(no subject)

[telophase]

Does anyone have any recommendations for cat scratching posts/furniture that do not involve sisal? It's only taken us way too long to realize that D.Va does not like sisal to scratch on, which is why all our leather- and fake-leather-covered furniture is sporting a ton of puncture wounds right now. She also likes to scratch on the red fabric-covered chairs in the living room, but nowhere near as much as the whimper leather. (edit: She's not much of a fan of cardboard, either.)

In extremis, I will purchase fake leather and pillow stuffing, then pull out the sewing machine and repurpose one of our old scratching posts, but I'd rather not have to carve out the time.

Comments

[larryhammer]

With have had success, with some kitties, with those simple cardboard slabs placed in front of the scratched up furniture. Sometimes it helps to initially seed the scratcher with catnip.

[selenite0]

Our current feline trio is happy with sisal, but their predecessors loved the vertical supports of Ikea Ivar modular shelf units. Each time we moved we'd toss a support that had been clawed nearly all the way through and replace it. That was soft pine. Not much like leather, so I don't know if D.Va would go for it.

Not finding a pine post, but there is an outfit call Shoo Kitty that has cedar scratching posts.

[movingfinger]

Scratching is territorial, so if the other cat's scent is on the sisal, that may be part of what she doesn't like. I don't know what would take the scent off and weaken the targeting (maybe one of the enzyme cleaners intended for pee).

The double-sticky sheets do discourage cats from scratching whatever they're stuck to, but that doesn't help the existing damage. I am sorry about your nice furniture! I imagine that hitting leather and fake leather with claws is like bubble wrap popping for the cat mind. In your shoes---I would try alternative material posts before giving her one covered with leather or fake leather, because you want her not to target that material.

If she scratches on carpet, there are carpet-covered posts. That would be my first try with her---put it right in front of a piece of furniture she is going after.

[torachan]

Our cats like the cardboard stuff a lot, though it's even messier than sisal.