Getting Cat To Stop Shredding Furniture?

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(PeteCresswell) - 26 Nov 2005 02:09 GMT

Is it even possible, or should we just think in terms of covering?

We have a little spritzer and started squirting the cat when it claws the wrong
things, but all it learned to do was run away when it saw one of us reaching for
the spritzer.

Like not getting on the dining room table (you think it's trained, but come down
one night at two am and find it sitting there...), it seems like they learn more
avoidance of the action when somebody's there than real avoidance.

We're currently thinking maybe strategically-placed doilies saturated with
something the cat avoids but which we can't smell - or, at least, aren't
bothered by.

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PeteCresswell

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Wayne Boatwright - 26 Nov 2005 04:37 GMT

On Fri 25 Nov 2005 10:08:24p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
(PeteCresswell)?

> Is it even possible, or should we just think in terms of covering?
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> with something the cat avoids but which we can't smell - or, at least,
> aren't bothered by.

Cat are masters of "creative" avoidance. Among our five, three are young
adults just out of kittenhood. For the most part they have adapted well to
scratching posts, but one of them still occasionally goes after the bottom
of one lounge chair, although she's getting better. We've simply given up
on preventing them from getting on the table or counters. The two older
cats have never done it, but the younger three are notorious. As many
times as they have been spritzed with water or told a firm "NO", they will
boldly jump up right in front of us. Before preparing food I make sure I
spray down the surfaces with a bleach solution.

There are some safe liquid repellants available but I don't know how
effective they are. You might consider such.

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Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

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dnr - 26 Nov 2005 07:11 GMT

> On Fri 25 Nov 2005 10:08:24p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
> (PeteCresswell)?
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> There are some safe liquid repellants available but I don't know how
> effective they are. You might consider such.

No doilies. Large, heavy throws over more-or-less fitted
furniture covers. Regular close claw-clipping on your part.
I can't see where cats could damage dining room table at
two am when there's no food on it....or did I miss something? Think
"covering" and "clipping".

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Beth - 27 Nov 2005 03:45 GMT

>> On Fri 25 Nov 2005 10:08:24p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
>> (PeteCresswell)?
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> two am when there's no food on it....or did I miss something? Think
> "covering" and "clipping".

I think the OP just doesn't want a cat on the place where food is eaten.
Personally, I tried to discourage mine from the table and other things but
realized that most places were just phases. For example, on top of the top
shelf of the computer desk (amongst my picture frames and snow globes), on
top of the towels in the linen closet that she opens, in the kitchen
cabinets with the glasses, on top of the new wood coffee table that now has
two scratch marks...at any rate...she got over every spot except my dining
table :) But, what did work for me for my wine rack that is not stable when
a cat is jumping on it trying to get to the artwork on the wall...was some
water on the table for a couple days. It's a glass top half-circle type
thing. I sprayed the table with some water and she jumped on and right back
off. Granted, she still gets up there from time to time to prove a point,
but that worked for the most part. I bought some natural odor spray that
was supposed to stop them, but she really didn't care about the smell of
that. Try getting something orange scented or banana scented and spray it
on the fabric itself for a few days. Again, it may just be a habit that you
can't break, but that should help. I also learned the hard way that nail
polish remover or nail polish will help. Unfortunately, as I was doing my
nails one day, my cat came up and smelled the opened bottles and got sick a
few moments later. So I wouldn't recommend that, but she no longer even
comes near me when those things are around.

Beth

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kate - 28 Nov 2005 03:21 GMT

> I think the OP just doesn't want a cat on the place where food is eaten.

I agree. I try to keep my little guy off the kitchen benches but
haven't had much luck so far. He is 9 months old today and has been
getting up there since he's been big enough to jump up ( or jump from
the lounge to the shelf unit to the bench!). I have tried

1. Removal with firm "no"
2. Removal with firm "no" and little smack
3. Squirt with water
4. Squirt with water/vinegar mix
5. Sticky strips

No success with any, he just licked the vinegar off and got back up
again. The sticky strips worked best but unless benches totally covered
he just picked his way through them so not sustainable. I have pretty
much given up and just clean thoroughly. The other reason I wanted him
off is that I would like to have cut flowers there from time to time
but he eats them! And lots of flowers are toxic. I tried putting them
on top of the fridge but now he can get up there too!!! Top of the 2m
bookcase is the only place I can have them now - funnily enough I don't
buy flowers so often any more :) Ah well, he is worth it.Although if
anyone has any other ideas I'd like to hear them.

Kate

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Pat in Atlanta - 27 Nov 2005 22:06 GMT

I bought some of that sticky tape they sell at Petsmart that you stick on
your furniture and nobody has scratched anything since. It's not terribly
noticable and you can easily remove it if you have guests.

> Is it even possible, or should we just think in terms of covering?
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> --
> PeteCresswell

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~*Connie*~ - 27 Nov 2005 22:58 GMT

> Is it even possible, or should we just think in terms of covering?
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> something the cat avoids but which we can't smell - or, at least, aren't
> bothered by.

Do you have anything in your house that the cat can use to stretch and to
claw at? Cats need to do this to take the outer coating off their growing
claws, and to get a good stretch. get a scratching post that is at least as
tall as your hip. The reason they are using the couch is because it is a
big stable object. Get something they can use to replace it. Make that a
good thing, and the couch a bad thing. They will get it. I have six cats
and five trees (cause Im silly) and my furniture is fine. Yea, from time to
time they try to scent it - aka saying this is mine - but Ive had my couch
for almost 10 years and I think Ive done more damage to it then they have.

As for getting them to stay off counter tops, Good luck. Although there is
one product out there I saw that was an "A-ha" moment for me. It is a
motion sensor can of air. My cats HATE canned air. This is a deterrent
that is activated by them when they are doing something wrong. It is
independent of you being in the room which is what should work.

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(PeteCresswell) - 28 Nov 2005 00:38 GMT

Per ~*Connie*~:

>It is a
>motion sensor can of air. My cats HATE canned air.

As in a can of compressed air that goes "pfffft" when something approaches?

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PeteCresswell

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Wayne Boatwright - 28 Nov 2005 02:29 GMT

On Sun 27 Nov 2005 08:34:28p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
(PeteCresswell)?

> Per ~*Connie*~:
>>It is a
>>motion sensor can of air. My cats HATE canned air.
>
> As in a can of compressed air that goes "pfffft" when something approaches?

Any idea where to get this?

Signature

Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

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wester@laway.net - 28 Nov 2005 23:35 GMT

>On Sun 27 Nov 2005 08:34:28p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
>(PeteCresswell)?
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
>Any idea where to get this?

Any office, computer, or possibly drug store or mass marketer.

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