How do I stop cats from scratching my couch?
We have a brand new couch but our cats keep scratching it up. How can we get them to stop doing this before our couch is ruined?
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Answers ( 1 )
Double-pronged solution: Something else to scratch that's better, and a really good squirt bottle.
My last bad scratching cat got a few of those cardboard scratch mats which I cleverly rubbed with catnip- the carrot, let's call it. Soooo attractive to the cat nose; soooooo wonderful to dig the claws into, sooooooo sublime--- You have to keep an eye on the thing, because it gets unscratchable after awhile but they are inexpensive, so buy a few for back up.
The squirt bottle is the stick. As soon as the cat even reaches a paw towards the couch-- squiiiiiirrrrrtt! all the way from across the room if need be. The cat won't like it, but oh well, you don't like your new furniture scratched up. It works, too- cats don't like being squirted.
You have to pay attention, you can't let the cat scratch without being squirted. If it is happening while you are not home, well, you may have to close the cat in your bedroom, or even a cat carrier- you can't let the cat win this one, even once.