cat and carpet

[sonj186]

Hi all, i have the pleasure of having the most loving rescue cat who really is part of the family however he has destroyed the 3 bottom stairs in my hall by scratching the carpet to bits he has a scratching pole but prefers the stairs! i want to replace the carpet but dont see the poing while he is still scratching it! any ideas how i can get him to stop?

[Tally]

Scratching is a way of releasing scent from glands in the feet. If you replaced the carpet, his scent wouldn't be there and he wouldn't be drawn to the same area like he is now. However, there will be some reason why he has chosen that location, and if the reason still exists, he may decide to re-apply his scent to the new carpet. He may have chosen this location because it is close to the front door, which is a place of unfamiliar scents which may cause him to feel like he needs to mark his territory - he may not need to re-start if he is more settled now.

 

There is a product called Feliway, which releases synthetic cat pheremones which help the cat feel more content. Placing a diffuser near to the steps, or regularly spraying directly onto the steps, might reduce his need to scent-mark in that location.

 

Is the scratching post close to where he is scratching on the stairs? Spraying it with a little catnip might make it more appealing. You can even get scratching mats which you could place on the steps, however, these may be a trip hazard. When you have replaced the carpet, you could staple the old, scratched carpet to a board placed near the bottom of the stairs, and he may prefer to continue scratching the old carpet.

[bid]

I was going to suggest Feliway, too!

 

Other than that, I think you just have to accept that cats is cats...which means tatty carpet, like our's!!

 

Boho

[sonj186]

Scratching is a way of releasing scent from glands in the feet. If you replaced the carpet, his scent wouldn't be there and he wouldn't be drawn to the same area like he is now. However, there will be some reason why he has chosen that location, and if the reason still exists, he may decide to re-apply his scent to the new carpet. He may have chosen this location because it is close to the front door, which is a place of unfamiliar scents which may cause him to feel like he needs to mark his territory - he may not need to re-start if he is more settled now.

 

There is a product called Feliway, which releases synthetic cat pheremones which help the cat feel more content. Placing a diffuser near to the steps, or regularly spraying directly onto the steps, might reduce his need to scent-mark in that location.

 

Is the scratching post close to where he is scratching on the stairs? Spraying it with a little catnip might make it more appealing. You can even get scratching mats which you could place on the steps, however, these may be a trip hazard. When you have replaced the carpet, you could staple the old, scratched carpet to a board placed near the bottom of the stairs, and he may prefer to continue scratching the old carpet.

good idea about stapleing the old carpet! his scratching post is at the bottom of the stairs at the mo so we all have to climb over it! however the crafty moggy moves it to get to the stairs

[pookie170]

What about this??

 

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pi...921-Posters.jpg

 

That ought to work!!

[sonj186]

What about this??

 

http://imagecache.allposters.com/images/pi...921-Posters.jpg

 

That ought to work!!

Fantastic! i wonder if they come in different colours!

[dooday24]

ive had a problem with mynew kitten weeing bhind the tv and once he had done it oncejust kept goin bak so iput a peice of kitchen towel with a sliceof orange on it and he aint been bak there since they hate the smell of oranges xxxx