Cats

[genius101]

I am thinking about getting a cat but know from experience that they claw at sofas!!!!

I have just bought a new Leather Sofa and will cry if it gets clawed

What can I do to stop a cat doing this - I also know getting a scratching post is not enough

Any ideas???

[indieanna86]

Well not all cats will do this, I have 3 and they prefer their scratch post so thats the best solution. Other than that, if you noticed that it is clawing your sofa, keep a spray bottle handy and just give it a little squirt, it won't do any harm and lesson will soon be learned!

[wiggal]

I have always heard this is a big problem when getting cats, but I have a cream leather 3 piece suite & 6 Cats! But I have never ever had a problem with them clawing it, they just dont seem to bother with it.
I dont have a problem with my cats scratching anything really!
So in my experience I wouldnt worry too much about it.

[thedelbwa]

a) Cut its feet off
b) Buy a dog

Sorry....couldn't resist...I live with 2 cats, both of which I am severly allergic to, they tend to scratch maybe the rug, me, but not really the sofa...at least not when I'm there

[Siamsal]

We never managed to stop ours. Even though they are outdoor cats and have a post indoors. The bext thing seemed to be a big throw over the sofa.

[genius101]

thedelbwa you sound like my fella - he is not keen on the idea and they would be his suggestions

the throw was an idea but not really an option being as its a nice sofa...

i dont know - some of you haven't even experienced this so i reckon i will give it ago

Ta all

[beryllium]

Hey genius :-)
Do invest in a scratch post from the start and my cat has never clawed the sofa, but she loves the linen basket and her post and the dogs nose hehe...
I bought her a new one, but she likes her old one still....
Have lots of lovely fun with the new edition :-)
And.... are you rescuing lol... lots of little kitty cats needing homes out there..... :-)

[cyberfraggle]

Our 2 cats have always scratched the sofa, we've tried sprays to deter them but it didn't and then the living room smelt of chemicals. They have had scratch posts and didn't use them, obviously didn't do the job as well an expensive sofa :) Now we've taken to clapping our hands really loud when they do it. I think the water spray idea would be the best bet, hadn't thought of that before I think I'm going to try that. I think it just depends on the cat and if they have expensive taste :)

[luckyeight]

Luckily I think that cats don't want to claw leather furniture... they will claw fabric furniture, but leather just doesnt' have effect of filing their claws. Could be wrong, but that's my experience - my cat clawed a fabric chair to death, but wasn't remotely interested in the leather settee.
Think the old clapping/spray deterrent is the one, though, if the cat does start doing this.

[cyberfraggle]

A few years ago in my youth, I had to move in to my mums (now ex) boyfriends house and I really didn't like him. He had a leather sofa which he'd been storing in what was to become my bedroom. (I'm veggie BTW) so it stayed in my room but he also hated the cats, They used to live in the downstairs part of the house with me (it was quite big) and I'd let them in and out my bedroom window which was downstairs. One day I noticed that under the throw which I'd put on so I didn't have to sit on the leather, they had clawed the hell out of the arms :) I shouldn't smile about it and usually I wouldn't but he wasn't a very nice person at all (just so you get an idea he threw one of my cats down the stairs hence why I moved out pretty sharpish) and we soon moved out without him knowing what the cats had done. I think it was just their little bit of revenge but either way the leather sofa had a lot of big claw marks in it.