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| I have a scratching pad for my new kitty and he hasn't shown much interest (he is using the kitty condo for scratching instead, which is fine, I'm just afraid of him moving on to the furniture). I have put catnip on it in hopes of increasing the odds of him using it, but still not much luck. Does anyone have any tips for how to train a cat to use the scratching pad instead of the furniture? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Place catnip on the scratching pad and double stick tape on the furniture |
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| I've never had any luck with scratching posts, etc. They always prefer my rugs and furniture. |
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| Buy several different type of scratchers. My kitty wouldn't go near certain ones but here are her favorites: She used this one from kitten stage until about 9 months old. Then this one became her all-time favorite. It sits in an area that she walks by daily so she always stops to use it. This one she loved playing on as a kitten and still uses it for scratching. Lately she uses it as a bed to lay on when she's out in her kennel. At one point she started going into the living room to scratch and play on the chairs but she only did it when we were in the office, which happens to sit across from the LR. I stopped that little exercise by using scat mats in the doorway. It took 3 mats but I don't have to worry about my LR chairs being destroyed. She doesn't bother any other chairs so I think she was doing it mainly to get attention. Cat cubes are also a favorite of mine and hers. She's hilarious when she's tumbling across the floor in them. I have 2 held together with velcro. BTW, catnip has no affect on my cat.
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Here is a link that might be useful: Cat cube
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| OMG, I LOVE those cat cubes! Our cat invents all kinds of games with them, playing endlessly. We have three and I change them around a couple of times a day for him. The tumbling acts are hilarious. |
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| My cats have the kitty lounge that annz posted in her last picture, and they love it. They scratch quite a bit and sleep in it as well. If you do get an upright post scratcher make sure it is good quality and heavy so it won't tip. I learned this the hard way! And I'll have to try those cat cubes: the reviews on amazon are outstanding! |
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| Ditto on the catnip. My cats (5) love the sisal posts and cat trees, and they love these corrugated cardboard alpine scratchers |
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| When I first got mine, I took each cat over and sat down with it and showed how to do it with my own "paws", then lightly rubbed their paws on it. Also dangled a toy over it so that when they swiped at the toy they'd hit the post. After a couple tries of that, one of them started using it & the others copied. The only one who absolutely will not use it is declawed. (She was when I got her) If I catch them scratching on the carpet or furniture, I tell them "NO" and take them over to the pole and encourage them to use it. |
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| All of my cats refused to use any of the scratch pad devices I ever bought. Catnip or not. Not all cats have the neural receptors making them appreciate nip, btw. I solved the scratching dilema by accident when I noticed they all liked to annihilate a corregated cardboard packing box I had left on the floor of my office. The rattier the edges got, the better they liked it. It was an eyesore, but my furniture wasn't. Ditto the cat cubes......I am about to get one for my new kitty. My daughter's kitties love them. |
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- Posted by glaserberl (My Page) on Sun, Jul 17, 11 at 13:47
| A class project for DS included a thick branch mounted on a piece of wood. When he brought it home one of the cats immediately decided it was the best scratching post ever. So it stayed minus all the photos attached to it. Otherwise they all like the corrugated cardboard scratchers. |
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