Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    
    	Do they like catnip?  You might want to try rubbing
    	some catnip into the rug on the scratching post.
    
    	JJ
    

    Is the post wrapped in sisal rope?  If not, you might try purchasing
    some and making a post with it or wrapping the legs of your current
    one with some rope.  My fiance made a large cat tree (frame looks
    exactly like a sawhorse with a platform on top and a tunnel on the
    bottom) and wrapped all four sides of it with sisal rope.  The cats
    love it (they took to the rope while Dana was building it) and our
    new furniture looks terrific.
    
    /R.
    

    Hi--
    
    Other things you can do:
    
    1.  Restrict the kitties to one area of the house when you are not home 
    to watch them.  Although my Billie no longer scratches the furniture, 
    we don't want her to get on the new couch and loveseat.  So I bought 
    2 baby gates, one 36" and one 26".  I put them in the hallway, one in
    front of the other, and she stays put in the "bedroom end" of the
    house.
    
    2.  When you are home, watch them.  WHENEVER they start to scratch the
    furniture (and you MUST be consistant with them or they won't get it),
    grab them firmly and say loudly, "NO!!".  Then take them to their cat
    post and put their paws in "scratch position" on the post, and run
    their paws down it so that they get the idea.  When you see them using
    the post on their own, make a very big deal about it.  Lavish praise on
    them (they love it), tell them what good boys/girls they are, and in
    the beginning, follow up with a treat (a bit of tuna, cooked chicken,
    etc.).  Feed it to them right on or near the post.  Then they associate
    the post with praise, treats, and all that good stuff.
    
    3.  If they continually go for the furniture, then by all means get
    yourself a C.A.T.  (This has been mentioned several times in here--
    on the strength of all the testimony in here, I bought one, too!)  This
    is a water pistol, filled (of course).  The second the kitties put a
    paw wrong, give them a squirt.  A blast of cold water in the butt
    really accomplishes wonders!  However, ONLY use this method to
    discourage bad behavior.  Don't play around with it and use it
    indiscriminately, or the teaching method is ruined.  (HINT:  Hide this
    from guests.)
    
    I have used all of the above methods, and they WORK.  I agree  with you
    about de-clawing.
    
    Keep us posted,
    
    Jane

    There are several notes in this file about scratching. You also might
    want to do a SHOW KEY/FULL SCRATCHING at the notes prompt.
    
    Deb

    I have six cats- none are declawed. Four of them never really
    scratched the furniture but 2 thought the couches were made for their
    pleasure. I purchased a cat condo thru this notesfile in April
    and since then the cats have not touched the furniture (thanks Marye).
    Anyway, now they ALL use the condo as a scratching post and parts
    have to be recovered. The condo is covered in carpeting which works
    for my cats, but as Roberta suggested sisal is excellent too. Prior
    to this, I had several scratching posts which rested on the floor,
    but the cats never really showed any interest in them, but they
    took to the condo immediately.
    

    When reprimanding the cats for scratching the couch, do not put
    them immediately onto the scratching post.  They will associate
    the post with being reprimanded.  This will make them want to stay
    as far away as possible.
    
    I have found that it is much more effective to make the retraining
    two separate steps.  I squirt the cats with spray bottle for scratching
    where they aren't supposed to.  But I do not immediately put them
    on the post.
    
    I wait til they are happy, playing, and in a good mood, then take
    them to the post and praise, praise, praise when they use it.  Pretty
    soon they start using it just to please you.  Instead of running
    their claws along the post (which my cats hate with a passion),
    I just put them about midway up the post so that they either have
    to cling on, or fall off. (this is a small post, about 3ft.)  They
    almost always will cling on and climb up or down.  This gives them
    the idea that that is what I want them to do.  Climbing the post
    lends itself to scratching the post in a very short time.
    
    Good Luck
    
    Jo

    None of my seven scratch the "human furniture" either, although I must
    admit that if Eirene or Pip feel ignored, they will scratch just to get
    my attention. I should probably mention that 4 of them were feral! At
    the risk of getting flamed again for expressing this opinion, I
    honestly think that a big part of training them to use the scratching
    furniture exclusively is, during their formative/new home adjustment
    months, to spend a lot of time with them and pay a lot of attention to
    them.

    Deb 

    Be sure the post is heavy enough so it won't frighten them by
    tipping.  Be suer it is tall enough so they can stretch.  I put
    catnip on top of the post when training a new cat, then I scratch
    at the post with my fingernails;  they seems to get the idea and
    scratch it themselves.  With my first cat, I had to have a post
    in just about every room (what?  me, walk?)
    

    None of the four scratch the furniture, but the do use the carpet
    on occasion.  The C.A.T. works well on those occasions.  I have also 
    cover the round metal support poles in my basement with carpet remnant 
    and secured it to the poles with sisal rope (about 50 Ft).  It is very 
    secure and won't tip (obviously ;-), is about 7' high, and they think
    it's the greatest invention.  They run at it, jump on it, chew it and
    tear it to pieces, which is exactly what I want them to do!
    
    If you have a basement and a tight budget, I highly recommend this
    solution.
    
    Mary-Michael
    

    The latest issue of "Cat Fancy" has an article on this.  It also
    includes some pictures and "ads" of scratching posts, condos and
    other innovative ideas.  
    
    Bernice
    Mother_of_Trouble+2

    
    Our two have been getting scolded for scratching doorjambs and carpets,
    but not the living room furniture.  The stuff we've got right now is
    *very* ratty (they can't make it look much worse), and we're planning
    to replace it soon.  When that happens, at least one of the old pieces
    will go in the basement.  I'm hoping that they'll recognize that as an
    okay place to scratch, making it easier to train them away from the new
    stuff.
    
    We shall see!
    Beverly
    

    I usually do something similar to what was described in a previous
    note.  I'll take the paws, make scratching movements against the
    chair or whatever and say firmly "No, Bad girl" (I don't yell it,
    just say it firmly) I then take them to their cat tree, make the
    scratching movements again and say "Good Girl" and pat them.  I
    don't think they associate the punishment with scratching the cat
    tree since I praise them for that.  They seem to get the idea
    pretty well, that its not the scratching that's the problem, its
    the location.
    
    And if you don't have time to make your own cat tree, I highly
    recomment Arubacat trees.  We have two and the cats adore them.
     Nancy Dc