Had new sofas delivered the other day - they're great but unfortunately the cats think so too and keep using them as scratching posts.

They never did this with the old ones!

I could do with some tips on how to stop them if any of DS's cat owners can help.... At this rate they'll look like I've had them years, not days!

I don't really want to cover them over. I've currently got a water sprayer which I'm keeping handy to squirt them with as soon as they get their claws out!

you could try putting scratching posts where they scratch the furniture so that they will go for them instead. Hope this helps

I didn't think this was going to be about a cat!

neither did I to be honest I'm glad it was though

You dirty lot... Thanks guys, that really made me chuckle!

Clearly I am far more sweet and innocent than all of you cos it never even crossed my mind when I named the thread!

Ladyinblue, thanks for the suggestion but unfortunately they aren't going for any one or two spots in particular - I'd have to ringfence both the sofas with scratching posts!

Try tin foil - under the cushions and leave a bit sticking out. Cats tend not to like it?

I know you don't want to cover your sofa long term but maybe try it short term???

Do you already have a scratching post? If not, get one. These are pretty much essential.

You need to make it more attractive than the sofa, so get a liquid catnip spray to keep squirting on it.

Also, don't worry about placing it near where they are scratching. Try and distract them with it - for example, I put mine near the main door to the room. My cats therefore have the choice of walking all the way over to the sofa, or using the nice, convenient, cat-nippy post that's right there.

Our cat wouldn't use a scratching post so a washing up liquid bottle is used to freak her out.She still does it but I have so much fun squirting her.

If you're feeling particularly cruel, try these:

http://www.softpaws.com/

Aw, I couldn't do that!

We do have a couple of scratching posts - which they also use - so I'll get some catnip spray and try and tempt them.

I'll try the tinfoil, too - thanks, hadn't heard that before.

My cat loves tin foil!

I would keep going with the water sprayer

I have to confess so does my kitty , infact she loves everything she isn't supposed to! However the foil thing was tried and tested by a few people I know and seemed to worK?

Oh I'm sorry. I don't have any other suggestions. Sorry

Buy some of those crunchy dustsheets and they should play with them instead as the noise is a lot of fun and they can make a den to play in.

There's a 'Pets' DS forum now you know.

I'm not the forum police or anything, I'm just saying.

It's OK, all us cat owners are everywhere. You could try some of that repellent stuff? That works for us, one of ours used to scratch our new bed. I didn't think anything dirty about scratching, I thought Excema or something perhaps, especially with your user name, green wing? I fancied Dr Todd.

They are scent marking the new sofas . Try rubbing their cheeks/faces with your hands and then rubbing your hands on the sofas to transfer their scent . Hopefully this will reduce the scratching behaviour .

No they're not.

They scent mark by rubbing (or spraying in the case of males), not by scratching.

They're scratching them because they like the texture of them. Simple as that.

Ours went the other way. They loved it when we had upholsterd sofas. We got leather ones a few years back .... and they haven't scratched them once.

You could try putting a scratching post near the sofas (use catnip spray or something on it to attract them) you could also try getting an orange/citrus scented spray and spraying the areas they like to scratch with that.

The problem you'll have is keeping them off it long term. I hate to say it, but you may just have to put up with it .... at least to a degree. Cats are not the easiest animals in the world to train ... especially older, established, ones.

Cats (including the big cats like lions) do scratch things to scent mark them .
I was just putting the idea forward as another reason - I'm sure the cats like the feeling they get when they scratch the sofas too.

OP - from reading about cats it seems this will be a tricky problem to solve completely , but best of luck

OP - I had the same problem with my new sofa - my original sofa was a cast off and was 17 years old, not once did my old cat scratch it - but then when we got the new leather ones he had scratched all four corners within the first week, since he passed on and we had new kittens it has suffered even more, the culprit however has himself passed on and to me I could only say that it was far better to have the love and joy of the kittens (especially after Charlie died suddenly) - the sofa can replaced again!

My sister uses some special tape on the back of her sofa as this is exposed to the back of the room and her cats love to scratch it - I think she has had an amount of success with this

Thanks for all your suggestions. Squirting them with water seems to be working quite well, but of course it means being vigilant.

I've covered the sofas over at night or when I've been out and as far as I can tell there's been no real problems..... Also doused the scratching posts in spray catnip, but they use them anyway so don't know if that's made a difference.

Tried some foil but our 1-year-old kitty pulled it out and played with it, so I'm guessing it doesn't bother him much....

The older cat (3 yrs old) has taken to sleeping on the arm of one of the sofas now so hopefully that will satisfy his need to get his scent on there.