Stop scratching...

Discussion in 'Behaviour & Training' started by JustJenne, Sep 2, 2012.

  1. JustJenne

    JustJenne Active Member

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    My husband's mom's cat really likes to scratch at the bedroom door and his mom hates it! They've had this cat a few years but was over a year old when they got it. His mom yells at the cat every time she does it, but, this has not deterred the cat. She hung a carpet like scratching thing over the spot, but, took it down because the cat will only use it if it's on the floor. How can she get the cat to stop scratching at the door? Maybe squirt it with a spray bottle? Any ideas???
     
    JustJenne, Sep 2, 2012
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  2. JustJenne

    Victor Leigh Well-Known Member

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    A spray bottle would be an idea. Here, where I live, we use something simpler.

    [​IMG]

    It's made from the strands of the coconut palm fronds. The cats here already know it's time to run when they see that.
     
    Victor Leigh, Sep 3, 2012
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  3. JustJenne

    Jessi Well-Known Member

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    So the cat has been doing this for years already? I don't know how well you'll be able to get it to stop now. And if she covered the spot with carpet, but the cat doesn't like using it.... then doesn't that eliminate the issue of it scratching that area?

    Also, just to clarify.... is it scratching there to sharpen its claws or to try to get into the room?
     
    Jessi, Sep 4, 2012
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  4. JustJenne

    JustJenne Active Member

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    To sharpen its claws.
    Well I thought the same about covering the spot but I think she wants the cat to actually use what she bought and the cat only uses it on the floor so she leaves it there.... I just don't like hearing her yell at the cat.
     
    JustJenne, Sep 7, 2012
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  5. JustJenne

    Scottyxx Well-Known Member

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    If the cats being doing this for a while, a spray bottle might not help, cant training needs to be done from a young age. Mine try to scratch the doors but a stern NO will stop them. What I did when I was training them was whenever they would start scratching on the door, I would yell NO and then would pick them up and place them on their scratching post. So they know if they needed to stretch, thats where they would do it.

    I also used a spray bottle, but I used that more as a deterrent for when they jumped on the stove or counters, etc.

    You could try spraying your doors with something the cats dont like, such as something mint flavoured, like watered down peppermint oil. This might keep them away from the door, as they really dislike the smell of mint.

    My cats now only "scratch" if you can call it scratch, at the doors to open them to let them into the same room as me, they don't use their claws though, only their paws, so its not really scratching.

    Try the training, and the NO technique, but it might be too late if its been going on for years. My cats are only 1 1/2 and I started training them as soon as we got them, which was at about 2 months.
     
    Scottyxx, Sep 12, 2012
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  6. JustJenne

    steph84 Well-Known Member

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    steph84, Sep 14, 2012
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  7. JustJenne

    JustJenne Active Member

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    Well, thank you all for your responses! That air spray can is not something I'd ever heard of, but, it looks very interesting. I also really like "My Cat From Hell" and would trust his opinion.
    I also didn't know that cats do not like the smell of mint so we might try that first. I will let my Mother-in-law know about these ideas. I know she won't go for this but I saw that you can even buy temporary claw covers that come in different colors. I can't imagine getting them on the cat without a HUGE fight.
     
    JustJenne, Sep 23, 2012
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  8. JustJenne

    OhioTom76 Well-Known Member

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    Mint sounds like it would be the safest option. Although I haven't seen any air fresheners that are only mint. Some are eucalyptus mint, others are lemon mint. I wonder if this would interfere with the effectiveness of it.
     
    OhioTom76, Sep 24, 2012
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  9. JustJenne

    Scottyxx Well-Known Member

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    I put these on my cat, they let me put them on fine, but my cats claws were so sharp they just ripped through the covers, haha! I did this because my cats just kept on getting stuck in the window screens.
     
    Scottyxx, Sep 25, 2012
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  10. JustJenne

    andrew320 Well-Known Member

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    They offer spray bottles to prevent cats from scratching. Unfortunately, my fiancee purchased tape to wrap around our sofa to stop them from scratching. It stopped so we thought it was good enough to take it off (we were wrong). The best option is a spray specifically designed to stop it.

    It's interesting that the guys have a scratch board and toys, but need to scratch our sofa!
     
    andrew320, Sep 29, 2012
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  11. JustJenne

    DanielCasey25 Member

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    Scratching is a normal part of cat behavior. Give your kitten lots of attention. If she don't use scratch post, provide her a scratching post and train her but don't allow your cat to play roughly if you want to discourage her scratching habit. You should try diverting her attention by providing cat toys that keep her amused. Toys like ping pong balls, a ball of silver paper, a feather, a toy mouse can keep her amused for hours. Cover your furniture with some scratch resistant material.
     
    DanielCasey25, Oct 3, 2012
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  12. JustJenne

    JustJenne Active Member

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    Oh my gosh! Haha, I probably never would buy them, but, knowing they can be clawed through I would definitely not buy them. Were your cats climbing the screens? I can just imagine a cat climbing up a tall one, like for sliding doors, and getting to the top and not knowing how to get down.
     
    JustJenne, Oct 14, 2012
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  13. JustJenne

    blurinoctober Well-Known Member

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    My cat scratches at the door if she wants in or out of the room. If your cat really wants attention, doing those things might not do anything but bum him/her out. I can't do anything for Sibyl except let her in and out of the room when she wants to.
     
    blurinoctober, Dec 21, 2012
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  14. JustJenne

    Scottyxx Well-Known Member

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    Mine scratches the door to get out too! Not clawy or anything, they dont do any damage, and ususally shouting "push the door" is enough to get them to push it open and come in.
     
    Scottyxx, Dec 21, 2012
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  15. JustJenne

    Lilly&May Member

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    All four of my cats will tear up the carpet in front of the bedroom doors when they want in and will do the same when they want out. I have no problem with any of them scratching anywhere else except in the doorways. Luckily I found mats specially made for just this problem. They are called Carpet Scratch Stoppers, I recently just bought some more off of amazon actually. They have stopped anymore damage from accruing and my cats have even begun to stop scratching at them all together and lose interest in those "hot spots."
     
    Lilly&May, May 29, 2013
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