# How to teach a cat to scratch?



## elliotsmom (Jun 14, 2011)

Hi all. First off, I'm in Florida and an American, so please forgive my American spellings. 
I have just adopted a lovely and pudgy kitty named Elliot; his old name was Ares, but he's a lover not a fighter. He is three years old as best as the shelter could tell. It seems that he was never taught that scratching on a scratching post is good, and scratching on mommy's sofa is bad. I have gotten him a scratching box (the cardboard thingy), a scratching mat (you can either lay it down or hang it), and a part of a kitty condo that is all carpet, because he loves scratching my carpets almost as much as my sofa. I have attempted to lure him with praise, treats, his own scent, begging, my scratching, and catnip, to which he appears to be immune. 
All my previous cats have been declawed; I know now how cruel that was so please don't get sidetracked on that. I have trimmed most of his nails so when he's "making biscuits" on me I'm not losing vast quantities of blood, at least. 
Any ideas you can give me would be most appreciated.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Hi and welcome 
I think you have gone through all of things I would suggest  have you tried putting his paws on the post or mat and moving them in a scratching motion? Every time he scratches your sofa or carpet I would move him to the scratch mat or post and praise him if he uses it. In the UK you can buy scratch pads that cover chair legs - might be worth having a look for something like that.


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## Cloudygirl (Jan 9, 2011)

have you tried a huge scratching post so he can stretch up it. Mine started stretching up my kitchen dresser so that was my deterrent. When I first got the post they weren't having any of it but i got inspired and hung a ball on there on an elastic rope and they are hooked now.


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## Fluffed (Jun 5, 2011)

Yeah, my two ignored the scratching mat and scratching box I got them, but are truly in love with their sisal covered post.

Have you tried some anti scratch spray on your sofa/bed/rugs/curtains/anythingelseexpensivethatcatslovetoshred? I'm not sure how effective it is, but maybe its worth trying?


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## MoggyBaby (Mar 8, 2011)

When we got Abby a week ago, she was being kept in the spare room and she kept scratching the rug in there. Now I am rather fond of this rug so that didn't go down well let me tell you!!!!  I had put a small scratch post in the spare room for her to use and so every time she went for the carpet, I would say 'NO' in a strong, firm voice, pick her up and take her to the scratch post where I first would rub her paws on it and then gently squeeze out her claws and 'scratch' these down the post. After doing this a few times, she got the message and now loves to have a 'right good scratch' on the post, safe in the knowledge that Mummy slave won't be having a heart attack when she does!


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## elliotsmom (Jun 14, 2011)

He seems to not care for the sisal posts--like they're too harsh for him? But I think I'm going to try one anyhow because they're a lot cheaper than my sofa. I looked at the "no scratch" sprays but I didn't know if those would also keep him away from the sofa period, which would mean he wouldn't sleep on it. 
Mommy's stern "No!" when he's scratching seems to just make him laugh and scratch more, but the second "No!" makes him stop. 
How do they know the one thing in the entire house that you don't want them to scratch? I seriously wouldn't care if he scratched anything else; this was the only thing that I cared about and that was pristine.


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## AnimatedApe (Oct 18, 2010)

Lenin won't touch a scratch post, but she loves those Rattan footstools from IKEA. I put it in front of the sofa to stop her scratching that and it worked right away. When I get home from work and open the lounge door she runs in for a quick scratch on it before she even acknowledges me!

Our new kitten took to a scratch post immediately despite not having had one before.


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2011)

I found putting a scratching post in front of the favoured scratching point on the sofa helped as it blocked the access to the sofa, I also keep the sitting room door shut when I am not home and at bed time so they can't get to it, what is the sofa made from as the other thing you could try is covering the areas in double sided sticky tape as cats are supposed to dislike sticky surfaces, but keep up on the claw trimming as blunt claws cause less damage than sharp ones.


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## sticky (Sep 1, 2010)

Little Miss Messi also has never ever scratched a scratch post. She has 1 upstairs and another 4 built as 'stilt's of a house downstairs, and I've tried to take her away from the sofa onto the scratch post and put her paws on it in a pretend scratch, and I even mimicked scratching the posts myself!! I've also tried spraying the posts with catnip - all to no avail. She prefers the carpets and my sofa, which is now covered in sellotape as I read somewhere it deters them from scratching as they don't like the sensation of scratching the tape, and it does work, except there is the danger of having to use rolls of tape to cover every inch, and looking like the sofa is being held together by tape!!!

One great discovery is that she has taken to scratching a box that I was going to throw away. So I kept the now tatty big box for her to scratch on. But you can imagine my living room......sofa held together by sellotape and a big scruffy box in a corner!!! Very inviting...


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## tyrole (May 5, 2009)

Max loves the rattan washing basket  its virtually bare now so I'll have to replace it. I've bemn lucky, he's stayed away form the leather sofa, thank goodness. Unfortunately he loves the wooden door frames


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## TatiLie (Nov 2, 2010)

Welcome to the forum!

You could try to hang a toy on the top of the scratching post. Or place a treat on the top of it, in this way he has to climb to get it.

I think that as soon as he gets how it works, he will love it. My cat does the scratching everytime she comes from outside, after using the toilet, and before getting her food and treats. My husband says that she's 'washing hands' 

I hope it helps!


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