Carpet Scratching

One of my boys is DESTROYING my carpeting (I rent... making this twice as bad). I have plenty of scratchers in all different heights and degrees of slant, from flat on the ground to straight up in the air but he refuses to use them!

I obviously can't doublesided tape my capeting, but I can't treat the scratchers with Cat Nip because the vet wants me to keep it away from my other boy incase it is what triggered his seziure.

I fully intend on getting soft claws today... but that will get fairly expensive over time as they are $24 everywhere I can find them. Any suggestions from you all wonderful and knowing cat people out there?

Try getting him some "carpets" of his very own to scratch.

My moggies self-trained themselves to scratch upon some leopard print runners that I have. I allowed them to scratch at the runners because it kept them from going after the regular carpet.

One day I won a set of auto rug mats. I'd laid it on a couch, and before I could blink, Ginger was sitting on top of it, happily scratching away.

Easy decision: Auto mats scattered about on the floors give the kitties places that belong to THEM, it is their special "space" and they will seek out the mats to sit upon (like a frog on a lily pad) and to scratch upon - they like the horizontal stretch and scratch.

I also got a couple of flat cardboard scratchers, and have several sisal hanging scratchers (normally hang from a doorknob) lying about as well.

The mats and horizontal scratchers get the treatment and the carpets just get covered in fur.

You can use a little catnip mist to attract the cats to let them know that the mats are for them, all special.

Let me know if that helps!

You know those kitchen mats that are made of like a polyester type foam? They're usually pretty cheap at Walmart. Our cats LOVE to scratch on those. Of course little bits of foam come up at times, so vacuuming is a must. But in addition to the auto mats or small carpet throws, try some of those. They also LOVE those hard foam mats that often are in puzzle piece shapes that places like Walmart sell for kids' play rooms. You can put those down over a good chunk of carpet - and pick them up when company's coming over.

I know you can't use the catnip - but as Ginger's Mom pointed out, these individual places seem at attract cats like frogs to a lilly pad. Worth a shot.


Laurie

I will have to try the auto/kitchen matt idea. I got soft paws last night... I didn't know it comes 4 sets/pack that made me super happy!

I'll let y'all know how it goes.

I have to second the idea of giving them their own carpet...I wasn't really having a problem with this (we only have area rugs and luckly they chose the cheap ones to scratch), but my mother gave me some really plush carpet samples (about 9"x12") and I threw them on the floor...WOW they are really popular!

And, it's really cute to see Bella sit on them like a frog on a lily pad

Good luck!

I've got one of those horse hair foot mats that my 3 use. It's placed a couple of feet from their litter boxes and they usually have a good claw on that when they've paid a visit