She Won't Stop Scratching!

lauracatlover

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Mitzi will not stop scratching the wall. We have tried everything we could think of, I have read the scratching section off one of the Sticky's, and right now on the wall is a piece of sticky paper, but the only effect this is having is making a right noise at 4am. It peels off, and we reckon she tends to scratch it just to get our attention! We've tried almost everything - ignoring, squirting her with a water sprayer, throwing things her way so she goes to attack them instead of the wall, and just yelling "Oi!"


She only likes scratching rough surfaces, and she never scratches the chair unless she's stretching on it. We have 2 fairly big scratching posts in the house for her, and one of these is right next to the wall she scratches.
She does use the scratching posts a lot, but finds the wall much more interesting!

Has anybody got any ideas of what we could do to try and make her stop?

Any advice would be much appreciated


Laura
 

goldenkitty45

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Sounds like your wall is textured or has wallpaper on it. I've never heard of a cat liking to scratch a smooth wall! But you could try putting on those SoftPaws nail caps to help prevent damage.

Not sure how to get her to really stop. How long has she been doing this?
 
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lauracatlover

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She started doing this pretty much as soon as we got her. I posted about it before on here I think, but that was 12 months ago. We tried everything, and my mom's even bought a cat spray thingy that's meant for the furniture.

It's driving us barmy!

And I'm not too sure about the SoftPaws thing, bcuz we live in the UK. Also, I have had a look at the website and it says that they should only be worn by indoor cats.


Great idea though
 

goldenkitty45

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So your walls are smooth?? not textured? Also how often are you clipping nails? What kind of damage has she done?
 

grissom

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Try soft paws. Jeter LOVES to shred sofas, no matter how many scratching posts we have. Soft Paws is the only thing that has saved our new couch. Plus they are fairly inexpensive and don't harm your cat.
 
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lauracatlover

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

So your walls are smooth?? not textured? Also how often are you clipping nails? What kind of damage has she done?
Sorry


1. The walls have got textured paper on them


2. We clip her nails once every 3 -6 weeks, or just whenever they feel really sharp


3. The damage is the paper being totally ripped to shreds, hanging of the wall in shreds kinda thing


We'd love to use Soft Paws, but she's an outdoor cat, so they'd be off in no time


Thanks
 

goldenkitty45

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That's not a good thing. She may be after the texture part, or the smell/taste of the glue on the wallpaper. Does she just claw it or lick/chew on the shredded part.

As far as clipping - I'd be doing it once a week; keep them dull. You might want to consider building/buying a cat enclosure for outside time instead of just running loose. That way you could still use the nail caps and your cat would be safe outside.
 
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lauracatlover

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She just claws at it. She sniffs it sometimes before she claws it, but I've never seen her chewing it at all.

I think that the outdoor run would probably be a good idea, but the garden isn't really big enough for a suitable sized run. We can only just about fit the rabbit run in there!


Any other ideas?
 

goldenkitty45

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hmmmm???? only other suggestion is for you to train to a harness/leash and take her outside for awhile a few times a day. Rest of the time she spends inside with the nail caps on.

Other then that, not sure what else to suggest....can you get a bigger backyard
 

siggav

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There are some cat proof fences available. You might be able to add to the fence around your garden with something like that.

Then the entire garden is basically a cat enclosure, here's one (after a quick google) http://www.purrfectfence.com/

However in general, I don't know about the wall, is it possible to put something in front of the wall so she can't get at it there?

Or I remember seeing scratching posts that are basically flat scratchable material that you hang directly on the wall, i.e a wall mounted scratching post. Maybe putting something like that where she's scratching would make her scratch that instead and atleast it'd look better than the ripped paper.
 
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lauracatlover

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Success! (For now...
)


Thanks for the help peeps


In the end it was the none scratching stuff my mom bought that has done the trick. We sprayed it on the sticky plastic on the walls (which BTW stunk to high heaven of lemon and horse fly spray!) and there wasn't a peep out of Mitz alllll night


We've tried walking her along on a harness before, and she either flips out and goes mental attacking me or it, or she justs lies there and won't budge.

lol at the bigger back yard suggestion


and we can't really put anything in the way of it as it's right at the top of the stairs


We'll continue to use this spraying stuff (Have no idea what it's actually called
) and hope that that works


Thanks anyway guys!
 

goldenkitty45

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Thought you'd get a chuckle out of the "yard" comment from me


Anyway maybe more frequent trimming of those nails (once a week) would help. I find my guys tend to claw more when their nails need cutting.
 
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lauracatlover

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Thought you'd get a chuckle out of the "yard" comment from me


Anyway maybe more frequent trimming of those nails (once a week) would help. I find my guys tend to claw more when their nails need cutting.
yeah


Well I talked to my mom about it last night and so we're gonna trim them probably every Friday night


p.s: hope you like the tootsie roll!
 

goldenkitty45

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Yep - sent you a thank you too. Did you ask if there was a way to get a bigger yard?

Over here, our towns have "yard sales" and "garage sales" - why anyone would sell their yard is beyond me, but you do see a lot
 
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lauracatlover

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Yep - sent you a thank you too. Did you ask if there was a way to get a bigger yard?

Over here, our towns have "yard sales" and "garage sales" - why anyone would sell their yard is beyond me, but you do see a lot
Over here a yard sale is just ways people get rid of old books and toys that they no longer want
Or it's better known as a "Car-Boot".


It's different for us over here though b/c you guys have lots of land and we live in a crammed street!


BTW, i can't find the thankyou
Did you PM me? I can't get them
 

rosiemac

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At the old house i lived in it had textured wallpaper on the staircase, and Rosie's little scratching spot was right at the bottom of the stairs with it
She won't let me clip her claws, but because the house i'm in now is just over 10 years old the walls are smooth and painted so she can't touch them now, but she uses the scratching posts no problem


Jack on the other hand lets me clip his claws every week
 
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lauracatlover

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I replied to it, maybe it just didn't take....
lol, never mind!


And Rosiemac little Jack is such a sweetie!


I still think Rosie is my fave though
 
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lauracatlover

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Originally Posted by Rosiemac

She won't be if she and Mitzi became partners in crime with your wallpaper!
lmao!


I think they may have been plotting...

But if she kept meowing in my face I'd let her off
 
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