New furniture - how to prevent cat from scratching

WeiRDgeRL · ‎03-09-2010

Hi Everyone -

We are in need of some new furniture but before we buy I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with a particular product that helps to keep your cat from scratching furniture.

I know about the water bottle trick and shaking a can of coins which I think would be more annoying to me than my cat LOL!!

Any other tricks or ideas?

okBlonde · ‎09-23-2013

When I got rid of my nubby-textured furniture and replaced it with microfiber, my cats stopped scratching the furniture. I also provide several scratching posts.

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

tape ugly but does the job

there is 2 sided tape in the pet section for this, but I used clear packing tape too

Another new name Sue · ‎03-11-2010

Make sure kitty has plenty of her own scratching surfaces, both the horizontal and the vertical styles so she can choose what she likes. I've used the double sided tape and it works, but it's a shame to have to put it on new furniture. There is a spray you can put on furniture (pet stores have it). Not sure if that actually works or not. As soon as the new furniture comes, watch her carefully so you can scold if she lifts one claw!

Also what we did is get the tips you glue on the cat's claws. It's kind of a production, took two people for us even with a cooperative kitty, but it does help greatly.

After the kids were grown, we got a new sofa and love seat. I was so happy to have something nice that wouldn't be beat up by kids. You can probably guess the rest of the story.

Good luck, and hope you enjoy your new furniture.

luvboyds · ‎03-10-2010

We put the soft claws on ours. Only one of them does it so she get the claws put on. Our other cat uses her post. She actually got some new ones put on two days ago. Work like a charm.

KelBell · ‎04-21-2010

As the other poster stated, DO NOT purchase any furniture with a nubby texture! Buy only smooth-textured fabric. And, as stated, have plenty of scratching posts for them....especially in the new furniture room.

I have new furniture, have a multi-cat home, & none of them touch the new pieces (smooth texture).

For scratching, I have "Worlds Best Scratching Posts", purchased at Drs. Foster & Smith (verticle- they LOVE this), and an "Infinity Cat Scratch Lounge" (Amazon)...they also love this (its horizontal). Both these posts look fairly good in a nicely decorated room. The Infinity Lounge kind of looks like a piece os furniture- I bought the walnut color.

KelBell · ‎04-21-2010

The water bottle and can of coins work well for training, but you HAVE to be in the room where the scratching is happening. Thats hard to do unless you keep your cats in another room when you're not home.

I used both methods for training new cats coming into the home. But I did keep the cats in a separate room when I was gone. You have to be on top of the situation with those training tools.

Deadeye Daisy · ‎01-18-2011

Try to buy furniture with nylon or polyester velvet upholstery.

Have always been owned by cats, and in the past 54 years, only ONE tried to 'scratch' the upholstery - Peeper. He was also the only one who was declawed. He did try hard, though. Not to mention, he could knock the sh*t out of any other cat, dog, ferret, bird or anything else that messed with him. Don't let anyone EVER try to tell you that a declawed cat is defenseless. Far from it. They KNOW they don't have claws, and WILL use their teeth. He could climb a tree better than the ones with claws, and kept all the squirrels and chipmunks at bay.

Cat's don't like the feel of the velvet on their paw pads. They only try to sharpen their claws on something that 'feels' somewhat rough on the pads.

The only time we have ever replaced upholstered furniture was because WE tired of it. Currently have TEU furniture. One set of cushions are washable nylon velvet. Have had for 16+ years.