Cat problems need some input

[trunolimit]

I just got 2 new couches. My cat destroyed the old ones. how do I keep her from obliterating my new ones? I don't want to get rid of her since she has lived in this apartment longer than I have but hey if I have to I will.

[masherscf]

I just got 2 new couches. My cat destroyed the old ones. how do I keep her from obliterating my new ones? I don't want to get rid of her since she has lived in this apartment longer than I have but hey if I have to I will.

Cut off her paws.

[ariastar]

*head desk*

Get scratching posts and put Soft Paws (http://softpaws.com/) on her. The Soft Paws are plastic caps that are glued on and last several weeks. She can still retract her claws, and the scratching post will entertain her. Rub a fist full of catnip on it to really drive her wild and make yourself a cup of tea with some of the left over catnip so you'll chill.

[ariastar]

Oh, and don't declaw her if she's already an adult, which I think she is.

[stevenbullen]

Two ideas..
* Dont leave them alone in the room with the couch
* Get a water pistol and shoot them everytime they do it

[trunolimit]

Oh, and don't declaw her if she's already an adult, which I think she is.

yeah she is 5 years old so i guess for a cat that's pretty old. She has a scratching post. I'll go pick up some cat nip and see if she'll leave my poor defenseless couches alone. other wise it's bye bye kitty.

[doodoobom]

or maybe you can bribe the cat with some pot.

[rabidbadger]

http://www.allourpets.com/feline/stop-scratching.shtml

[ariastar]

yeah she is 5 years old so i guess for a cat that's pretty old. She has a scratching post. I'll go pick up some cat nip and see if she'll leave my poor defenseless couches alone. other wise it's bye bye kitty.

SOFT PAWS. Did you not read that? They cap her claws so the won't be able to damage anything. Try those. If you get rid of her, don't ever get an animal again.

[trunolimit]

http://www.allourpets.com/feline/stop-scratching.shtml

that was pretty good reading. the balloon thing seemed interesting and sounds like it'd be fun to watch.

I'll try the soft paws before I do the drastic and get rid of her. This cat was born in this apartment and has never been outside so getting rid of her is a last resort.

and for the record I would never get an animal anyway, this cat came with the apartment. I'm the laziest person in the world, why make more work for myself. I love animals I just hate taking care of them.

[frankiethewaffle]

Don't have a cat.

[trunolimit]

Don't have a cat.

you mean "don't have a cow man"

sorry i just couldn't resist :D

[xfuuey]

i've had cats for quite some time, given they were declawed when they were young, and they will tear shit up no matter what. i tried to get them scratching posts before they were declawed, but it didn't seem to help much(some but not much). best of luck man ... you're going to need it. :p

btw, in my experience & many others, the "squirt them with water" method doesn't work at all.

[ariastar]

i've had cats for quite some time, given they were declawed when they were young, and they will tear shit up no matter what. i tried to get them scratching posts before they were declawed, but it didn't seem to help much(some but not much). best of luck man ... you're going to need it. :p

Good to know my cats are tearing shit up and I'm not noticing. I've got two, maybe three, of them. (Rescued a kitten a few days ago, haven't decided yet if we'll keep her or find her a new home. Stupid girls thought she wouldn't get bigger than she was at eight weeks and had her on a rope and we about to dump her.) The leather couches aren't torn up, the walls, shit laying around...none of it's messed up by the cats. If you don't get them some toys, they might tear stuff out of sheer boredom, but then you'd be neglecting them. So if your are tearing shit up, become a better pet owner and get them some toys so they aren't chewing on shit around your apartment.

Cats are insanely easy to take care of. One of our cats even goes to the bathroom outside rather than in a litter box! Fed them, pet them, easy. It would take 15 cats AT LEAST to equal the work of one of our two dogs. If you think cats are serious work and someone needs to be told, "Good luck," you're out of your mind. FISH take more actual work than a cat. BIRDS take more actual work. RODENTS take more work. Cats are seriously about as easy as they come. Put down food, scoop the shit box if the cat is indoors-only.

[ariastar]

Took me only about five minutes to clip her claws AND to get those on. And they look pretty spiffy.

http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss272/2009_pictures/February/25%20-%20Starbuck/CIMG3426-1.jpg

http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss272/2009_pictures/February/25%20-%20Starbuck/CIMG3419-1.jpg