Pets are not only true friends, but also a constant walking problem. This is especially true for cats, because these animals are predators by nature, so certain instincts in them are laid at the genetic level. One of those is claw turning. It’s good if you teach your four-legged friend to do this about special toys, otherwise he will use any objects that catch his eye. As practice shows, furniture first of all suffers. Indeed, many people are faced with the fact that the cat is pulling a sofa. What to do and how to wean him from this bad habit? Let's look into this in more detail.
The root causes of the problem
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Before we talk about how to wean a cat to tear furniture and wallpapers, let's first understand why he does it. And for this we need to plunge into the distant past. A few thousand years ago, cats were wild animals, until they were tamed by humans. But hunting instincts in them live today. Scientists identify the following reasons why they sharpen claws:
- Charging - when scratching cats, muscles of the back and paws are involved, resulting in a kind of warm-up necessary to maintain good shape.
- Territory protection - on the paw pads of the feline family there are glands that secrete a secret that has a specific smell that people can not catch.
- Manicure - cats have nails growing throughout their lives, so they need to grind them. If they do not, then at some point in time it will hurt them to walk, because the nails begin to crash into the flesh, causing unbearable torment.
All these reasons explain why the cat is pulling wallpaper and furniture. What should he do to stop spoiling interior items? There are several working methods that you can learn about later.
Determine the cause of the problem
This aspect should be given special attention. So, how to wean a cat to tear furniture and wallpapers? Many pet owners puzzle over this question. But in order to answer it, one must first establish additional causes of what is happening. There can be quite a lot of them, but the following are distinguished among the main ones:
- the texture of the upholstery or wallpaper is ideal for sewing claws;
- low height of furniture, allowing the cat to reach her;
- the sofa is too close to the resting place of the animal;
- if the chair or bed on which the owner sits constantly suffers, then this indicates a lack of attention;
- manifestation of the character and revenge of some breeds due to maltreatment of animals.
Pets, like people, have different temperaments and behavioral factors to consider when keeping them. Therefore, if you do not know how to wean a cat to tear up a sofa and wallpapers, then try to find out more about the characteristics of the breed of your furry friend. Indeed, weaning from bad habits will be effective only with an individual approach to re-education.
General tips and tricks
The answer to the question of how to wean a cat to tear wallpaper and home decoration should start with a review of some simple steps that can help in solving this problem. Try the following:
- Buy your pet a clipper and put it near the place where he sleeps. At first, do not force the animal to tear it, let it first get used to a new thing. Further, as soon as the cat begins to sharpen its claws on the furniture, just transfer it to the clipper.
- Show your pet an example. Take its legs, slightly press on them to show the claws, and slightly scratch the object with them. But do not overdo it, cats are too proud to be manipulated.
- As soon as the animal does what they want from him, give him a little affection and encourage him with something tasty.
- Hang your favorite cat toy on the clipper so that it hangs freely. This will turn the fight against furniture damage into a fun game.
All these simple tips give a detailed answer to the question of how to wean a cat to tear furniture and wallpapers. However, in practice, it is not always possible to easily and quickly re-educate an animal. In this case, the owner will have to show a little ingenuity and ingenuity.
Some tricks
If you have long been trying to solve the problem of how to wean a cat to tear furniture, a sofa or any other, but the tips listed above did not help you, then you can try some tricks. If you still haven’t been able to accustom the animal to the clawclad, sprinkle it with catnip. Cats love the smell of this grass, so they will spend more time near the place you need.
There is another very effective trick that will speed up the process of re-education. As soon as the pet begins to tear furniture, spray on it with ordinary water from a spray bottle. Then take it to the clawcloth and caress it. Thanks to this, the animal will begin to better understand what is possible and what is not.
If the claws suffer wallpaper, then in a problem place lay a small rug, woven from dense material. As a rule, in most cases, cats switch from walls to it, and this allows us to solve the problem with damage to furniture and wallpaper.
What to do if the animal does not lend itself to re-education
So what is worth knowing about this? How to wean a cat to tear furniture and wallpaper, if all else fails? This is most often encountered by owners of thoroughbred pets that are distinguished by their special character and disposition. In this case, the following remains:
- reconcile with the habits of the pet;
- buy dense covers for furniture;
- put a few claws so that they are constantly in sight of the animal;
- treat interior items with special aerosols that emit an unpleasant smell for cats;
- use special claw pads.
It is also possible to surgically remove the claws of the animal, however this option is barbaric, since the animal will remain disabled for life and will experience constant torment until the end of its days. Therefore, it is better to use the less radical methods described above.
Retraining with Claws
What you need to know about this? This is the easiest, but no less effective way, how to wean a cat to tear leather furniture. But here it is very important to choose the right clipper. When buying it, you should consider a number of criteria:
- The height must necessarily exceed the growth of the animal, which stood on its hind legs.
- Upholstery should be selected with high rigidity, reminiscent of wood. For example, a jute rope would be an ideal option. She is not only able to withstand the continuous attacks of feline claws, but also does not injure them.
- The outer coating should be made of natural materials.
But picking a good clipper is not all. It is equally important to put it in a suitable place. It’s best to be close to where the animal is sleeping.
We use aerosols
How to wean a cat to tear the wallpaper for a minimum period of time? That's right, to discourage his desire to sharpen his claws on walls and interior items. This can be done using special aerosols that have a nasty smell for animals. A huge number of them are on sale, so there will not be any special problems with the purchase. Here are a few of the most common ones:
- Api-san;
- "Bio Wax";
- Mr. Fresh
As an alternative to purchased products, you can use citrus juice, such as lemon or orange, or triple cologne. As practice shows, you can very quickly discourage a pet from hunting not only to tear furniture, but also come close to it.
Claw pads
Your pet turned out to be with character, so none of the above worked, and you do not know how to wean a cat to tear a carpet? There is an exit! Buy him an anti-scratch. However, these accessories will not completely solve the problem, but will only serve as a temporary measure. This is due to the following:
- the pads prevent the animal from standing normally on its feet, so it will constantly fall from a height;
- prolonged use may lead to the development of an allergic reaction;
- anti-scratches prevent the cat from drawing in its nails, so it will hurt to walk;
- the animal will not be able to scratch, therefore, if it has fleas, then this will become a rather big problem;
- when trying to remove the pads, the possibility of injury to the fingers is not excluded.
In addition, if your house has wooden floors, then while walking your pet will make a noise, which, in turn, will not allow you to sleep normally at night.
Most common mistakes
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Above, we examined in detail how to wean a cat to tear a sofa and walls. But, as practice shows, many people make some mistakes when re-educating their pets. Here are the most common ones:
- Hacking. Being cruel, you cannot wean animals from bad habits. This will only make them more aggressive.
- Loud noises. They are very much afraid of cats, which exacerbates the formation of new reflexes.
- The use of radical retraining methods, instead of giving the pet claw points.
- Irregularity Many people, having begun to teach animals, take breaks, as a result of which it is not possible to achieve a positive result.
In addition, many for any wrongdoing punish pets. However, this is not recommended, because animals, unlike people, are guided by instincts, not logic. Therefore, it is not necessary to apply the “carrot and stick” method, but try to re-educate your four-legged friend.
Key Success Factors
This aspect should be given special attention. In order to wean from furniture damage to be as productive as possible, a strong bond must be established between the owner and his ward. Therefore, you must make the animal trust you. And this can be achieved only with the help of attention and affection. Try to spend at least a little time every day with your pet and play with him. In this case, do not forget to talk with the cat and praise her. According to experienced breeders and zoopsychologists, very often the problem of scratching furniture is a lack of attention. Thus, the animals try in their own way to talk with the owner. Therefore, in fact, it may not be the pet that is guilty, but you.
What do animal owners say about re-education methods
From this article, you learned how to wean a cat to tear a wallpaper. The reviews of people who have tested the described methods confirm their effectiveness. The best option is to buy a clipper. The animal gets used to it in just a few days and immediately begins to grind its claws on this accessory. Also a safe and effective method is the use of aerosols. They have an unpleasant smell for cats, so they cease even to approach forbidden interior items. As for the surgical removal of the urine and the use of pads on the paws, then everything remains at the discretion of the owners. But experts do not recommend taking such measures, since they are inhuman and bring great pain to our smaller brothers.
Conclusion
Cats are very intelligent animals that can quickly change their habits with the right approach to retraining. Therefore, if you make a little effort, and also show kindness and affection towards your pet, you can quickly discourage him from sharpening his claws on furniture. The main thing is not to use physical violence and other methods of punishment. Believe me, this will not lead to anything good, but will only aggravate the situation.