How to Stop Cat Scratching!!!

Tester46

My 2 year old female cat has got into the habit of coming to our bedroom door first thing in the morning (i.e. 5 or 6 am) and scratching on the carpet outside the door. This seems to be both to wake us up to let the cat into our room, and as a claw-sharpening exercise. The only problem is, she has claws like razors and the carpet is getting destroyed.

How can I stop her scratching at the door? I'll buy a scartching post (any suggestions?) as she needs somewhere to sharpen her claws, but even the morning wake-up scratching is destroying the new carpet.

Is there a spray or something I can use to keep here away from the door?

Thanks!

GigaByte

My cat does this too and its nothing to do with sharpening her claws, she just wants in!

I skip all the obvious options of leaving her in the kitchen or leaving your door open. Try putting sellotape with the sticky side up where she is scratching and she'll not scratch there, they hate sellotape!

TskTsk

Tester46 wrote: »

The only problem is, she has claws like razors and the carpet is getting destroyed.

If she's an indoor cat and doesn't get a chance to walk/climb on naturally abrasive surfaces, chances are that her claws aren't being naturally blunted during her regular routine. First off, definitely get her a scratching post. Secondly, you could consider clipping the top 1mm or so from each of her claws. I've been doing it every 2-3 weeks and it helps to prevent damage to furniture and carpets. Just be careful not to clip any more than the tip, because their claws are very sensitive and clipping too much could weaken the claw and possibly lead to infection later on. I just use a baby nail clipper, but I've seen specialised pet clippers in various pet stores and online.

Tester46

TskTsk wrote: »

Just be careful not to clip any more than the tip, because their claws are very sensitive and clipping too much could weaken the claw and possibly lead to infection later on.

Any attempt to clip this cat's nails would lead not only to infection, but likely severe laceration, multi-limb dismemberment and death (all of me), but thanks anyway

Tester46

GigaByte wrote: »

My cat does this too and its nothing to do with sharpening her claws, she just wants in!

I skip all the obvious options of leaving her in the kitchen or leaving your door open. Try putting sellotape with the sticky side up where she is scratching and she'll not scratch there, they hate sellotape!

Would you reckon that would also work with duct tape? I have loads of that and it's really strong stuff. Would need to make sure cat doesn't become irretrievably stuck to it... maybe stick to the sellotape.

Anyone tried spraying something like menthol to encourage the cat to go away?

October

My cats used the bottom step of my stairs as a scratching post! I bought a repellant spray from the pet shop - brand name Four Paws. It definitely works but you do have to re-apply it every 24 hours. I only had to use it for about a week but that seems to have been enough to break their habit of using the stairs. They have made good progress of shredding my leather couch! I did spray it for a while but a lot of damage had already been done to the couch before I bought the spray so now I just put a scratching post in front of the arm of the couch.

The spray might stop her scratching your carpet but she will probably find an alternative way to get into your bedroom quick enough as that is probably her main aim!! Can you leave your bedroom door open? One of my cats can't bear a closed door, even if he doesn't want to go into the room! Can be a bit embarrassing when I have visitors and he's peering in through a gap in the door of the bathroom

Tester46

October wrote: »

My cats used the bottom step of my stairs as a scratching post! I bought a repellant spray from the pet shop - brand name Four Paws. It definitely works but you do have to re-apply it every 24 hours. I only had to use it for about a week but that seems to have been enough to break their habit of using the stairs. They have made good progress of shredding my leather couch! I did spray it for a while but a lot of damage had already been done to the couch before I bought the spray so now I just put a scratching post in front of the arm of the couch.

The spray might stop her scratching your carpet but she will probably find an alternative way to get into your bedroom quick enough as that is probably her main aim!! Can you leave your bedroom door open? One of my cats can't bear a closed door, even if he doesn't want to go into the room! Can be a bit embarrassing when I have visitors and he's peering in through a gap in the door of the bathroom

Spray sounds good, thanks. I'm getting a scratching post too. I don't want to leave bedroom door open as cat will then come in, jump on bed, lick my nose and purr so loudly people 2 miles away will complain about the noise.

I appreciate your can't can't bear aclosed door, but I can't bear my cat watching me on the loo. Sometimes you have to put your human foot down

October

I did try and put my foot down with my cat before but he looked at me with such pity that I gave up