How can I stop my cat from shredding the sofa?!
By dolfin
@dolfin (71)
Australia
September 26, 2009 7:13pm CST
Help! My cat won't leave the sofa alone! He will scratch it whenever I'm not looking. I've already bought him two EXPENSIVE scratching posts but he won't touch them. Me and Mr Cat have had several heart-to-heart talks but that hasn't helped any either! What else can I do to save my sofa?
5 responses
@olydove (1209)
• United States
27 Sep 09
I was lucky the first few times I caught my cats doing that I stomped my foot and said NO in a stern voice, it took a few times but they stopped. A friend of mine squirted hers on the behind with water.. I know that sounds mean but it worked and she didn't soak him. Just one tiny squirt and he took off running LOL.
I don't know what else I can say other than be persistent if you see him scratching on the sofa make a loud clap of the hands, or stomp your foot and say NO. The loud noise startles them and gets their attention and sooner or later he'll get the hint.
@dolfin (71)
• Australia
1 Oct 09
When he first started scratching the sofa, I used to yell NO and he'd stop, so he DID get the hint and now will not scratch during the daytime when I'm around. However in the middle of the night when everyone's in bed, sometimes I can hear scratching sounds and when I tiptoe out to look, sure enough he's at the sofa again... I will scold him then, but what if I'm fast asleep and don't hear anything?
@olydove (1209)
• United States
1 Oct 09
Hmmm, good question. I know this sounds odd, but I find my cats love to scratch on wood. When I take them outside they are always stretching against one of the porch boards and they scratch on it, so if you can maybe find a small piece of 2 by 4 and just lay it on the floor next to the couch see if he goes for that instead of the couch, and if so then maybe you can just remove some of the material off those expensive cat posts so he can scratch the wood from that?
Or if worst comes to worst maybe put him in a pet crate at night with a small fuzzy blanket and let him sleep in the crate?
@sandymay16 (1617)
• Philippines
28 Sep 09
Hahaha... my cat or kitten also do the same with the sofa. He scratches the top of the sofa even if everybody is looking. Well the sofa has cloth cover which I replace everyweek so the linen was the one who suffered really.
Everytime he scratches the sofa everybody calls him, get him out if the way, I sometimes twack his ears a bit LOL.
But I already gave up because if he can't scratch the sofa he will scratch our legs everytime we pass by.
@dolfin (71)
• Australia
1 Oct 09
Oh my, it's like he takes revenge on your legs eh? LOL
I now drape a large blanket over the sofa every night. He doesn't scratch that because it's soft and smooth. Whenever he sees me throwing the blanket over the sofa he'll give me a very disgusted look haha.
@snowy22315 (180674)
• United States
27 Sep 09
I think you could get her a good scratching post sometimes even a box will work, they also sell spays and things at stores like petsmart that should work to keep her/him away from your sofa. I am very happy thta my current kitty seems to have no such bad habits.
@sehlers (163)
• United States
27 Sep 09
If you're home, the squirt him with water thing works well. For when you aren't home, I've found that sprinkling ground cayenne pepper on the area the cat is scratching stops them too and won't hurt the sofa. Also, rub catnip on your scratching posts to make them more attractive. that's all I can think of right now. I hope that helps.
