kitten keeps making holes in furniture

so my kitten made a whole in my box spring and would go in there and hide when I was ready for bed. eventually I put a fitted sheet over it and he could not longer get in. He then started sleeping under the bed, ok no problem by me. So its been like a month probably and I am sitting on the love seat and feel him moving around under me and he has now made a whole in the bottom of the couch and crawls in. I just brought ALL my furniture just a year ago when I moved here, I really need a way to get him to stop destroying everything.

Help please???

Start by trimming his claws.  Does he have a hidey hole (other than in the furniture) to go to?  Try using a carrier, with the door open and a sweatshirt that you have worn in it. I will try to come up with some other ideas, too.

don't really know how to trim his nails and honestly I think he is to wild to even let me. I have a carrier for him, but he never goes in it. Will try to leave out the hoodie.

I love my cat, i do, but I can't keep having him destroying all my furniture, really can't. 

I'm really torn on whether I should keep him or not to be honest. 

Try to find him a cat cave of his own. It could be a cardboard box, a cat tree type thing with an enclosed space, an area hidden by plants, etc. It doesn't have to be expensive or complicated, but he sounds like a cat who wants hidey holes likes catspaw66 said.

Also, does he have scratching posts and/or pads?

vball91 said:

Try to find him a cat cave of his own. It could be a cardboard box, a cat tree type thing with an enclosed space, an area hidden by plants, etc. It doesn't have to be expensive or complicated, but he sounds like a cat who wants hidey holes likes catspaw66 said.

Also, does he have scratching posts and/or pads?

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yeah he has a scratching post. 

I also got him a bed that he has never slept in. I will try an enclosed space. 

luv4u859 said:

I'm really torn on whether I should keep him or not to be honest. 

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Not to be snide or mean, but when you got him you took responsibility for him for as long as he lives. I know how hard it is sometimes. Last month Silly's vet bills took almost half of my income. I would like you to read this article on claw care.  I will also give you another one on cat behavior. And a third on scratching problems

www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-best-take-care-of-cat-claws

www.thecatsite.com/a/cat-behavior-for-beginners

www.thecatsite.com/a/problem-scratching-and-how-to-stop-it

These may or may not give you the answers you need, but it will give you a good insight into the mind and body of a cat.  I am hoping some of the suggestions on this thread and the articles will help solve your problem.

Cardboard boxes are good. Get a decent size one tape it up closed and make a hole just big enough for the kitten. then put a cloth or towel on it as if its a side table. get a screwed up piece of paper and show it to the kitten then roll it around and put it in the box through the hole. Also the claw thing. I'm pretty sure there is a utube video showing how to trim nails or the vet can teach you. This is a good thing to learn. Just make sure you get good quality cat scissors. and go slow. One claw a day is fine. Handling your cat is very important. Just imagine he has somehow managed to get gum stuck in his fur. He should not eat this, so you have to slowly pull it out or cut it out. How can you do this if you cant calmly hold him?

I've had a cat before. I got this cat because I wanted it. My cat before was not like it. I CAN NOT continue to allow him to continue to DESTROY my furniture that I paid out of my own money for. I did not come here for you to tell me I shouldn't have got him. I came for help to stop him from again DESTROYING MY FURNITURE. If you don't see a problem in that then idk what else to say

I think giving him a few small, enclosed places to hide could help. He might decide they are his new favorite hiding places and stop making holes in furniture. Give him treats when he uses them. A Kitty cube, crinkle tunnel or small boxes might work.

And just because I say I am getting rid of him..doesn't mean I am. Just needed to vent. Because honestly if I was going to do it I would have when I had the chance to get a 2 bedroom for only 600 dollars in the north and I turned it down because they do not allow pets. So no I am not getting rid of him, I just need a solution

I understand the frustration. Another thing I thought of it is to use tape on the undersides of the furnitures he likes to dig into. Either the double-sided tape which cats don't like to touch or just use heavy-duty duct tape. It won't be pretty, but no one sees the underside anyway. Basically cat proof anything he might want to burrow in and provide alternatives.

I agree that he needs his own 'kitty cave'. My cat like that had a soft bed/towel/blanket in the back corner of my walk in closet and also on one of my closet shelves. Whenever she wanted 'to be alone' she learned that her corner bed was the place to be without getting into trouble with me! She also had ripped the bottom covering of my bed's box spring and was sleeping inside/on the cover, still on the floor, but she felt safe there. Good luck!

Also, cats HATE aluminum foil. Place it anywhere you don't want him to go. If you have pilot lights on your stove, for instance, place a long piece of aluminum foil on the front edge of the stove to discourage him.  You can buy cheap stuff, as long as it's real aluminum foil and is really crunchy...

most vets will trim their nails for you for nothing or almost nothing. find a local vet that will work with you on that one.

Hi luv4u859

Everything that has been suggested here...use it,it works.  

I too had your experience - with our couch, and with our spare bed.  We duct-taped the holes, then put a couple fitted sheets on the bed - one over the underneath of the base making holes for the legs to go through, the other over the top of the base so the sides would overlap with the first sheet and no little burrowing cat could get in there (he's tried!).  We also blocked the holes on the couch (it's quite funny feeling something running around under your bum!!).  And we say 'no' if we see him wanting to get in (he tries to pull off the duct tape with his mouth).  And we redirect him to better places.

Better places have to be good for him.  One type of box we created that is good is an enclosed box - that is, it's a packing box all sealed up.  Then we cut a circular hole in the end that he can squeeze into.  You can of course make it more attractive with a bit of a carpet in there, or a rug/cushion...something that feels like the couch?  And he loves cat cubes and tunnels.  Haven't tried these out yet, but I have bought a little hammock that attaches to the four legs of a chair - under the chair.  So it's real nice and hidey.  The key is to give him a replacement place that is as good or better than the ones he has found/made.  Gently redirect him there as necessary.

And of course, we do all the other things a kitten needs to expend his energy (otherwise they find ways to expend it that we don't like!).  Play time on schedule, until he flops on the floor three times.  Lots of love.  Work out how your little one likes his petting - as someone else said, it's very important to 'tame' the cat so they are calm in/under your hands.  Of course not every cat likes to be picked up, but every cat can come around to some human handling.  I found this useful in building the trust/understanding my cat: http://www.wayofcats.com/blog/pet-the-cat/273

http://www.wayofcats.com/blog/grooming-the-cat/202

http://www.wayofcats.com/blog/cats-who-wont-cuddle/9143

We also trim nails, but you'll need to build up to this as the first step is being allowed to handle a paw.  In the meantime, how about some gel nail caps?  Ask your vet.

Hope you get some joy!

Most cats like to get inside the furniture, and, honestly, trimming his claws won't help much. . .the cheesecloth on the underside of furniture pulls away very easily; even a de-clawed cat can get in there without too much trouble. Tacking a heavier material to the bottom of the chair can help (same concept as putting a fitted sheet on a boxspring), or, for a very determined cat, a thin sheet of plywood definitely does the trick (many ferret owners need to do this---ferrets are very determined!). Cats love hiding in enclosed spaces, so other than making alterations to physically keep him out, I don't think there's any other way to discourage him from doing it.

Willowy said:

Most cats like to get inside the furniture, and, honestly, trimming his claws won't help much. . .the cheesecloth on the underside of furniture pulls away very easily; even a de-clawed cat can get in there without too much trouble. Tacking a heavier material to the bottom of the chair can help (same concept as putting a fitted sheet on a boxspring), or, for a very determined cat, a thin sheet of plywood definitely does the trick (many ferret owners need to do this---ferrets are very determined!). Cats love hiding in enclosed spaces, so other than making alterations to physically keep him out, I don't think there's any other way to discourage him from doing it.

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Plywood is a great idea. For a temporary fix, you could also put a large flat storage container weighted down with books under the love seat, or something like a step ladder or drying rack. If he can't get under there for awhile, he may have forgotten about the spot by the time he's gotten older and quieter.

My friend suggests:  Take a paper or cloth towel, put a few drops of pure mint oil on it, put that in a ziplock bag that has had a few small holes punched in one side only, and put the whole thing in the holes that the cat has made.  The oil won't drip out of the bag, the cat can't ingest it, and it makes your house smell like a candy factory.  You might try the same thing with some fresh cedar needles.

catspaw66 said:

My friend suggests:  Take a paper or cloth towel, put a few drops of pure mint oil on it, put that in a ziplock bag that has had a few small holes punched in one side only, and put the whole thing in the holes that the cat has made.  The oil won't drip out of the bag, the cat can't ingest it, and it makes your house smell like a candy factory.  You might try the same thing with some fresh cedar needles.

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Good idea! Also, you can get "orange oil" and dilute with water and spritz it under your mattress and chairs. It does smell lovely but the kitten will not think so. There is also this product It is a motion detection air spritzer and really will work for this problem. Just another option.

My cats did the same thing to a mattress in our guest bedroom. I really didn't mind though because no one could see under the bed anyway. They also dug out the bottom of a chair too. It really didn't bother me. But you can have installed a heavy material that will keep the kitten out. Also make sure you try to find something similar for you kitten to hide in. Something small, confining and maybe something that has a small entrance with a second level. I am trying to find the link of what I am talking about. There are many options for hideouts similar to mattresses that will keep the cats away from your mattress.

I am trying to find a cat tower for him. Only thing is they are all so expensive and I really need to save my money since I will not be working for the summer. Any tips where to get a decent priced one? Been looking on ebay and craigslist to