Hello,
I was wondering if anyone has any tips for stopping cats from scratching thing you dont want them to scratch. We have three cats (all males) and they are all awesome and sweet. We bought a new house last march (brand new), it's our first house and we were so proud to get it. The cats absolutely love it coz they can look outside all the time and they have so much more room than in our old basement appartment.
The thing is that they have picked up the habit of scratching our stairs. (they're covered with carpet) not just one particular spot either but all over. They have done the damage, nothing can be done to fix it other than put new carpet on it. Which is not worth doing while they have not gotten out of the habbit. We have bought them scratchposts, they dont even look at them. I have tried to clip their nails so they're not so sharp coz someone advised me to do that but I find that just makes them do it more (to sharpen their nails again). I tell them off, scold at them if I catch them doing it.
Some of my friends told me to get them declawed but I refuse to do that. I am against that and think it's cruel. Did anyone else have to deal with the problem? If so what worked for your cat? I heard that you can buy spray that they're not supposed to like the scent and leave it alone, does that actually work? I have been tempted to buy them one of those " cat tree houses" where they can climb on and lay on and scratch etc. but am afraid to spend a lot of money for nothing coz they were never even interested in the scratchposts we bought...
All three of them do it and I'd like for them to stop, any advice is welcome!
I was wondering if anyone has any tips for stopping cats from scratching thing you dont want them to scratch. We have three cats (all males) and they are all awesome and sweet. We bought a new house last march (brand new), it's our first house and we were so proud to get it. The cats absolutely love it coz they can look outside all the time and they have so much more room than in our old basement appartment.
The thing is that they have picked up the habit of scratching our stairs. (they're covered with carpet) not just one particular spot either but all over. They have done the damage, nothing can be done to fix it other than put new carpet on it. Which is not worth doing while they have not gotten out of the habbit. We have bought them scratchposts, they dont even look at them. I have tried to clip their nails so they're not so sharp coz someone advised me to do that but I find that just makes them do it more (to sharpen their nails again). I tell them off, scold at them if I catch them doing it.
Some of my friends told me to get them declawed but I refuse to do that. I am against that and think it's cruel. Did anyone else have to deal with the problem? If so what worked for your cat? I heard that you can buy spray that they're not supposed to like the scent and leave it alone, does that actually work? I have been tempted to buy them one of those " cat tree houses" where they can climb on and lay on and scratch etc. but am afraid to spend a lot of money for nothing coz they were never even interested in the scratchposts we bought...
All three of them do it and I'd like for them to stop, any advice is welcome!