Scratching!

Well, it has been a week and Baby Boy is still incredibly scared of me. I can't get within 2 feet of him without him running away. Sigh. I am really thankful for several things, though. He always does his business in the litterbox, has not destroyed anything valuable and doesn't hiss at me anymore.
What I'm mostly concerned about is his scratching. he completely ignores the petsmart kitty condo i got him and takes out his scratching needs on the carpet. Now there is a spot of the floor that looks like a pile of cotton balls.
Anyway, i ordered an alpine scratcher from That Fish Place. It comes pre-loaded with catnip. Hopefully that works.
Any other suggestions to help his scratching?

I showed Buddy where and how to scratch.. he still goes after the end of the bed.. and the arms of my chair..but does use his cat house now. Try scratching it with your nails so it makes that sound.. I also put catnip in and on it, and played with him around/on/in it as well with a long shoelace or his toys so he became very familiar with it.

There are inexpensive corrugated cardboard scratching pads - about $3 to $4 - buy two or three and put them on the floor by the carpet where hr scratches. Since he is insisiting on scratching the carpet, give him an alternative right at the same spot where he scratches. There are also kitty deterent sprays that you can also buy - spray the carpet areas you don't want him to scratch with that - it doesn't always work but it may help re-direct him to where you do want him to scratch. If he lets you, when he starts to scratch inappropriately, pick him up and carry him to the scratching areas and work his paws for him a bit - he should get the idea. You can also use the canned compressed air -like you use to clean the computer - to make a noise when he scratches inappropriately as well. You don't spray it on him, but the hissing noise will get his attention and should 'scare' him away from where he is scratching. You don't necessarily want him to associate it with you - just with the scratching. You will need to keep it close at hand for a while until he decides it is just not worth it to scratch where he shouldn't and easier to scratch where he should. These are all relatively inexpensive things to try at any rate.

Good luck!

Kathryn

I recommend cardboard scratchers too. My cats love them. You can buy flat ones and ones that are at an incline. We have both. Try the Turbo Scratcher too...it's a round plastic track with a ball inside they can bat and chase and the middle is a cardboard scratcher. The Turbo Scratcher is the favorite and that stays put on the carpet too. I highly recommend this. You can get all of this at Petsmart.

I agree those cardboard scratchers work well!!

Turbo scratchers, and old bulletin boards make great scratchers for kitties. I saw one the other day that actually mounts to the wall! What a great idea. Some cats don't like to scratch on vertical posts, they need horizonatal ones, flat ones, ones that hang on doorknobs. There are all kinds. Don't yell at your cat when he scratches the carpet. He is doing what is instinctive to him, leaving his scent on his territory. Just try and redirect his scratching to other safer objects.

Hissy is so right! Along with the carboard scratchers I also have a sisal carpet mounted on a wall. My kitties don't scratch this much but oh, how they love to get a good clawhold and stretch!

Thank you everybody! I tore up an old cardboard box and placed it over the spot he usually scratches. Now he scratches the cardboard instead! I'm so happy. This will be temporary scratcher until the alpine scratcher arives.

Alright! Helpful hint for you: I don't know what other people do but I wedge the carboard scratchers in between furniture otherwise it will slide and then the cats won't scratch. I have it wedged tightly between our dresser and the wall. Do what works best, just somehow anchor it so it won't move. May your kitty enjoy the new scratcher!