How to get my cat to stop clawing my dining room table legs...

[sarahlovesmickey]

Okay, I just love our little cat to death. I rescued her from a bad home when she was only 3 months old and consider her a part of our family.

Okay, that being said, I think I am going to strangle her!!! Not really, but I am frustrated because we recently got a used dining room set that is in like new condition. She keeps scratching at the legs of it and I don't know what to do about it. We have a scratching post type thing for her, but she ignores it. When we got her fixed, we opted not to get her declawed because of the price and because I just started feeling horribly guilty about it.

I really want our dining room set to last for awhile and don't know what to do about the scratching. She does it sometimes when we are right there and I do scold her for it, but what can I do when we aren't around???? any budget and animal friendly solutions???

 

[lisadr]

When ever I caught our cat being naughty, I squirted her with a water bottle. It was just plain water, totally harmless(although you'd swear it was acid by her reaction ) and it worked for me.

I wanted to add that when I wasn't home and didn't want her clawing the couch cushions, I put tin foil(one layer on top-I didn't wrap the entire couch-LOL) on the cushion. She didn't like that either. Maybe you can wrap a leg and see what happens??

 

[MagiKitty]

I have a few cats and I use a few tricks. First is a scratchy box. Its basically a box of cardboard strips, you can get it at any pet department. I sprinkle some catnip on there to get them to check it out and then they start scratching away. I praise them when they go to the scratchy box.

My one cat used to love to scratch the couch. I got this spray that somehow deters the cat, I guess it smells really foul to them. It smells a little when you first use it, but I don't smell it anymore and it seems to have stopped the cat.

Cats need to scratch. I bought one of those scratching posts for that reason and it has gone untouched in this house. They love that scratchy box though. You may want to put it near the table legs at fist, to encourage them to use the box, not the table.

Go to your local pet store and ask them there. They'll be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I use this : http://warreneckstein.com/store/buyyuck.html

as well as keeping a water bottle or water gun nearby. Whenever my cats go to claw something I spray them with water. After a week or two, the incidence of clawing was cut in half.....it takes persitence and patience. Spray the furniture 1-2x a day with the Bitter Yuck and then back it up with spraying the cat with water when they scratch.

Also....in regards to the scratching post...use a little bit of catnip to attract the cat to that area. Maybe hang a catnip toy to the scratching post, or put a small amt of fresh catnip in a ventilated bag and hang it from the post.

Hope this helps.

 

[alliedogsmom]

First of all, do not feel horrible if you decide to get your cat declawed. They can do it with laser surgery now and it is much less painful and a quicker recovery. I have had four cats done and there were no ill effects (they are all strictly indoor cats), I only have the front claws removed. If you want to try something else first, I would suggest you rub the table legs with a strong lemon oil furniture polish, cats generally find the odor and the taste offensive and will back off.

If that does not work, and you do not want to declaw, the larger pet stores sell rubber toe caps that fit over the cats nails. I don't know how much success you may have getting them on your cat, but it may be worth a try if all else fails.

Good luck!

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

thank you all so much for your ideas. I need to get a water bottle I guess! LOL I will also try some lemon furniture polish stuff. Yup, her scratching post is a no go, so I will look into that scratch box thing. She is just so precious and I love her dearly but this has to stop!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

 

[Kendallkat2]

I have 5 cats and have used Sticky Paws where I don't want them to scratch. Have put it on door molding, furniture, (wood and fabric). Found this website that sells it.

http://www.stickypaws.com/productsSPF.cfm

We also use the squirt water bottle. Somtimes I just yell at them pretend to have the water bottle make a squirt noise and they go running. It's too funny. I have one cat that continues to misbehave and when I yell at her she squints in anticipation of getting wet.

Plus when you do catch them scratching where they shouldn't squirt them them show them where they should be scratching. We too have the corrugated cardboard scratchers which the cats love. They are always fighting over them. We have 3. I have found that scratching posts don't work but the corrugated cardboard with the cat nip works great.

Good Luck!

Beth

 

[MiaSRN62]

Thank you Beth for the link on Sticky Paws

 

[Lucky4me]

We had to wrap the legs of our furniture with tin foil for a week or so.
The cat didn't like the feeling on his claws and stopped. Took it off and he never went back to it.

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

okay, note to self "wrap dining room table legs in tin foil" Also note to self: "Make sure my 2 year old doesn't peel it off"

 

[Melynny]

I was going to suggest Alumiunum foil also. I have also used clear contact paper on fabric furniture, it works like the sticky paws. but may be cheaper. Also, If you decide to use a squirt gun, with water, you should only squirt them, don't scream or scare them any other way so they don't associate the squirt with a human..that way it comes from the table or whatever.. and they won't do it when you are not home. Good luck!

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

I was going to suggest Alumiunum foil also. I have also used clear contact paper on fabric furniture, it works like the sticky paws. but may be cheaper. Also, If you decide to use a squirt gun, with water, you should only squirt them, don't scream or scare them any other way so they don't associate the squirt with a human..that way it comes from the table or whatever.. and they won't do it when you are not home. Good luck!

ohh, contact paper...good thought as well. I called hubby at home to tell him to begin the wrapping process. He said "ummm, tinfoil? you want me to wrap the legs in tinfoil?" I said yup...I think he officially thinks I have lost it.

good thought on the squirt gun too...

 

[rockyroad]

Have you clipped her claws?

Get someone to help you.
Wrap her in a towel and with clippers cut the "hooks" off her claws.

It will need to be redone every 10 days or so.
They will still scratch, but do less damage with no hooks to catch in stuff.

If you catch her scratching in the wrong place, pick her up and take her to the scratching post, (and like someone said, the cardboard ones are great), and gently rub her paws on the cardboard.

So,
Clip hooks off claws
Scold for bad scratching
Take her to the good scratching place
Positive reinforcement for wanted behavior

Just like kids, except for the claws

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

Have you clipped her claws?



Just like kids, except for the claws

Yup, have clipped her claws. at "just like kids, except for the claws"!!!

 

[SHAYMARAYSMOM]

When ever I caught our cat being naughty, I squirted her with a water bottle. It was just plain water, totally harmless(although you'd swear it was acid by her reaction ) and it worked for me.

I wanted to add that when I wasn't home and didn't want her clawing the couch cushions, I put tin foil(one layer on top-I didn't wrap the entire couch-LOL) on the cushion. She didn't like that either. Maybe you can wrap a leg and see what happens??

My cat loves water so that has never worked. I would spray him and he comes over looking for more.
I did buy a spray they sell at petco and put it on the things he claws at. For some reason the smell keeps him away. We can not smell anything but he can.