the kitchen unit ( his Safe Space)

Bless Him

Cardboard scratching boards have saved our sofas. Put a bit of catnip spray on them and they are irresistible to our sofa destroyer.

In a vain attempt to stop Boycat redecorating by removing the wallpaper with his claws, I got a long sizal scratcher which was mounted on a board, and attached it to the wall above the back of the sofa (Boycat's all time fave wallpaper removal area) with those "command" strips. (THIS one}

Boycat ignores it completely, but Girlcat loves standing on the back of the sofa stretched out full length scratching it.

Of course this only works if you don't care about trendy decor, or what visitors may think, but I gave up on all that when my life was taken over by the cats anyway.

I laughed out loud at you comparing your life as a pod to cutting a cats claws. Not because you are wrong. Was just very funny

This thread has made me smile.

My dear mum now deceased had cats. I got new sofas when we moved so gave my mum my old leather ones which were in very good condition.
Mum said (hopefully!) they won't like scratching on leather.
Well they did and it was truly a sight to behold they treated the sofas like two enormous scratching posts and founf it very exciting. My mum day there with a water pistol trying to discourage them! They took no notice.

After a month or so the excitement wore off and as it was a natural leather mum oiled out the scratches to some degree.