How quickly and safely for a cat to wean him to tear furniture?

Often, upon reaching a certain age, a kitten begins to sharpen its claws on surrounding objects, which leads to their gradual damage. There are a lot of methods on how to wean a cat from tearing up a sofa, favorite chair, ottomans or cabinet doors. The main thing is not to try to explain to the animal that this cannot be done. The options announced by many with splashing the cat with water or loud shouts will not help protect furniture. They only provoke aggression from the kitten, which at best will begin to scratch something else, but no less valuable.

You must immediately take into account that the animal will not stop sharpening its claws, this is a natural process that positively affects the physical and mental state of the pet. On the one hand, the cat marks the territory this way, affirming itself as a full-fledged resident of the apartment. Often cats intentionally tear their favorite place of the owner, showing this their location. And in some cases, this is the only way to correct the condition of worn claws.

What cats do not tear furniture - the pros and cons of radical approaches

Contrary to popular belief, the cat breed does not matter in this area. Regardless of whether an aggressive Siamese cat lives at home, a calm Maine Coon or an exotic sphinx, furniture is in equal danger. Sterilization will also not play a decisive role, even a calmed pet will not give up its favorite habit. If the animal spoils the products from time to time, this may be the result of poor-quality care for its claws. In this case, it is recommended to visit the veterinarian and find out how to carry out basic manipulations.

Most often, a stubborn beast tears furniture constantly. In this case, the owners reduced to white heat sometimes go to radical methods of solving the problem. So that the pet never scratches anything again, they agree to do one of the following procedures:

1. Complete claw removal.
2. Tendon cutting, which prevents the ability to release claws.
3. Regular cutting of elements.

All of these methods lead literally to a cat’s disability. The animal has a bad posture and coordination is disturbed, which is accompanied by serious stress. No need to be surprised if, after such an aggressive approach, it turns out that now the pet is chewing on shoes, furniture and everything that comes across to it.

Humane and effective ways to wean a cat from a destructive habit

After radical methods are marked, you can begin to search for a suitable way out of the situation. It is best to start by providing the home pest with a quality replacement in the form of a claw point. And you need to do this at the first sign that the pet has chosen a leather sofa or soft chair, until he stripped the item to the filler.

The cat himself will not go to sharpen its claws on a new incomprehensible product, it will be necessary to do a lot so that he understands that the replacement is equivalent:

1. First, the product can be leaned against the piece of furniture that the animal deliberately spoils.
2. Additionally, it is worth taking the cat by the foot and gently tracing it on a surface with a high level of tension and resistance. Feline likes to scratch such areas, so sometimes even one practical lesson is enough.
3. Weasel is pleasant even to a cat, therefore it is necessary to praise an animal each time, having independently chosen a claw-claw, but not furniture.

In addition to providing the product, which can be sharpened by claws, you must make sure that the cat has lost interest in everything that he had scratched before. Otherwise, you may encounter a situation in which the animal fights indiscriminately.

• You can use citrus essential oils to stop scratching your favorite leather sofa. Just a few drops, pounded on the surface of the upholstery or diluted in a large amount of water and sprayed over its surface, will drive away the stubborn animal. You just need to remember to refresh the smell.

Tip: At the same time, it is worthwhile to stimulate the cat’s interest in the scratching post. To do this, drop a few drops of valerian or catnip on the product.

• Cats hate when their claws and paws stick to the surface they tear. Several strips of double-sided tape quickly cool the animal’s interest in furniture. True, it is recommended to do this only in the case of a leather object, the fabric from a long stay of glue on it noticeably deteriorates.
• Of particular popularity in the fight against cats who like to sharpen claws, silicone tips gain. They, with the help of glue safe for animals, are planted on natural elements. The only inconvenience is that the nozzles will have to be changed regularly. And this technique will not help if the animal not only scratches, but also gnaws the surface.

In extreme cases, you can do with covers. They are best made from soft cloth and creased. For the cat to scratch the surface, it must be dense. If the animal pulls the fabric, and it gathers in waves and does not stretch, it will quickly lose interest in the site.

What to do if a cat scratched a leather sofa?

If time has been lost and the cat still thoroughly tears up furniture upholstered in fabric, restoration of a particular area with the same material or original decorative insert can help. It is not so easy to restore a leather sofa; you can only mask shallow scratches on your own. In case of serious damage, it is better not to try to do anything at home, but to contact professionals immediately.

• Olive oil. The use of this component can save, even if the animal prefers to sharpen its claws on fair skin. At first it is recommended to test the method on an inconspicuous area of ​​the material and only after that proceed with the restoration. Take a slightly warm olive oil and a dense cotton pad. Wet the cotton wool in oil, squeeze it carefully, gently wipe the scratch itself and small areas of the skin around it. We work in circular motions in one direction. After that, we wait until the composition dries and evaluate the work. In some cases, the scratch may disappear without a trace from a single treatment. If necessary, repeat the manipulation.
• If the cat slightly scratched a dark leather sofa, then it is better to use shoe cream. We select the product of the desired shade, apply it on a cotton swab and gently rub it into a damaged surface. We wait until the mass dries and wipe the area with a clean paper towel. We evaluate the work and, if necessary, make several more approaches.
• If the furniture is covered with deep scratches, you will have to do the following. First we use the oil approach (regardless of the color of the material). Then again we treat the place with oil, put a cotton cloth on it and wait for the liquid to absorb into it. After that, take a new piece of tissue, moisten it with water and apply it to the damaged area. Iron the flap with a warm iron, holding it for no more than 8-10 seconds. If necessary, repeat several times. From such exposure, the oil will absorb better, masking scratches.

The sooner you start implementing the above methods, the more chances there will be to save the furniture without sacrificing the health and good mood of your pet.

We advise you to read an article about how to wean a cat to tear wallpaper