# Is it worth investing in anti scratch spray?



## Mum (Jul 30, 2013)

I apologise if this has been covered before but I couldn't find any threads of product reviews for training products. 

Has anyone tried out anti-scratch sprays on leather sofas? There aren't enough reviews on amazon for me to really determine if these work but I know my neighbour had success with bitter apple spray for her new puppy. 

I was thinking of trying to clearly define play and scratching areas from day one by using natural dried catnip on the scratching posts and pads I've bought and the anti scratch spray on my OH's beloved leather sofa. The rest of the furniture is less important to me as a quick correction would interrupt scratching but not result in as much damage as the leather would potentially receive. This way the bad smelling spray would only be in one area of the house.

I do not wan't to punish the cat or make it fearful of our seating area I just make it seem less appealing to little claws and thus keep my OH sweet as it is his only man area in the house


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I believe Bitter Apple spray can work quite effectively to deter cats from scratching. I don't know if it will work with all cats. 

I have never had a problem with any of my cats scratching leather furniture, fabric furniture, carpets or walls, as I train them right from the start to use scratching posts. 

I have many of these around the house, some rooms such as the sitting room have 3 different scratchers. I have a mix of floor scratchers, large and small cat trees, and scratch mats fixed to the walls throughout the house.

I rub cat nip on the scratch posts. When the cat first arrives I show him what to do by taking him to one of the posts and gently paddling his little paws up and down on the post. I continue to do this every time I see him about to go for the furniture. I never shout or get cross with him, just calmly take him to the nearest scratch post. This has worked perfectly over all the many years I have had cats, including those I adopted in their senior years.


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

The spray will not work. It is not localized. The smell will permeate the entire room. Cats will not use leather as scratching posts anyway if offered a better alternative (see excellent advice above).

However, your sofa will still be damaged. Your cat will naturally jump on the sofa and sometimes use it's front claws to catch on. It will leap off your sofa and use the rear claws for purchase. If it is a kitten it will see the sofa as a wall of death challenge and try to run across the vertical surfaces.

It's only a sofa. If it is a special piece just keep it conditioned, shave off the scratches with an electric razor and re-moisturize. That's if you can be arsed. I wouldn't. Mine wears hundreds of battle scratches. Gives it some character.


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

Satori said:


> However, your sofa will still be damaged. Your cat will naturally jump on the sofa and sometimes use it's front claws to catch on. It will leap off your sofa and use the rear claws for purchase. If it is a kitten it will see the sofa as a wall of death challenge and try to run across the vertical surfaces.
> .


Neither of mine have ever looked at the leather sofas as a scratch mat but as above April does leap from the top hammock on to the soft back cushion of the big chair, so I have noticed there are scratches on it, I just decided to put a throw over the back. I know it's only a sofa but I do like to keep things looking nice.

The only piece of furniture they both scratch is a chenille ottoman, which i just let them get on with, Cookie even drags herself right round it


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## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

> Mine wears hundreds of battle scratches. Gives it some character.


Mine too  It has hundreds, if not thousands of tiny scratches and pinpricks from kittens when they aren't big enough to jump straight up. You can feel them but not really see them. Thank goodness for leather. It 'distresses' so well. I dread to think how many fabric sofas I'd have been through


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

With thinking also, op, that the sofa is likely to be a social centerpiece. I spend most of my time on the sofa. It would be horrid if the kitties didn't want to join me.

Next time around, gonna have one of these made:

Cat Tunnel Sofa features a built-in playground for your cat


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## Mum (Jul 30, 2013)

Oh wow the tunnel sofa looks fab i'd love something like that in the study for the cat. 

Thanks for the responses everyone you have saved me wasting money which I may as well use to just invest in a few extra throws instead.


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## CoCoTrio (Jan 3, 2013)

We have a leather sofa and we've managed to discourage scratching by using the old faithful double-sided sticky tape. It looks uncool on the sofa, but the cat doesn't like to feel it so he steers clear and scratches elsewhere. After a few weeks the tape comes off, but he doesn't notice, so the sofa is spared. 

Maybe worth a go. ? Better than spray anyway... and cheap! 

We use the tape only because the OH values the sofa. If it was me I'd just let it get scratched.


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