how to stop cat scratching wallpaper!?!?

h007 · 20 April 2010 at 9:50AM

hi guys,

we have recently redecorated in our front room and my youngest cat has taken to scratching on the new wall paper!! (he never did this with the previous paper and he has 3 scratch posts to choose from.)

does anyone have any experience, advice or ideas on how to get him to stop?

thanks

no1catman · 20 April 2010 at 10:02AM

h007 wrote: »

hi guys,
we have recently redecorated in our front room and my youngest cat has taken to scratching on the new wall paper!! (he never did this with the previous paper and he has 3 scratch posts to choose from.)
does anyone have any experience, advice or ideas on how to get him to stop?
thanks

I don't know what it is about wallpaper, that cats like - my late cat used to scratch some areas (especially raised textured type), but not others. There may be a 'smell' there that is attracting him, mask it with something else - is it only one area or all around the room. Otherwise, the best aversion therapy is a water pistol, but don't let him see you do it - he has to associate the scratching of that wall paper with the water, not you!
Good luck!

chrisaj · 20 April 2010 at 11:55AM

My late cat loved woodchip paper, he used to scratch it to bits, I'm sure by the expression on his face whilst he was doing it he was really enjoying it

.
Cats don't like orange's, so have you got any orange essential oil that you could maybe put a couple of drops on a cotton wool ball and leave it near where he tends to scratch. Maybe worth a try

h007 · 20 April 2010 at 11:56AM

thanks guys - will try the suggestions
only trouble is he seems to be doing it all around the room!!

paulwf · 20 April 2010 at 1:28PM

If he isn't using the scratching posts (can't tell from your post if he is or just ignoring them) some catnip sprinkled around the base of the post can work wonders.

Artytarty · 20 April 2010 at 2:36PM

in the 70's we had lovely soft "Novamura" wallpaper. Ther used to be an ad. some of you may remeber where a house was burguled and they stole the wallpaper. That was Novamura.
Anyhow the cat just adored the texture and he had it literally in shreds!It was like the shower attack from Psycho!

RacyRed · 21 April 2010 at 11:22AM

Mine just love the feel of textured wallpaper beneath their claws.

In our old home they never scratched anything but now, while we are staying with family who have woodchip on the walls they scratch any chance they get

I've had to offer to redecorate when me and the furry pests move out.

msfoxymax · 21 April 2010 at 7:59PM

Oh the joys! We got our 2 tom cat brothers in november last year and lets just say its been erm............................difficult with the wallpaper :rotfl::eek::rotfl::eek::rotfl:. Loki excels in his DIY skills especially in the hall where he has decorated every wall and one has a lovely plasterboard feature now but we still love him to bits. Lets hope it gets a bit better now we have let them go outside to make the trees into sawdust! I'm terrible at checking them as they look sooooooooooo cute lol!

MCMitten · 22 April 2010 at 11:32AM

Last year the water tank in the loft burst and flooded DS's newly decorated bedroom, the ceiling fell down and I had to start over again:(
I let DS choose his new wallpaper and a month later his room was back to normal:T
Unfortunately the wallpaper was textured and the cat had a feild day exercising his claws. The paper is now ripped to shreds and since kids colour roll went out of buisness I cant get the paper again to repair the torn areas:mad:
I would understand if he didn't have any posts to scratch, but the little pest has a large activity centre and a seperate post downstairs along with a spare basket FULL of toys (I still love him tough;)).

Unfortunately some cats just like wallpaper (and carpets and curtains:rotfl:) I've found that he only likes the rooms will textured paper in them (sadly this is most of them) so if your wallpaper is textured my only suggestion would be to change it to something smooth.

Sorry i'm not much help:o
Good luck

Carrera74 · 22 April 2010 at 11:52AM

My two like wallpaper and the carpet. They also like the mat by the back door so must be a texture thing.

I say a sharp 'no' if I catch them in the act or I have squirted the older one with water when he started on the wallpaper. After a few squirts he hasn't done it again. The baby likes having water squirted at her lol but she listens to the 'no'.

They both ignored their catposts until I sprayed them with catnip. I didn't realise how potent this stuff is!!

missmontana · 22 April 2010 at 10:22PM

It could be the smell of the wall paper paste, my 2 girls love to chew at anything sticky, they have a good sniff then start licking and chewing!
As others have suggested, catnip to attract him to the right places and maybe a treat as a reward when he does use the scratch post.

how to stop cat scratching wallpaper!?!?

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