Protect baluster from cat?

lstar337

Our cat has taken to using our balusters as his own personal scratching posts. He has fully destroyed one, the others I can probably patch up with filler and paint.

He has his own toys/posts to scratch, but doesn't seem to be using them. He mostly does it at night, but has started to do it while we are using the toilet which is only a door away from the landing. It looks like attention seeking behaviour, like he does it to get us to shout.

Has anyone got any tips to stop this?

I'm not having his claws taken out.

tBagpuss_2

It may be worth trying something like this -

If you can catch him at it, then a squirt from a water bottle while he is in the act may help - also, if it is a new behaviour it may be stress-related and a feliway spray or diffuser may be useful.

Are you concenred more abou damage or appearance? If you just want to stop him damaging them then wrapping a piece of old carpet around the newel post might work - he would then be scratching the carpet rather than the post.

As it's nearly christmas, try wrapping tinsel round the post for now and see whether the change in texture puts him off. If it does, then use the next month to try to encourage him to scratch elsewhere :-)

Also, check whether he needs his claws cutting. If he is getting old, and less active, he may not be wearing them down as much as normal and may be scratching more because of that.

warmhands.coldheart

Get Rid of the cat !! Problem Solved !!

lstar337

tBagpuss wrote: »

It may be worth trying something like this -

Thanks, I'll give that a look.

tBagpuss wrote: »

If you can catch him at it, then a squirt from a water bottle while he is in the act may help - also, if it is a new behaviour it may be stress-related and a feliway spray or diffuser may be useful.

It's not new behaviour, but it has increased recently.

I think he doesn't like being shut out at bedtime, he has the whole landing and hall to himself, but we can't trust him in the lounge because he likes to play and get into mischief! The main reason we started shutting him out was because he used to run up the curtains and shred them, or pull the whole rail down!

tBagpuss wrote: »

Are you concenred more abou damage or appearance?

Damage really. We are renting and originally we were told no cats. The landlady changed her mind when she saw him because he is such a pretty boy! I don't want to repay her kindness by wrecking her balustrade.

tBagpuss wrote: »

If you just want to stop him damaging them then wrapping a piece of old carpet around the newel post might work - he would then be scratching the carpet rather than the post.

I worry that would encourage him to scratch other things he shouldn't. Somebody told me tin foil might put him off?

tBagpuss wrote: »

As it's nearly christmas, try wrapping tinsel round the post for now and see whether the change in texture puts him off. If it does, then use the next month to try to encourage him to scratch elsewhere :-)

That's a cracking idea! I will be trying that.

tBagpuss wrote: »

Also, check whether he needs his claws cutting. If he is getting old, and less active, he may not be wearing them down as much as normal and may be scratching more because of that.

He is young, but he is an indoor cat, so his claws may be getting long. I'll check on that. We never intended on him being indoors all the time, but we live in an area with a security locked courtyard and busy main roads each side. As he cant punch in the security code, we are worried he would get trapped and not be able to get back in. Also, he is very daft and clumsy, we worry about the roads because 3 of his siblings (owned by other people) have been run over and killed.

lstar337

warmhands.coldheart wrote: »

Get Rid of the cat !! Problem Solved !!

How could I get rid of this:


Besides, he belongs to my OH so it's not my call!

missprice

You can safely use a piece of carpet, it won't mean the cat will the scratch elsewhere. Or rope wrapped tightly same effect.
My cat god rest her used to love a bit of wood that we dumped outside from the kitchen reno, she went from the fence, which still bears the scars, to the wood.
I moved that wood around the garden for convenience and she went wherever it went.

Hope that makes sense

Bailey101

One of my cats scratches the sofas when his claws get too long, I clip his myself but my vets will do it for a tenner - it would help keep him off your curtains too!!

You could also try spray catnip on his scratching posts to encourage him to play there instead.

He's a cutie

xx

freezspirit

I have 2 cats, just turned 11 and I used a pet behaviour training spray. a couple of sprays on the item that I notice they have scratched seems to work. Got the spray about 10 years ago and 3/4 full. One cat scratches the sofa in the front room other mums bed.


A cheaper alternative is to add something the cat detests to water and spray on the post.

cabbage

the cats like a bit of a stretch when scratching so that's probably why. I would tack a bit of carpet onto it or do something similar in an area that is not so public.

lstar337

Bailey101 wrote: »

He's a cutie

xx

Yeah, which makes it near impossible to tell him off!

yangptangkipperbang

tBagpuss wrote: »

It may be worth trying something like this -

I used this stuff to protect the front of my new sofa - works a treat ! After a few weeks I took it off and the cat still stayed away from the sofa. He has a very rough coir door mat in the bedroom which he uses most of the time now.
Keeping his claws well trimmed also is a help.