not using scratching post

Hi dear friends....

Okay, first problem to arise.

Danielle loves scratching our plush carpet. I squirt her, say no and she runs under the bed. I have tried to immeadiately after the squirting to pull her over to the scratching post, and put her little paws on it, but she fights me all the way, and runs away. I have tried catnip on the post, but all she does is go into la la land and rolls around on the base for 5 minutes.

Any suggestions as to how I can get her over to the post with her paws?

I have two posts, one carpeted, the other sisal.

PS I also sprayed the scratched areas of carpet with cat repellant. Don't know if it works yet. Also, aluminum foil does NOT deter her. Sigh......

Thanks alot.

It's very difficult to stop the scratching where you don't want it if the cat is not happy with her proper scratching post. Cats can be very particular with the scratching post they like. Factors to consider are size, vertical or horizontal, location, stability and texture.

Also, you may have inadvertantly created a negative association with the scratching post. If when she scratches the carpet you shout at her or spray water and then grab her and put her next to the post and try to make her scratch it, chances are she's learn to be afraid of the post.

From my experience repellant sprays don't really work. What does work is sticky paws (see here http://www.thecatsite.com/shop/claws.html), but again, you should first provide an alternative that she will like.

Best of luck!

Everything is new and strange to your cat right now.

I am NOT AN EXPERT on cats and their behavior, but, in the last eighteen years I have owned four. Each cat and situation is different All four of our cats needed time to settle in and adjust. Once the cats had adjusted, it seemed to be easier to train them and for the cats to understand what was expected of them.

When you catch her sharpening her claws on your carpet, you might try simply showing her what you want her to do without spraying her. Also, give her a lot of praise and encouragement when she responds well.

Try the cardboard scratching pads you can get at WalMart. It is small and lays flat on the floor. Kittens seem to really like cardboard for some reason.

It's the strangest thing.... even though we spend a lot of $$$$ on the biggest cat post we have, they don't scratch at the bark. Don't get me wrong.... they do scratch at the post. They usually scratch at the base of the carpet or on the oval beds. Tigger, though, always scratches in the corners of the house. She hasn't torn up the carpets, but picks up the carpet with her claws....... you can actually see it moving! :tounge2: She knows not to go near the leather furniture though. It's weird with our bengals, too. If they do scratch, I don't really see them using their claws, even though you can hear it. It's a "light" scratching moment, not a "destructive, I'm going to kill the carpet" moment! :tounge2:

Yes, I am going to the store today to get a flat cardboard scratching thingee.....

Thank you all for your suggestions....

Try to see this from her point of view if you can. You just now got her, so she is a totally new place. She has someone who loves her so much that you are willing to do anything to make her into the cat you want her to be. This is admirable, however, she is scared, stressed, in shock and wondering what happened to her world. When cats scratch the carpet like that, they are trying to establish that this is where they are safe, spraying her with water, and shouting at her makes her feel she is not safe, and then she acts out more. It may also be why she is pooping outside of her box at times. Her whole world has changed and she needs to adjust. I bought my cats the biggest scratching post I could find, and were they interested? nope, not at all. The preferred to scratch the furniture, and I bought these special strips of material and attached them to my furniture, and now they scratch there instead of on the original fabric. I used two-way tape to put this on and does my furniture look a bit strange? Probably but do I care? No......

Please try to relax and take it easy on this kitty. Your primary goal right now should be to instill trust in her. She can't trust anyone if she is still stressed. Sit down on the floor, with a book where she can see you. Take a container of Pounce treats or whatever and put a few in a wide circle around you. Make sure you are comfortable and just start reading (softly) aloud. Do this about 10 minutes every day and I am willing to bet that she will soon learn that you are a comfort zone, and you will start building up the trust that is so needed. Over time, and it will take time as she is an older cat, she will learn what is acceptable for her. When any of my cats act out, (and they come to me at all ages) AFTER I have gained their trust, all that is needed to correct them is to say their name once sharply and snap my fingers and they stop what they are doing at the time. It takes time Vjoy and you live in NY right? So you are understandably more stressed than say I am (although I am plenty stressed) because you are nearer Ground Zero so she will pick this up in you as well.

I am not trying to citicize you, I am just trying to help you relax and help this kitty as well. You are asking her to behave like you want her to behave, and cats are cats, and she is going to be acting out for awhile until she settles down. If she is crawling up your drapes, don't grab her by the scruff of her neck, (this is just an example I am using) walk over to her, disengage her claws, tell her firmly no, and put her on the ground. If she starts up again, do the same thing. Just correct her behaviour gently for right now, and she is smart, she has survived this long, she will catch on. I wish you luck and agaiin, just please try and relax

One more thing, it is like I tell the clients that come here and d adopt the ferals. "Just because you are feeding them and providing them shelter, does not mean they will trust you and curl up in your lap and become lap kitty of the year." You have to gain the trust in order to enjoy it.

Thank you Hissy

I am being gentle with her, even though I sounded frustrated..which I am LOL..... She already understands NO....she is sooooo smart. And she is VERY trusting... she is constantly cuddling and scooching and walking all over us... LOL... she does this even after we have said NO about something, or when I wiper her eyes, for instance. I know she isn't thrilled with this, but it is necessary, and she moves her head a bit, but she still does not run away or anything... the next second she is still purring and kneading and trusts us.

Now, she does still look suspiciously at things around the apartment. And when she hears a strange noise, she looks up. But she does not run under the bed anymore at noises, and now we can even run the vaccuum or blender and she just looks curiously....

I got a flat cardboard scratching pad. She took to it right away. I hope that continues. We went out and got 2 more to put around the apartment. Total of 3.

Thanks for the info

With Tag my totally blind kitty we had to put this ointment in his eyes 3 times a day. Otherwise they would of gotten infected. In his case, his mom had distemper and he and his sister were given to me after she died. Marbles (Tag's sister) was blind and brain damaged and only lived a week) Tag lived longer and would constantly amaze us at what he was capable of doing.

I did not want to upset you and while I was posting to you, I was hoping you would understand my intentions, but your posts had such a frantic tone to them, I just wanted to let you know that relaxing is the key to trust. I am glad she is loving and she will get used to things if you just give her time---

OOH Hissy,

You did not upset me at all!!! I was calmer than I sounded LOL.... but I appreciate all the advice you and everyone give me..... I would never be upset.. you are a sweetheart.

As far as her eyes, the Vet at the shelter said I just had to wipe them with wet cotton. But I am taking her to MY Vet soon, maybe in a week, just giving her a bit of time to settle before forcing her to another Vet visit. I will get his opinion about her eyes. Actually, it is her right eye much more than the left.. I think she sees pretty well, though.....

Thank you again****