Hmm usually squirt bottle works, you gotta be really consistent with it. and if u leave home then maybe put them in a laundry room until you get back. when u spray them and say no! then grab them and put them on the scratching post. when you see them actually scratching the post, then dont forget to go and praise them for doing the right thing. cat nip on the posts and try using a training spray for ur furniture, i used it on my stairs and they cant even walk by it becuz it is so strong to them but i cant smell it. AND if that doesnt work then there is something called "soft paws" there silicone tabs you put on there claws, i think they last about a month and then u need new ones.
hi, i have a bunch of kitties (9) and they are all, all 4 declaw... yep, no claws... (they are all indoor of course), and their happy as can be and so am i!!! but if you don't want to do this i would suggest "clipping" their claws... you can buy a cat toenail clipper at the pet shop.
i used to do it all the time, and it works great but you have to do it once a week...(a little difficult with 9 kitties...hahaha) you just clip the tip watching not to go below the pink part... the kitties really hate it though... not that it hurts them, but they really put up a stink...i think its because you have to hold them down while you do it... you know kitties hate that but it does work great...
no more scratches, no more torn furniture... as long as you keep clipping!!! as for me i perfer the declaw... all my kitties are fine and happy... if i clipped, i'd have 180 toes to clip weekly...lol
hope this helps!
sandi
ps. put those scratching posts by thier favorite furniture spots... that may help too... kitties will still want to claw even after they are clipped, they just won't ruin anything when they do it...
~:O)
My 16y/o drives us nuts. We've tried squirt guns and many scratching posts to no avail. Unfortunately, she's sort of trained us to when she wants to go out by heading over to the big soft chair and putting her claws into it as a signal that she wants to go out. No real damage to the chair but she's made a mess of some of our wall to wall, especially the first step of the stairs. We do have to keep something on the floor of each corner of the carpeted rooms because otherwise she'll tear them . It's getting to the point of who's going to out live the other,her or us. Otherwise, she's very healthy, very friendly, still hunts our local field mice and moles, loves to climb trees, has never had a flea, is meticulus about herself, and we've never seen a fur ball in the 16+ years that we've had her.
At PetSmart and PetCo you can buy what's called Soft Paws. They're little caps that you glue on over the nail. We cap my cat's claws - we have a leather couch! It's painless and much more humane than having them declawed. If it wasn't for Soft Paws my furniture would be shredded by now!!!!
cat deterrent spray worked for us- also helped keep them from munching on our plants
Please please please do not get the cats declawed. I wont preach but take a look at this website for more information:
http://www.declawing.com/
As far as training a cat to use the post it is REALLY easy. Make sure the post is where you want it. bring the cat next to the post and dangle a toy, or a string from the top of the post so they try to catch it. when they miss, their claws will go into the post and naturally they will want to claw the fabric. Also try this right after you stop them from doing it on the furniture. when they start clawing the post praise them and give them treats. continue the spray bottle and saying no, but give lavish praise for doing the right thing.
it really wont take long to get them on the right track.
this has worked for me with my cat who was scratching my furniture for most of her kitten-ness. after only a few days she stopped on the furniture.
thanks
I just wanted to vouch for Soft Paws as well. I had the vet tech apply them the first time so I could see how it was done, and then I was able to reapply them one-by-one as they came off. They lasted a long time, and my cat didn't care that he had them on!
Karie
i also suggest strong verbal praise and petting when your cats finally do use the scratching post so the correct behavior is reinforced with rewards. that and a spray bottle works for my cat. he can't show off enough on that scratching post now!
Hi! I have 2 male cats that have all of their claws, couldn't bear to declaw them although some days I wish I had! Anyway, we have a huge kitty towel w/a large scratching post on it. Try to put cat nip on the rope part of the scratching area, they may get them over there to sniff it and maybe, just maybe they could be tempted. Also, I would take their little paw, stick their nails out and scratch the post w/them so they know what to do with it.
Good luck!
There is a product that you can get thru Foster and Smith and maybe Petco...it is called Feliaway. Just a squirt where you don't want them to scratch and they will avoid that area. It has pheromones in it that cats associate with calmness or something like that. Anyway, it worked wonders with my cat. He walked up to the couch and just walked away. Also you are supposed to be able to use it for behavioral problems such as peeing, but a lady I know tried it for that with her Persian and it did not work. I don't even have to use it anymore..Willy just does not scratch after I used it twice! It also is supposed to relieve stress if you spray it in their kitty carrier to take them somewhere or especially to the vet. It worked for me. In fact, I couldn't believe it. I refuse to declaw my cats! Can'thurt to try and like I said it was a miracle for me. I was amazed!
First off, i want to say something about the post put up by 'LvdByGod':
I agree with trimming their nails,
but "you just clip the tip watching not to go below the pink part... the kitties really hate it though... not that it hurts them, but they really put up a stink..."
First off...Dont trim below the pink part, yes...and second-IT DOES HURT THEM!!
If you trim too low, they will 'scream' and the nail will actually Bleed!-They arent much different than us, if you cut your finger nails too short-it bleeds and hurts like hell-Same goes for cats!
Try those Soft Paws, they are like little 'caps' that go on over top of the nail...
and try putting cat nip on their clawing posts and show it to them!
Thick plastic covering the furniture works (the stuff that you would get when the furniture arrives)--we did this for two weeks and now our cats won't go near the furniture because they equate it with the plastic (even though we have now removed the plastic). We also did this in combination with a squirt bottle and saying no. Both cats know where they can sit and where they can't.
One more thing...there is a machine you can get that sprays into the air and makes a noise cats hate--I am unsure of what it is called but one of my relatives used it for their cat who would climb into their Christmas Tree and on drapes. It is motion sensored. By a couple of weeks, it doesn't even have to go off--they see the light flashing (which is a warning it is about to go off) and they take off. Soon all you have to do is put the machine near the furniture and they won't even go into the room:)