My cat likes to scratch on the wood work. How can I stop that? I have heard that jalapeno peppers will do the trick or citrus. Does that work? Please help!
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Don't use peppers! I made the mistake of suggesting this in the past, but then I read on ThriftyFun that the heat from the peppers can get into a pet's eyes... They can even scratch their eyes out because it hurts them so much! A cat can touch the pepper then touch his eye while cleaning himself.
What has worked for me is, I found out that my cat greatly preferred one of those mats you wipe you feet on. Not just ANY mat, but the kind made from natural jute or sisal that's not woven but stands up straight (it's kind of fluffy like carpeting) & he can run his claws right through it. I cut up the mat into 2 pieces then glued it to several priority mail boxes (cardboard) but you could also use a stiff piece of wood.
I then leaned these against the wall or furniture where he likes to scratch & he goes for the natural fiber mat instead of other things! If you can't find one of these mats, (mats are usually woven or have loops) you might try those cardboard scratching blocks they sell at Walmart. My cat also loves scratching & biting cardboard. (he doesn't eat it, but I think it cleans his teeth) They also sell a catnip spray to attract them to the cardboard scratching posts or blocks. They also sell a cardboard scratching post attachment that's impregnated with catnip at Walmart too. Be sure any sisal or jute mat has fibers that stick up & aren't loops or woven so your cat can run his claws through it.
* My vet said that cats like & need to scratch because it feels good to them. If they don't scratch they get a build up of microscopic flakes of protein on their nails... They need to scratch to remove this build up or it can bother them. It also helps if you keep their nails trimmed.
Lastly, you can take a piece of wood or cardboard & place double-stick tape on it then place it where your cat scratches. (maybe with thumb tacks that are pounded WELL into the wall with a hammer (so you cat won't eat one!) or using that removable tape or putty. Cats hate the way the sticky tape feels!
Here's a quote from the web: (why do cats scratch)
http://findarticles.com
Scratching removes the old nail sheath so cats have nice, new claws on a regular basis. Scratching also helps cats stretch, which feels good.
They also scratch to mark their territory. Not only do they leave claw marks, which act as a visual message, they leave a scent released from the glands located in the pads of their paws.
Cats tend to pick out a favorite object to scratch on a regular basis. They seem to prefer nice broad, vertical surfaces (like the back of a chair or sofa) with a texture they can really sink their claws into. They also like soft wood and carpet.
Valerie suggested something else wooden for the cats. Here's a more long-plan idea.
Several years ago I read a cat magazine article about Tatarian Honeysuckle. Cats supposedly love its wood, almost like a catnip for them!
I have put some vasoline in the areas of walls and wood where my kitty wants to use as a scratching post. It has worked very well for me. She didn't like the feel of it. When she stopped scratching I just washed it of.
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