Conference misery::feline_v1

    I'm re-typing my original note, cos the system crashed on me.
    
    
    We have just had our suite recovered and our two cats (Tigger and
    Pasha) are accidentally pulling the pile when stretching out when
    they are asleep.
    
    They can't understand why after 8 years of freedom we are suddenly
    jumping up and pushing them off (ironically this means they dig
    their claws in in disgust at us and hence the problem is getting
    worse!!)
    
    Have you any ideas what we can do? - please bear in mind I live
    in the UK if you are quoting product names.
    
    Also, my husband is calling in at the vets to see if there is a
    repellant for soft furnishing.

    
    P.S.  also - how do you get cat-sick stains out of the carpet, I
    read with interest about using Tonic water to get rid of urine
    stain/smell - any other home remedies out there - or do I need to
    buy commerical products (which with my luck aren't available in
    the UK)
    
    Hope someone can help.
    
    Regards
    
    Janice (Tigger and Pasha)

    as an alternative to tonic water, you could also try mixing one part
    white vinigar to 3 parts water. One "hint" in cleaning up the mess from
    a carpet is to pick up as much of the solid as you can at once, and
    then attempt to blot as much of the mess as you can. Then, start
    cleaning from the outside of the soiled area toward the middle. That
    way the soil doesn't grow in size.
    
    Deb

    
    no
    no
    no
    i have this problem with my tom so i tried doing this:
    
    1) swear v. loudley when scratching the sofa.
    2) chase round room till blue in face.
    3) drop kick into garden.-- this stopped the scratching.
    
    staines from either end are no problem;
    
    LEAVE IN GARDEN!!!
    
    (ONLY JOKING BUT IVE WANTED TO DO IT SO MANY TIMES!!)
    
    

    If the cats are accidentally catching their nails then TRIM THEM.
    I've noticed our cats occasionally catch their nails on clothing
    etc and it only happens when we haven't trimmed them in a bit.
    
    re: -1 We handle this slightly differently.  
    
    1. Take cat's paws and make scratching motions against the wrong
    object while firmly, but not too loudly, saying "Bad Cat".  You
    don't want to panic the cat, just get the idea across that this
    is wrong.
    
    2. Take same cat to cat tree or other ok_to_scratch object.  Repeat
    motions, this time saying "good cat" and making a big fuss over
    him/her doing the right thing.
    
    3. Anytime you see him/her scratching the cat tree etc, reinforce
    the behavior with the "good cat" routine.
    
    This gets across the idea that its not the scratching but the location
    that is the problem.
    
      Its worked beautifully for our 4.

    I didn't know you could trim their claws - I assume the vet will
    do this (I don't fancy the idea of de-clawing cos they do go out
    in the summer)
    
    We had no luck at the vets RE: repellant spray - we were advised
    we would be wasting our money if we bought commercial products.
    
    So at the moment we are:
    
    Shouting until blue in the face
    
    Put an old towel over one of the chairs (but it looks a mess especially
    after the fortune we've just spent on redecorating etc.
    
    And dare I say it - we bought a water pistol - but I haven't had
    the heart to use it yet
    
    Why is it that these animals rule our lives, and I have to admit
    all of this is not their fault, cos it wasn't a problem on the old
    suite and they can't understand what they are doing wrong.  Poor
    Tigger has taken to sitting on the bread bin in the kitchen cos
    of all the shouting in the lounge!!

    
    Regards
    
    a very guilty mum that wants to protect her new suite.

    
    	Re: trimming their claws... well, if you have the vet do it,
    	you'll be going once a week since it should be done that
    	often.  Have the vet show you how to do it once, then buy
    	claw trimmers from them since you need special clippers for
    	claws.
    
    	Re: water pistol... thats the best way to train a cat.
    
    	Karen

    Don't be afraid to use that water pistol!!  We use a plant
    mister/sprayer at our house to discipline the cats.  We also have
    a large cat tree covered with carpet and sisal rope (scratchy braided
    rope) downstairs where the new furniture is.  They love scratching
    the tree and sleeping on the new furniture so I just lay towels
    on the bottom cushions of the couch and loveseat to protect them.
    
    The older cats were used to sleeping on the old furniture and no
    amount of discipline would keep them off the new stuff -- they didn't
    understand why it was suddenly off-limits which is why I resorted
    to the towels.  The kittens, however, caught on real quick and never
    sit or sleep on the new furniture.  They prefer the cat tree instead.
    
    Our cat tree is in a color that matches the decor (my fiance made
    it) so I don't mind it in the living room because it blends right
    in with the color scheme.  I think a cat tree might be just the
    thing to divert your cats attention from the suite (sp?).
    
    
    /Roberta
    

    I don't think the cats are doing this on purpose.  I got the
    impression that their nails were becomming caught by accident.
    
    also, i haven't found it necessary to trim our cat's nail every
    week.  We can usually go longer.  
    
    re: water pistol - i have a friend whose cat loves the water
    pistol.  He sits there bold as brass while she drenches him!
    Silly cat!
    

    Until I can get to the petshop and/or vet re cat-clippers our short
    term answer has been to put a towel over their favourite chair,
    and they are sitting on it, and bit by bit not trying to sit on
    other parts of the suite.
    
    Thank's for all your advise - I'll keep you posted.
    
    Like I keep saying - I feel a real meanie out of all this - cos
    it's all accidents and they aren't purposely scratching the suite
    which is why I feel so awful shouting at them.
    
    P.S.  We got home late on Saturday night (well past their tea time)
    my husband Phil fed them whilst I was upstairs.  All of a sudden
    all hell let loose downstairs ..... as usual Pasha had wolfed down
    her late tea and immediately tried to puke it up on our new carpet,
    luckily Phil heard the 'puking' sounds and chased her back into
    the kitchen.  Oh the joys of animals - but even I'd ring her neck
    this time!!  Mind you - it was Phil's fault she gotten shouted out,
    cos he knows she has this disgusting habit, so he should have kept
    the kitchen door shut.
    
    

    Re: .9 PS
    
    Ever since I got my new car, Portia has decided that she gets car
    sick.  Portia goes to the vet alot and never had a problem with
    the old car.  I don't know what it is about this new car though.
    
    Back to story now.  About once a month Portia goes to the vet, just
    to get checked out.  I have never used a cat carrier for her.  She
    just sits on the passenger seat and purrs, as I try to give her
    as many pats as possible without causing an accident.  We will be
    about a mile from either the vets if we're on the way there, or
    from home if we're on our way home.  And Portia will stand up, jump
    into the back seat, stretch out a little, adn strat making the heaving
    noises.  I start screaming "Come On Portia, we're almost home. 
    Can't you wait. Porty, No.  Don't you dare puke in my new car. Porty
    don't you understand that those are cloth seats.  Etc.  Etc.  Etc."
    Whereupn, I will slam on the brakes, pull over to the side of the
    road, as I grab the Rand-McNaly Road Map book, and catch Porty's
    pukes on the atlas so that they don't land on my back seat or
    carpeting.   Then when she is through, Portia will jump back into
    the front seat, but this time she will curl up on my lap and start
    purring and gives me her PortyPreciousPookins looks, as I sit there
    with an Atlas full of puke in my hand.

    re .10   So glad I read that AFTER lunch!
    

    Re: towel on the couch
    
    I have an afghan that covers most of the seat part of my couch.
    It looks fine (better than a towel) and the cats stay on it since
    it covers most of teh area.  I do this for cat hair, but I imagine it
    would work just as well for claw-catching. Most of the couch is
    still visible so you can still admire your new upholstery.
    

    Thought you'd like an update ....
    
    We bought a lovely wool blanket that blends in nicely with the furniture.
    
    Since we've bought it the girls either sit on that, the windowsill
    or by the Patio door.
    
    I think they've got the message about the rest of the suite, as Tigger's
    pet habit was to charge out of the kitchen leap on to the settee
    and run along the back of it - but I've not noticed her doing that
    recently.  I can't believe we have retrained our 8 years girls !!
     I'm sure they are lulling me into a false sense of security.
    
    Or else it's getting warmer and don't really want to cuddle up in
    a ball on the suite against the cushions.
    
    Thanks for all your support and advice on this.
    
    Janice
    
    P.S.  I've still got a trump up my sleeve - we bought a water pistol
    which so far has only been used on next doors male to stop him spraying
    our back doorway.

    Well, I bought a pair of soft wooly blankets to put over the couch
    so as to minimize wear and tear on the couch cover.
    
    *Several* of my cats decided that the wool blankets were the
    PERFECT place to pee.  Remove blankets, no trouble.  Wash 
    (and re-wash and re-wash with cat repellent, etc.) blankets,
    replace them, and cats pee there.
    
    So beautiful wool blankets are in the linen closet, doing no
    good whatsover.
    
    	Pennie

    Holly thinks flannel sheets are an invitation to pee too.  Sigh,
    miss their comfort on winter nights.