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Ok, well lately my two cats have really been sharpening their claws on the furniture. To avoid this we just today purchased a scratching post condo , so they would sharpen their claws on that instead of the furniture.
Here's my problem they aren't using it how can I teach them to use it, instead of the furniture??
***Ps: Please do not offer advice saying to get them declawed, as this is very painful, cruel and unnessacary.
You're right, declawing is a BAD idea.
There are a couple of things you can do. The first is to go to th scratching post and scratch on it yourself. Do this regularly for a couple of weeks. They may not join in at first, but they'll get the idea.
Second, when they scratch the furniture, take them directly to the scratchin post and start scratching on it.
Third, if the condo is carpeted, you can get some rope or something rope like to wrap around it. Cats really like the texture of ropes, and they do a great job on their claws.
It will take the cats a little while to get used to the condo. But as they play on it and in it (something you can encourage by playing with them) they'll begin scratching on it.
Did you get a sisal-covered condo post(s)? Sisal works well.
Make sure the scratching post condo is easily accessible (ours is in a corner of the living room near where the cats sleep and generally hang out). Physically carry the cats to it and rub their paws down against the post. Even rub some catnip onto the post. At first, you will have to be on your guard -- when they start scratching on furniture, take them over to the post and rub paws downward. They'll get the hang of it fairly soon.
I had taken a length of old carpeting with the rough backing (not foam) and rolled it up inside out. The cats like that too.
You know I don't understand why people get there cats declawed. It is so very painful. And removing a cats claws, is like cutting off a person's fingers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Akoue
It is also unnessecary. Either way, I would rather have wholes in my furniture then, in my cats paws.
It helps to scratch the post while they are watching, but they may not get it.
Watch them closely and if they once scratch on the condo, instantly give them treats and lavish praise. If they scratch what they are not supposed to, lock up the offender up for a few minutes with stern warnings. I did this with my cats and they almost never scratch anything they are not supposed to. Also, consider putting catnip on the condo so it has good associations. (I'm not above drugging my cats.)
Since then, I have trained them to scratch on command to get treats and to shake hands. One will stand on his hind legs and even walk a few steps that way in exchange for a cat treat. It is not true that cats cannot be trained. It just takes the same kind of patience you'd need with a dog. (I do not punish them for not shaking hands. They just don't get a treat.)
PS. They will learn from watching each other. If one sees the other one getting treats for scratching, s/he will get it much more quickly.
I recently got a simple scratching pad from walmart that comes with catnip that you poor on the cardboard and it falls through the holes since the two new babies came fully armed and I figured I would need it. Hefty, yes the declawed Hefty (adopted that way before anyone gets upset), thought it was the best thing in the world. He licks it, furiously tries to use it to no use, obviously, and rolls all over on it. Even the 7 week old kittens are pretty interested, and sometimes sharpen their already amazingly sharp talons on it. Perhaps a similar, cat nipped way would get better results.
I can tell you cats do take patience. And I find it a bit difficult because I'm so used to my dog, who understands, when I don't want him to do something, or you know he don't jump up on the cupboards, not like the cats who wait 'til I'm not watching and then do it. Sneaky kitties. Either way I guess I just have to remember to be consistent, I suppose.
Thank you all for your suggestions.
Try spaying it with some cat nip as this will defiantly attract their attention ;)
Not too much mind otherwise they will go mad.
As asking says above, cats are highly trainable. In my experience, they are every bit as trainable as dogs. But they aren't dogs, they don't respond to all of the same sorts of things. I have found that they are good and patient teachers, which is to say that they will teach you how to teach them. This has certainly been my experience. They don't respond to the same sorts of dominance techniques to which dogs are highly responsive: I have found that cats aren't hierarchical in the way that dogs are. They are, though, extremely adept at problem solving, and if you work with them patientity (and, as you say, consistently) they do learn well and surprisingly quickly. And they do like rules. In fact, my cats are very good at correcting each other for rule-breaking behavior.Quote:
Originally Posted by rex123
Of course, that doesn't mean that they won't ever break the rules. But so do we. Some people go so overboard with their dogs and cats that they end up breaking their spirits. A little impishness is a good thing.
Too many people think cats are unsocial and don't need to be played with once they are not cute kittens, and so just ignore them a lot of the time.
I think we reap what we sow.
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