Lily is destructive and jumping with claws out on furniture!

Lily is 8  months old..she is my avatar..on here.

I bought her a laser mouse when I got her at a rescue at the animal shelter

to entertain her and also 2 scratch post and toys were here and I also have

 a long stick with  a toy rat that I play twice a day until she is panting

and tired.. I also have catnip spray.

She began the 2nd day she came into our home tearing up the curtains

and the couch and chair..

I took a rolled up newspaper once and she thought that she would attack it too

playfully, plastic flyswat shaking and saying no sternly has not worked..

I tried the water bottle a few times in the face and she just looked at me

amused and ran off and came back for more..wilder than before..

I stopped the water bottle as someone on here said to not do that.

Okay the furniture has been covered with sheets and she will run up under the sheets

and tear up the couch..and chair..

She just knocked the phone  off the table beside me ...

I bought the spray yesterday at pet smart that is to prevent scratching on furniture

my furniture was sprayed this morning and she still scratched some on it with me sitting in it.

She runs so fast and does it and then if I say no she runs off real fast down the hall..

She will return and do this over and over all day long..

At night she does not do it..she lies in the bed with me...all night long till dawn

but when day break comes the tearing up starts...

Does anyone know of anything I have done wrong or if the no scratching spray might work

if I continue...with it daily..it was expensive to me and I also had to be sure it did not cause a headache

or racing heart beat for my husband or I ..since wwe have multiple chemical sensitivity illness and to

even botanical ingredients...

I have decided to never use the laser mouse again as of today

because she seems wired to be worse when I play with her twice a day with the mouse..

Waiting for your thoughts...

SheriT, Lily and also Bro

First question, is she spayed?

Secondly, do you trim her nails?

It is also important to have different types of scratchers.  Some cats like the cardboard kind, some like sisal rope and some like carpet.  You may need to experiment.

Also does there tend to me a pattern when she is destructive?  Some cats cannot tolerate catnip.  It makes them crazy. 

Have you thought about trying clicker training to keep her off the furniture?

You also can look into soft paws that are placed on her nails to prevent her from ruining furniture.  You can do a google search and read all about them.

I agree with Shadows comments.

Also, have you tried putting a good sized scratching post near the places she is clawing at?  If not, try that also. 

Hopefully, the post will start being used and you can inch it away from the furniture bit by bit until Lily is using it solely.  It worked for us.

Last, maybe look into putting some double sided tape onto the areas for a while.  Cats typically don't like touching that stuff 

HI there

yes she has the tall sisal an carpet one and cardboard one...

She is spayed...and was timid at the shelter ..but

two days here and she loved freedom..and run of the house..

I do not over use the catnip that is twice a week on a toy or scratch board or post only..

Not had her nails trimmed..as I do not know if I could do it

and not able to afford a vet or groomer for that..

money goes on food..and litter..for 2 cats..

and now the spray I just bought to try to deter her

frpm the furniture.

on the tape the entire couch would have to be covered in tape as she claws front, back , sides

and cushions if not watched and then will run and do it when you are watching tv and

just sitting there...with her in the room..

thanks for replying..

do you think the lemon grass oil 10 drops added to a cup of water and sprayed on the furniture would stain it

and would it be difficult to smell?

also they say you can do the same with eucalptus but I think that would bother my allergies not sure..

anyone out there tried either of those on furniture..and if you have allergies yourself?

thanks

sheri , lily and Bro

Kittens have what I call "tornado mode". Mine still do, and they're almost 9 months.

Do you have a lot of toys for her? Boxes? Anything to keep her occupied?

As far as scratching, definitely don't use something else to try and swat her. It just looks like another toy! Do something else to distract her, snap fingers, tap on table, maybe a little hiss. Anything to make her stop paying attention to scratching and pay attention to you and the tone of your voice. It took awhile but the boys pretty much stopped scratching things they weren't supposed to.They still do occasionally, but they stop immediately when they hear me yell "Hey, cut that out!"

Also, please be careful with using oils - many are toxic to cats! Eucalyptus is for sure.

Trimming their nails is not difficult. They may not like it and they will probably struggle. I still remember with Oliver holding him up (he was a tiny thing then) and telling him this was gonna happen so he better get used to the idea! Oh man, the look on his face. He still hates it but we get it done. You can try wrapping her in a towel and then trimming her nails, a lot of folks do that.

Soft paws (or soft claws) nail caps work really well if you can get kitty to sit still long enough to get them on. She'll still scratch at things, but it won't be destructive!

you hit the  nail on the head ..tornado mode...they get into..

Did you ever see the cartoon with the tasmanian devil that whirled around

and moved so fast no one could catch it,, that is a good description of

a kitten that is overdoing ...

I have tried stern voice an eye contact..she is the only cat I have owned

out of many in a life time that will look at your eyes and talk to you

and stare for what she wants you to give her...or do with you..

clicking would remind her of the laser mouse which I will never use again

as this just made her highly destructive..it was like a person texting that can not stop..

she is that way with me and the laser mouse..she will jump me if I do not continue

even with the panting from playing with following it and chasing it twice a day..

So that is over..no more..did it for 2 months and she literally was wired

in her brain on the click of when you use it..and my hands she was looking

at my  hands to see if I h ad it out to use...and then staring at me

wanting me to get it out and use it all day long..

thanks for writing..I like to hear from others and their experience and advice..

Sheri, Lily and Bro

 

Just keeping the nails clipped is usually enough, plus supply them with things they like to scratch.  Most love those cardboard scratchers that sit on the floor.

https://www.chewy.com/cat/scratcher...gN1c8jEwdgmtCQnx-7i0TStYcjLron9pN2hoC_Lzw_wcB

I covered my sofa too. I didn't have the money for a decent slip cover so I used some sheets. I ended up using something called upholstery twist pins to keep the sheets against the back and sides of the sofa. I found them at Walmart in the craft/sewing section.  After I put those on he couldn't get underneath as easily.

I agree with the people who said trim claws too. That made the biggest difference.  I ended up taking a piece of a sectional sofa I no longer cared about and standing it on its end against the wall. After he used that  few times he started leaving the sofa alone. I think he liked the fact it was tall and he could stretch to his full height on the corner and the top is flat so he can sleep up there. It looks kind of weird, but it helped quite a bit. Like others have posted.... it seems like you have to kind of experiment and find what each cat likes as far as scratching areas...That age was the worst as far as scratching goes...at least for my cat....it got way better once he matured..

I'll try and get a pic of it and post it...

Red top rescue!

I loved the cat nail trimming video!

thanks for sending it.

I realize now that my oldest cat Peebo

surely needed nail trimming but I never could do much with him

as he would bite you if you petted him unless you held him so he

could not bite you..he was 9 but he was that way since a kitten.

I will look at Lily and see what her nails look like at 8 months old...and

if I think I could do it..I was scared of cutting  into the quick that is why

I was hesitant ...

Now where do they buy the soft paws ?

thanks

sheri and Lily and Bro

Hi there

I wrote down the upholstery pins, had no idea about those...

it take a king sheet and two queens to cover my couch

and two more sheets for the recliner..gets expensive for

sheets ...I have no old ones to use...

The monster is resting on the chair in the sunlight by a huge window

right now..Lily that is...LOL

Sheri, Lily and Bro

You can get soft paws on Amazon (I think they're still on sale!) or at most small pet stores.

thank you

Sheri and Lily

Here is the main site of soft paws

http://www.softpaws.com/?gclid=CPrh69q14coCFQ6LaQodFaANxA

I find it easiest to trim my cats nails with a helper.  Make sure you have good lighting as well so you can see properly.  I have my helper, hold the cat or give the cat treats to distract if the cat is wiggly.  One of my cats will not sit still so treats or plain cooked chicken is a must. My other inside boy is great and will sit nicely .  You just need to find what works.  I am also certain to remember at each vet visit to have them trim my cats nails.  When I get a routine exam, they will trim his nails for free. 

SheriT said:

 
Hi there

I wrote down the upholstery pins, had no idea about those...

it take a king sheet and two queens to cover my couch

and two more sheets for the recliner..gets expensive for

sheets ...I have no old ones to use...

The monster is resting on the chair in the sunlight by a huge window

right now..Lily that is...LOL

Sheri, Lily and Bro

Click to expand...

I didn't realize there was such a thing either.....I had almost decided to try and staple the sheets...Then when I was telling my sister about it she said try the pins first....they have a cork screw thing and just kind of screw into upholstery underneath....

It might help if you have a piece of old furniture you don't care for, one that perhaps they could use? Similar to what someone stated above? We have two old chairs that the cats are kinda allowed to scratch on. Allowed in the sense that we never stop them. They DO love being able to stretch! So they have, by default, something to scratch on in pretty much every room in the house (except the bathroom).

One of my cats is a furniture scratcher too, I've used SoftPaws very successfully with him. I cheat, and take him to the vet and have the vet techs trim his nails and apply the SoftPaws for a small fee! I do order my SoftPaws online, although my vet also has a limited selection of them that I can get from them also.   

http://www.softpaws.com/soft-paws-cats/

I clip claws and have many cat trees, and my furniture is purchased at the Humane Society Thrift Store.  When it gets too shabby, I toss it and get more.

http://www.cchumanesociety.org/thrift-store/about-thrift-store/