I use to be part of this group about a year ago and left for my cats
where doing well and  I just did not have time.

But I have a problem and I am hoping those here can help me.

My cat, Gris, is 2 years old, Male, fixed, indoor/outdoor cat. He uses
his litter box fine and scratching post till recently. He is destroying
one of my new leather chairs. I am hoping to find a solution that allows
Gris to continue coming and going as he please but if I can't find a way
for him to stop attacking the chair, I see only 4 options, outdoor
kitty, get rid of kitty, allow chair to be ruined or declaw kitty.

Now before I am attack for listing last option, it is just that last
option if I can't retrain him, I am against it but the wife is clear on
this for we are getting the rest of the good leather furniture soon and
if Gris can't be stop/retrained something will be done.

Here is what I have tried, new scratching post in same room as chair,
about 3 feet away, with catnip in it to encourage him to use that. I
thought we had him retrained for I have been giving treats and praise
every time he even touches the post and I use a water bottle or kitchen
towel to scare away when even by the chair right now. I have even got
the double sided tape to put on chair and some nature's miracle spray to
discourage him from being around chair.

But every time I leave the house, he goes back to the chair, if I am
home he seems to behave. My wife works out of the house and try to keep
an eye on him but we can't watch him 24 hours a day.

We do have another cat, tj, and he is just as happy as can be with the
new post and has stopped his furniture attacks all together.

Please help me find a solution to Gris's problem before I am forced to
either keep him outdoors or worse. I personally don't want him to be an
outdoor only cat but I might not have a choice. (( by outdoor, he would
have access to garage and be allowed to sleep in garage at night if he
liked).

thanks,
J~