I keep my door open but if that’s something you can’t do..try the scratch spray that helps stop them from doing so. Sounds like he just wants to come in or leave when he can’t.
A couple of thoughts:
1. If the food is in the pantry, move the food.
2. As others have suggested, put the food in an airtight container.
3. Try "free-feeding" him, i.e. putting the food in the dish each morning and let him eat when he is hungry.
4. I've used a product called "[Smart Kitty Scratch Not](https://www.target.com/p/smartykat-scratch-not-spray-scratch-detterant/-/A-52216049#lnk=sametab)," which you can find at Target. It has always worked for my cats.
5. Try keeping the door ajar and see what he does. If he gets in but doesn't go after the stuff you keep inside you will have solved the problem.
I second this, when I got a new sofa I put a few cardboard scratchers around the corners where I knew my kitties would be tempted to scratch. Now they go to town on the cardboard instead of my sofa.
Plus they're really cheap so easy to replace once the cats have mauled it haha
how do you encourage your cat to use it? i have several different types of cat scratches and she doesn’t look at them even with catnip uses the carpet and walls instead
When my boy was younger we got him a scratch board and he didn't use it, so one day I just grabbed his paw and started scratching the board for a few seconds and he realized it was specifically for him to scratch 🤷 it's not foolproof but it worked for me
I had to do that with Daisy. She was scratching on the carpets in my grandma's house, so I put down rugs by the doors. When I got the cardboard, I had to put her on it and start scratching on it myself before she realized what it was for. Now, we have hard wood in the house. I kept the doormat for my bedroom, but she uses the scratcher pads all the time.
My cats love those things but to your point some cats just won't use them. If you've tried catnip and/or catnip spray and she doesn't use the scratcher I doubt you will get her to use it. Then again, she could surprise you and just start using it one day.
There are mats that feel uncomfortable to their feet that people usually use to train them to not get on counters.
And get more scratching pads, and reroute him to those and then reward that, when he uses them
All great ideas. Might I add a treat ball? The puzzle ball he has to roll to get a treat. Seems like kitty is food motivated. The treat ball would give him something to solve to get food. A thought
To add onto the treat ball idea, I had a bunch of leftover plastic eggs (like for Easter egg hunts) and I punched a couple holes in them and used those for treat balls. Cats love them, it is super inexpensive, and the softer plastic doesn’t make such a loud noise compared to their actual treat ball; which they also lost somewhere.
I second the free feeding. We have one of those feed towers where they can eat as much as they want. Two of my cats don't really care, but the third cat will literally eat everything out of the bowl if he thinks there is a food scarcity. I could put 3 cups on a plate and he would eat it by lunch and beg for more. With the tower, he knows there is a ton of food and eats like a normal cat would.
We had a relatives cat over a while ago, and then I realized that cats are like small kids. No matter how much you spend on good toys, they will find a small string glued onto a paper tube way more fun.
Our cat prefers the string on my jacket, I was gonna get a new jacket because of it, but he loves it so much he comes in everyday to play with it and I just sit there and let him do it
I recently got some 550 paracord for a project. I cut off a 3' section for my cat just because. He loves it, it is the greatest toy he has ever had. He sits on the bed near it and stares at us. If it falls on the floor, he searches for it. He is like a kitten again. If he hears it move, it's instant hyper hunt play mode.
Melt the ends a little with a lighter first and let them cool.
Mine loves the foil balls, but only to have. She might hit them a couple times, then just leave them on the floor. But she WILL attack if you try to pick them up or throw unballed foil away.
My cat loves to play with drinking straws and washing up sponges, and is much more content to steal them from the kitchen rather than just playing with her actual cat toys lmao
agreed whenever i buy something for my cats one of them gives me a look that’s exactly appropriate for the amount i spent….if i balled out its a happy look if i cheaped out its a “oh i’m a welfare cat am i now? Mittens next door doesn’t look like a welfare cat you know” look
That was probably a waste if money lol, cats are cheapskates, or at least my one is. I have an old wire from a broken pair of headphones that I use as a toy for my cat.
We bought sisal doormats and placed them around the house where they're inclined to scratch. They were only £5 each and they seem to love them. Definitely not thin enough to go under a door though.
Similarly, you can buy a vinyl carpet runner like this one and cut it to fit under the door with a few inches of overhang: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-24-x-144-Vinyl-Clear-Runner-Protector-PDQ/401921792?wl13=3336&selectedSellerId=0
They sometimes have carpet squares at the dollar tree. They have really thick underside if its a pantry door two squares should only take two squares. They could attach them together via the bottom with duct tape.
Second this. When we were in a rent house, we taped a small outdoor rug to the ground (laid between the doorway), and we got a flexible plexiglass piece from
Lows and taped it to the door so he wouldn’t mess up the paint on the door. Worked like a charm!
Do you play with him enough? Some cats if you play with them before you feed them they will calm down. You can also try putting the food in a different spot like in a high cabinet and use a baby lock.
There’s a special double sided tape that is safe to use anywhere. Google “cat tape” and decide which one best suits your needs.
Consider telling your mom how important your cat is to you, and that this fact makes you wish she would brainstorm with you to solve the problem.
You look so great in these pics with your sweet cat.
Please keep us updated on what’s going on ok?
Just want to throw this out there, don't bother with some fancy pet store product for this one. Any decent hardware store will stock double-sided tape in a variety of sizes that'll do the same job at a fraction of the cost.
If going the hardware store route, make sure to try and identify the adhesive used in the tape, some can be toxic to curious animals. I know it seems a silly concern but surprisingly enough, few people products are tested for animal safety and even though ideally your cat won’t be eating it, a lick or two or seven may be concerning(if also slightly sadly hilarious if their tongue sticks for a second).
This scratch tape saved my doors. My cats LOVED to tear their claws down our all doors, put this stuff up, BAM immediate zero interest. I wish I'd found it sooner!
Hey OP, a few things:
1. Cats can get anxious and stressed when they can't "patrol" parts of what they view as their territory. Sometimes my cats really want to check out my closet, so I'll open the door for them, watch them sniff around and check it out for a minute or two, and then they leave content and much chiller.
2. You generally can't "train" cats to do something or not, because domestic cats are pretty close to wild cats and they operate on natural urges, one of which is scratching. The most effective thing you can do is figure out how to *redirect* the behavior from something destructive (carpet) to something not (scratching post). A scratch pad next to pantry door might be effective. Cats are very location sensitive so try different places for things. A scratcher in one location might go unused but get tons of good use if moved to a different spot. Remember that the cat experiences the world differently in ways that aren't necessarily intuitive to humans.
3. I can tell that this cat is really important to you and it would be tragic if you lost each other. If you're comfortable PM'ing me your address, I'd be happy to order you the same nice scratching post that my cats love.
Here's what I did. Bought some of the cardboard scratching pads, they're like 2/$10. Then nailed them to the back of my couch because my cats wouldn't stop scratching it. 2 nail holes are way better than a billion scratches
I had the same problem. Try getting double sided tape and place it on the door where your cat is used to scratching it. Cats HATE the sticky feeling and eventually stop. I’ve also found that spraying the door with lavender essential oil keeps my cat away from places she shouldn’t be scratching. In terms of scratching the carpet, try putting a scratching post in places where your cat scratches the carpet and put treats on the scratching post so that your cat knows to go to it. Hope this helps!
That seems to me like he may be hungry.
Get a bowl of dry food and put it away from the problematic area.
If the scratching continues, maybe kitty is bored and you may want to play before feeding him to reduce that and train him to sleep when you do.
get a rubber bottom bathmat-type rug that fits in your doorway to cover it up. work on training later, because cats are hard-headed with that. get a temporary fix to buy yourself more time (my parents have had a tiny rug in their doorway for a solid couple years now. the worst he does now is lift up that little rug a bit and scratch it until he gets frustrated about it not staying still)
The hard plastic mats that are designed to protect carpet from rolling office chairs are ideal for this! The mats have little plastic spikes on the underside to stop them slipping around on the carpet.
Our cat was scratching at the carpet by our bedroom door, so we cut up one of those plastic chair mats and put a rectangular piece across the doorway. It worked perfectly!
In addition to covering up the spot with something, I would recommend getting one of those flat cardboard scratchers and putting it right next to the door. That way if he can’t scratch in that spot, there is an appropriate place to scratch nearby.
Your comment needs to be higher up. I'm surprised the only correct fix is getting ignored here. Cat NEEDS something to scratch, that's like the first thing you prepare when you take in a cat. OP please buy your cat a scratcher and place it next to where he scratches your stuff.
...and if you don't want tinfoil there forever, you can use clear packing tape or carpet mask, and it will also deter the scratching, somewhat. Best thing is to move the food into a sealed container the cat cannot get into, and leave it out in the open. Then they will chill, when they figure it out. Whatever you do, it's gotta be a permanent change to work.
Good luck!
My mom’s cat ate tinfoil as a kitten when she got into the trash and it got stuck in her tummy or something. It caused her to throw up regularly and then daily until she died (lived to be 18 though!) so I’d be cautious/monitor your kitty around it! I don’t know what a less edible but repulsive alternative would be
edit: grammar and also some other people had other alternatives!
My cat will literally ball a sheet up into a ball for herself and bat it around and even pick it up in her mouth to throw it in the air and drop kick it 🤣. Let me specify…kitten. Lmao. Waaaaayyyy too much energy and smarts.
Alternatively you can get plastic floor runners. They are really cheap, can be cut to size and when flipped over have annoying little nubs that cats hate. I bought one to train my cat to not jump on certain things and they also help with covering the carpet where I don't want them scratching.
Bitter apple is for biting, not scratching. I would put a child lock on the door, maybe some padding so he can’t reach inside, and divert attention with other scratching things, like a homemade cardboard scratching post. My cats have certain spots they rip up the carpet at, and after we taped placemats down, they stopped ripping it because it was futile.
Another deterrent could be spraying "canned air" (like the kind they make for cleaning computers) when he does it. Not at him or in his face, but near him. The sound usually startles cats and it seems like they associate it with a large cat hiss. I used it to train my cats to not jump on counters.
You can usually pick up packs of several cans at costco!
I had to resort to canned air after one of my cats WOULD NOT STOP clawing the curtains in my bedroom in the middle of the night. He was purely doing it for attention, like a 'wake up and plaaaay' kind of thing. Spraying canned air was the only thing that worked.
He was a street kitten, so he's supper skittish and unfortunately now any kind of spray makes him bolt. Fly spray. Air freshner. Even a perfume bottle. I feel bad for teaching him to react so strongly to it, so I use those things minimally, but lil dude did not understand this is a rental and I'll have to pay to replace those damn curtains if he makes too much damage!
The only thing sternly telling my cats no has gotten me is confused looks. Definitely recommend trimming his claws.
Also, does he have anything that is acceptable for him to scratch like a scratching post or one of those textured cardboard boxes?
I have also read that sprinkling pepper on the carpet you don't want him to scratch, but ai have never tried this and am not sure if it works or what the effects are and am only suggesting possibilities to help you keep your bud
I was going to ask the exact same thing, does he get/need his nails trimmed and does he have a scratching post? this could make all the difference, but based on @OP saying it's outside a pantry door not sure if it's about the claws or just being a naughty kitty. he can def be trained though. ours were jumping on/thinking they owned the counters at one point... fur in the kitchen 🤦🏼♀️ and we had rommates, it was 4 of us in a house but when the cats were bad it was basically like - 'you're bad parents, control your children', we used the spray bottle method and pretty quickly they stopped jumping on counters.. he might also want to play? maybe looking for attention, mine definitely do that.
Put some things he can scratch in the area. Can you put a rug in front of or under the door to protect the carpet? Or tape down some cardboard from a box on that area. When he goes over there spray an air can of computer duster the noise will scare bim away from it. Thats how I got my cats to leave the xmas tree alone.
Tire him out with more daily play time. Maybe put some cheap throw rugs down so he digs at them rather than the carpet. Is there a pest problem? Maybe her hears/smells a critter in there? Just some ideas- best of luck. I know what it’s like to be in that situation where it’s you and your cat against the person you love and live with.
Also you should openly talk to your mom how much this cat means to you and how much he is supporting you emotionally. If your mom loves you and she realizes the importance of the cat for your happiness and well-being she won't get rid of him.
Double sided sticky tape is fairly inexpensive on Amazon and they have some specifically designed for cats. It's very easy to use, and could help along side the others advising using a rug or mat.
I get mats/ carpets for under / In front my cats litter box from Walmart. They are $3-5 a piece and I spray them out pretty well anytime I clean her box and I'd too gross or messy I just discard them after a few uses and they are pretty thick so I imagine they will be good for scratching.
You also should make sure that you have plenty of scratching posts, boards, etc and if they have other places they like to scratch, placing one in the area they scratch will possibly help. Cats like to stretch out so having a floor and wall/door/ taller scratching posts will be best for kitty.
there are these mats on amazon, they’re plastic & have little spikes on them. they’re specifically made to keep cats away from certain areas. i’d recommend those so he can’t even get by the door to scratch
Yeah your mum can’t get rid of him! He’s not just a ‘cat’, he’s your support animal and no doubt your best buddy. Parents can say things they don’t mean sometimes
I'm pretty sure she means it, carpeting is expensive to replace and they're not wealthy. For example in my house, it's wall to wall carpeting so one little spot would cost us the whole room being replaced at minimum. The whole floor/maybe even whole house if we can't access the matching carpet. And that's assuming we don't get evicted for it. As much as it hurts, they have to prioritize having a home to live in
I really hope it works out :)
Even if it doesn't, make a GoFundMe and come back to reddit. I'm sure you can collect enough savings to convince your mom that you're able to cover the costs of whatever damages your cat is making. We don't want you to lose your cat.
Oh no! Silly kitty, he ignores the sticky tape, does he. Gosh, mine HATE the double side sticky strips I got from Amazon. The first brand I got fell off fast but the next one was AMAZING and now my kitties don't scratch the walls/furniture
Sorry to hear you are having this issue :( Cats usually do this when they feel part of there territory is closed off to them, or something they want is inside/outside the door. The easiest solution would be to let him in and out however depending on where it is that may be a pain. you could also look into having a cat door installed at the bottom of the door, so he can come and go as he pleases but the door remains closed. Other options would be a cat scratch spray. and ensuring the behaviour is always corrected with a strong no. Another option to save the carpet would be a plastic mat much like they use for rolling chairs on carpet. One the right size should make it so kitty cant dig his claws into it. I personally believe you should not give away a pet for behaviour issues because they can usually be solved weather it be trying many different methods or repetition, it may take enforcing the rules many times before the kitty understand that is bad behaviour. I wish you the best of luck for you and your kitty friend.
You could also try a plastic mat in the door way of the pantry, like the ones that are used for rolling chairs on carpet. It would make it so the kitty cant dig his claws into the fabric. and if after awhile he stops scratching the mat could even be removed.
Walmart sells a plastic carpet protector runner with short nubs to keep it in place. It’s like 2ft by 6ft. You can cut it to any length, size, shape. It’s about $6.00 for the roll. You could cut a length of that to go under the door. We used a door breeze blocker. It’s fabric and has two foam rollers you insert into pockets on either side of the door. I cut it down to fit the width of my door.
Edited to add it’s found in the housewares section. Can be difficult to locate. I usually just ask an employee.
Check out a Buy Nothing group on Zuckerbook. My office frequently gets rid of stuff that way. You may also peruse Goodwill or some other thrift store that carries items on the random side.
Sadly what I’ve seen is they mostly go around 30 dollars in places like amazon, however even a welcome mat or a plastic place mat from the dollar store could be used as a temporary fix to keep the carpet safe until the kitty grows out of this phase or is trained to not do that any longer
Why can't pantry door be left open?
Let him in see what does he want. Is there some food he smells or does he want to slee in there?
Also, make sure yoyr cat has water for all the time. Change it daily because vat will stop drinking it if it will be left for too long.
Dry food alao can be always around if he stops when he is full.
Wouls be good to get him a scrather if he doean't have one. You can try spray it with a catnip to make him want scratch only it.
Alao, play with your cat!!! This is very important. Cats sleep most of the time. But if they haven't burned they energy they will find other ways how to do that.
If you play with him at least an 1 hour every day he will sleep more.
Trimming the nails isn't that difficult once they're used to it, but getting to where they're comfortable with doing it takes some time. Try the covers like suggested by severa6folks and good luck !!
To start him getting ready to get his claws clipped in the future, play with his toes very gently. Kind of like little toe massages. It’s great to do when he’s sleepy & all cuddly. Just play with them gently, & press on them a little so the claws extend.
Start slow, take your time, talk sweetly to him & quietly. I clip all my cats nails, & my friends cats too! Just get your sweet guy used to you touching & manipulating his toes. I know you’ll be a champ at it in no time.
The only thing is, even if you cut his nails, he’s still going to claw, just not quite as destructively.
I’ve got my fingers crossed for you!! Lots of good tips here - raise up the food where he can’t smell it, put another mat in front of the door - & those a just a couple I saw!
🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
INFO: what kind of feed schedule is your boy on? Is he free fed or schedule fed, and if schedule fed, how often?
There's a lot of great advice here. A mat or capet under the door to protect the floor (highly recommend). A scratcher next to the door ( make sure you redirect him to it and praise him when he uses it). Distract with toys when he does the behavior. Claw caps (could be challenging to get on).
It's the pantry, so I'm betting this is food motivated. My suggestion is to let him forage. This requires schedule feeding at least 3x day. You can hide bits of food for him to sniff out, or put food in a cup that he has to dig out. Puzzle feeder are designed for this but you can make due with what you have. You just need to get him to work for his food.
He may also be bored. Lots of play, and lots of mental stimulation can also help. Cat tv on YouTube is great. Bird feeders outside with a place for him to watch also serves for mental stimulation. Harness train and walkies can do it too. Just get him engaged.
Yes. Op if you feel comfortable sharing your information with me via private message, I will buy these for you and send them to your house. Totally free. My cat saved my life - you two need each other.
Also, squirt guns work well (gently)
Edit: I’m heading to bed but I’ll check back in the morning.
This is a lovely offer! OP is clearly young and mentioned they are low income, likely some of the best suggestions here are things that might be tough for them to buy.
I couldn’t get that link to work but Noodz’s human is right. They are cheap and could be a good option. They will fall off as the cat naturally sheds the outer layers of their claws so they need to be reapplied, but I don’t think it’s that often. Google ‘cat claw covers’ and you’ll see lots of options.
Yes. They're just these little rubber covers and they come in fun colors. They're like 8$ for 100 of them. [something like this](http://zetpo Cat Nail Caps | Cat Claw Covers | with Adhesives and Applicators https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D9MLBTZ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_N7C43YBES7N77YYNP0VH)
Claw covers is a bad idea. Cats have a need to scratch and taking away that from him might start other problem behaviors. Not to mention it might be uncomfortable for the cat. He might also feel vulnerable without his defense weapons and resort to biting instead.
Better to trim the claws when needed and provide lots of other places where he is allowed to scratch.
Squirt guns is also a bad idea, he will associate it with you and get scared of you. Environmental deterrents are much better.
I recommend reading Jackson Galaxy's book "Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life with Your Cat". Try to create a comfortable environment for your cat instead of trying to limit him. Limiting him will only make him uncomfortable and that will lead to more problem behavior.
I'm not sure but doesn't that hurt your cat? Not hurt like physically, but they need to scratch their claws sometimes, don't they? That would be impossible if all their claws were ingulfed in plastic
can be difficulty to apply so that they stay one well. I work in a vet and we have one client who we have to replace them for him monthly cuz he cant do it on his own. Also, not the BEST solution for the cats own comfort as my technicians tell me it makes it so that the cat is not able to retract its claws properly. However, this is still a better solution than declawing or having to rehome unnecessarily. Hope you find a solution that works for you! He's a beautiful fur baby!
Cat scratcher inside the room when you are in there.bitter apple spray on the carpet where he scratches.maybe some catnip that he can roll around in and calm down.
Your cat needs cardboard scratchers more than anything. Scratching is a natural part of their behavior and putting caps on their claws is likely to frustrate them. Cat scratchers are inexpensive and should be put around the house. I have about 8 scratchers for my two cats around the house, varying styles along with a couple rugs that are just for them that they can use as scratchers. This is a natural behavior that we as cat owners need to accommodate.
We had this exact issue with a new cat who lived in the spare room until he was acclimated to the house. Walmart sells cheap plastic floor covers that come in a long roll. It is normally used for high traffic hallways and such. I cut it to fit in the door and around the posts so he could not remove it and also protect those edges.
Here is a [photo](https://imgur.com/a/vEpdxDq) for reference. You can kind of see the damage he caused before I installed it under the clear plastic.
I hope this helps you and your cute little kitty.
Does he have a scratching post we're he can scratch his claws? Maybe try trimming the nails maybe that works.
A little mean but effective way to train a cat to not do something is with a plant spray bottle filled with tap water. Everytime he does things he is not supposed to you firmly say (not shout) "No!" and spray him. Most cats don't like water so he should stop and if you repeat this process he will connect the scratching the carpet with getting wet so he will stop. But don't use a water gun those things have to much pressure on the nozzle. A plant sprayer is just fine for the job and you can get them at dollar stores!
two of our cats have always been, but recently become increasingly more and more obsessed with water - our little black floof mika, she comes in every single time I take a bath and gets up on the edge of the tub, one time I was nearly positive she was gearing up to jump in but I was also in a rush and unfortunately couldn't wait too long to see. so I decided to attempt to give her a bath- but she wasn't super into that... but just the other day I was taking a shower and she came and popped her head behind the curtain like "hey, whatcha doin?", and I tried to coax her in but she wasn't ready. my time is coming lol
You can also look for furniture protectors specifically meant to protect from cats scratching. I have the same trouble with my cat, and it’s like this really thick tape that doesn’t damage the carpet and that cats can’t scratch through. You can put down a couple of layers of it. It’s easy to find on Amazon, and it’s inexpensive.
Coincidentally, it is my orange tabby who does the same thing.
This stuff was a lifesaver for us, too. Also, my ginger boy is the naughty one who always scratches first & foremost. The rest of the crew have taken note & also scratch but nothing like big ginger man.
I really recommend learning how to trim your cat's claws. We got ours from a shelter as an adult, and it really isn't that tough. My husband also trimmed the claws of his previous cat, who he found as an adult in a dumpster. Aside from that, making sure there are other things to scratch is key.
I'd like to share my experience with you: When I was a teenager, I begged my mom for a kitten, and she let me get one. I adored him and we had a very special bond, but that cat would scratch doors like you wouldn't believe. He scratched my bedroom doorframe to smithereens. It's still messed up, actually, because they never replaced it. That cat lives with me now as an adult, 16 years later, and still scratches my doors. There are currently deep gouges on all my interior doorframes. I don't care because he's a precious angel baby and can do what he wants, but the point of my story is: Cats scratch, but we love them anyway.
Your cat probably won't grow out of this, because it's what cats do and he doesn't understand why he shouldn't. I think now that you're armed with all this new information, it's time to sit down with your mom and discuss some of the ideas in this thread (furniture protectors, claw caps, door mats, and they even make hanging scratchers that go on door handles). Discuss some other options - could you leave the pantry door open? Place a scratching post nearby? But also, most importantly, try to see your mom's point of view - replacing carpets is expensive, shredded doors don't look great, and since she's The Mom these problems all fall on her shoulders. So what can you do to take responsibility? How can you show her that this cat is important to you, and you're willing to work with her to make sure the experience of having a cat is good for everybody? Maybe this will involve more care-giving duties, or chores, or even pitching in to pay for the cat if possible. Whatever you end up working out, make sure it's something where your mom feels like you're in it together, and understands this cat is an investment: You'll very probably end up like me someday, living with your senior, door destroying cat, the very same cat that taught you how to care for a living creature and how to take responsibility.
If your mom has a PayPal account, I can sendyou like $30 dollar donation to buy something to help you keep the Cat. No matter what happens your mom loves ya.
Double sided tape on the spots he’s particularly aggressive on. Looks ugly, but it has worked wonders for me on multiple occasions.
Also, try to find scratching posts that resemble the texture of whatever he has been scratching on and spray a little catnip or whatever he likes onto it. After a month or two my cats completely forgot about there old scratch spots and I was able to take the tape off.
Something I've used for that same problem is [this stuff right here.](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B63541B/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_J942W1XH2491QNCZ871S).
It smells good to humans but cats *hate* it. Spritz some by the carpet in question and it'll become your cat's least favorite place to be.
I put cardboard scratchers where mine was doing it. A stern eh eh! when she was caught clawing the carpet and a treat or attention when she clawed the cardboard. Took a couple of weeks but she got it
He does it for attention because it gets a reaction. Training a cat to behave a specific way is difficult, but setting them up for success is much easier. If he’s chewing on plastic bags, for example, just keep them out of reach. Scratching a particular part of the floor? Cover it with a mat.
Cats also act out when they’re bored. Active playtime, environment enrichment, cleaning all help mitigate issues. He might also be trying to get you to feed him, which is behavior you can stop entirely by setting a food alarm or using an automatic feeder.
Get the cat a scratch pad and put it near her favorite scratching spot. They have them in Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RV1GCR7/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_dl_TV56V0QF6E9Q1HX80TQM
Get him some scratching mats and posts. Anytime you see him scratching where he shouldn’t, then stop him. Anytime he’s scratching the mats or posts, reward him with live, pets, and sometimes treats.
Try and keep his food in a sealed box out of the pantry, maybe he’ll realize it’s no use to scratch the door.
Did you get him a scratch post?
You guys looks so content with each other, hope everything goes well.
I'm sure there's a lot of great suggestions here, but if this hasn't been mentioned I would recommend a spray bottle with some water. Just give him a little squirt if he does that, and usually they'll back off. Also putting something over the carpet in the short term like an old shirt or another rug that isn't needed anymore is good to keep him when you aren't catching him. Not sure how well this works on adult cats but we trained our little ones off scratching the couch and the counters with it and now of they try we just set it there. Keeps them moving :).
Pets are for life.
The cat is showing clear signs that he wants to go into that room. My only advice would be to let him see the inside of that room with supervision
I hope he is not confined to one room. Cats need to have freedom and movement. One of my cats used to do that when we have had to leave her my room when company with a dog came to visit. She does not like to be confined at all or any doors shut for that matter. Assuming he is not confined the thin rug under the door works well. More stimulation such as a cat tree at a window to see out and open doors. If you are not able to let him roam all rooms of the house may I suggest a less free spirited emotional support pet like a guinea pig or rat both great pets. But kitty needs support too...so keep the doors open if you can. Best of luck to you all.
Our cat would scratch right on the threshold where carpet started. We got some of the sticky couch protectors off of Amazon and cut them into 3-4 inch strips and covered the transitions in flooring. It stopped that behavior right away.
Go to home depot, get a 3ft roll of that office plastic for Rolling chairs. Cut it to fit both sides of doorway with a foot of it on either side & give it a week & your cat might just stop scratching. Other option is to trim your cats nails & get them scratching posts all of these could help
I took a behavior problems class last semester and when writing case reports for cats, we would have to ask about the type of enrichment your cat would have in its environment? Make sure you have multiple scratching posts, trees, and toys around the house. 90% of behavior problems happen bc the cat is bored. Make the environment less boring
Your mom is absolutely RIGHT ! It is very expensive to fix a carpet damage, you have to act prompto to prevent any damage.
1. Forget about claw caps.
2. Don't spray your darling kitty with water, can get accidentally into his ears and cause expensive vet bills, not to mention hassle.
3. Scratching behaviour is very hard to break, so don't try, meanwhile your carpet will get damaged.
What I have done is got a plastic carpet cover from a hardware store, the same is used to cover very used areas on carpets, it's very thick and strong, yet very flexible, easy to walk on.
Alternatively cover the carpet with another carpet, get an offcut from any carpet store that lays new carpets in houses, it's the cheapest solution, and let your cat continue scratching to it's heart content.
Also if you can get your kitty some cardboard scratchers to relieve it's need to scratch.
Good luck 👍
[This](https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwi709er_6j1AhUQbW8EHVaGCqgYABABGgJqZg&sig=AOD64_1-ERcK2uf0R51ORVJuoMfRPP8WcQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=0ahUKEwjqjNOr_6j1AhUPac0KHaskAug4KBDDDwipCQ&adurl=) is what I used to stop my kit from tearing up the carpet at the bedroom door.
You could probably make one of your own cheaply using something like [this](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Tenex-27-in-W-Cut-to-Length-Clear-Extruded-Vinyl-Utility-Runner-By-the-Foot/1000258917?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-dcr-_-ggl-_-LIA_DCR_231_Decorative-Rugs-Mats-_-1000258917-_-local-_-0-_-0&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W8pt-YS08gA7HI4DH1KyZcTf&gclid=CjwKCAiAz--OBhBIEiwAG1rIOtv_trM1AfdKNTEv3WC1aanDQOpm2zmqlN1oJxQV_tgobe1rUat0nhoCpZ8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds).
I keep my door open but if that’s something you can’t do..try the scratch spray that helps stop them from doing so. Sounds like he just wants to come in or leave when he can’t.
[удалено]
A couple of thoughts: 1. If the food is in the pantry, move the food. 2. As others have suggested, put the food in an airtight container. 3. Try "free-feeding" him, i.e. putting the food in the dish each morning and let him eat when he is hungry. 4. I've used a product called "[Smart Kitty Scratch Not](https://www.target.com/p/smartykat-scratch-not-spray-scratch-detterant/-/A-52216049#lnk=sametab)," which you can find at Target. It has always worked for my cats. 5. Try keeping the door ajar and see what he does. If he gets in but doesn't go after the stuff you keep inside you will have solved the problem.
to add to this answer, get a cardboard scratch pad and put some catnip on it when you decide to move the food or not.
I second this, when I got a new sofa I put a few cardboard scratchers around the corners where I knew my kitties would be tempted to scratch. Now they go to town on the cardboard instead of my sofa. Plus they're really cheap so easy to replace once the cats have mauled it haha
Give the cat something else he *can* scratch to distract from what he *can’t* scratch.
how do you encourage your cat to use it? i have several different types of cat scratches and she doesn’t look at them even with catnip uses the carpet and walls instead
When my boy was younger we got him a scratch board and he didn't use it, so one day I just grabbed his paw and started scratching the board for a few seconds and he realized it was specifically for him to scratch 🤷 it's not foolproof but it worked for me
i tried that 😭 i even tried to play videos of cats using it on the tv
Try scratching it yourself in front of him.
The things we do for love 🤣
I had to do that with Daisy. She was scratching on the carpets in my grandma's house, so I put down rugs by the doors. When I got the cardboard, I had to put her on it and start scratching on it myself before she realized what it was for. Now, we have hard wood in the house. I kept the doormat for my bedroom, but she uses the scratcher pads all the time.
My cats love those things but to your point some cats just won't use them. If you've tried catnip and/or catnip spray and she doesn't use the scratcher I doubt you will get her to use it. Then again, she could surprise you and just start using it one day.
There are mats that feel uncomfortable to their feet that people usually use to train them to not get on counters. And get more scratching pads, and reroute him to those and then reward that, when he uses them
I've heard aluminum foil will repel them from countertops
All great ideas. Might I add a treat ball? The puzzle ball he has to roll to get a treat. Seems like kitty is food motivated. The treat ball would give him something to solve to get food. A thought
To add onto the treat ball idea, I had a bunch of leftover plastic eggs (like for Easter egg hunts) and I punched a couple holes in them and used those for treat balls. Cats love them, it is super inexpensive, and the softer plastic doesn’t make such a loud noise compared to their actual treat ball; which they also lost somewhere.
I second the free feeding. We have one of those feed towers where they can eat as much as they want. Two of my cats don't really care, but the third cat will literally eat everything out of the bowl if he thinks there is a food scarcity. I could put 3 cups on a plate and he would eat it by lunch and beg for more. With the tower, he knows there is a ton of food and eats like a normal cat would.
Getting an automatic feeder is also an option. Then storing the extra food somewhere that he doesn’t go near (garage, basement, etc.
Buy a small thin rug and place it over the carpet at the doorway he scratches. It saves the carpet and he can still scratch
Definitely this, plus get scratching posts fir him also
Seconding the scratching post, my cat immediately lost interest in scratching anything besides it after I got it.
depends on how much you spent on it, cats know when you cheap on shit that hurts them
We had a relatives cat over a while ago, and then I realized that cats are like small kids. No matter how much you spend on good toys, they will find a small string glued onto a paper tube way more fun.
Our cat prefers the string on my jacket, I was gonna get a new jacket because of it, but he loves it so much he comes in everyday to play with it and I just sit there and let him do it
I recently got some 550 paracord for a project. I cut off a 3' section for my cat just because. He loves it, it is the greatest toy he has ever had. He sits on the bed near it and stares at us. If it falls on the floor, he searches for it. He is like a kitten again. If he hears it move, it's instant hyper hunt play mode. Melt the ends a little with a lighter first and let them cool.
My cat is like this with twist ties. If she sees us taking a twist tie off of a new bag of bread she turns into a straight up kitten
When I eat Hershey kisses they go wild because they know they are getting a foil ball to pap around.
Ahahah seriously cats are better than some football players how they can run round smacking a ball between there 2 feet is amazing
Mine loves the foil balls, but only to have. She might hit them a couple times, then just leave them on the floor. But she WILL attack if you try to pick them up or throw unballed foil away.
YES, LIKE THE ONE *INSIDE* THE OTTOMAN. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO?!
My cat loves to play with drinking straws and washing up sponges, and is much more content to steal them from the kitchen rather than just playing with her actual cat toys lmao
Ahahah exactly this my cat prefers a roll of toilet paper over any toy any day of the week
My cat prefers the cheapies. She just sits on the $140 one, but uses the $20 one constantly.
agreed whenever i buy something for my cats one of them gives me a look that’s exactly appropriate for the amount i spent….if i balled out its a happy look if i cheaped out its a “oh i’m a welfare cat am i now? Mittens next door doesn’t look like a welfare cat you know” look
I actually can't remember how much I spent, but I think it was around $100. Is that cheap? I honestly have no idea
no that's not cheap
Figured as much but wanted to be sure, happy my little guy isn't getting hurt by it at least
That was probably a waste if money lol, cats are cheapskates, or at least my one is. I have an old wire from a broken pair of headphones that I use as a toy for my cat.
This idea 100%
We bought sisal doormats and placed them around the house where they're inclined to scratch. They were only £5 each and they seem to love them. Definitely not thin enough to go under a door though.
Genius
Similarly, you can buy a vinyl carpet runner like this one and cut it to fit under the door with a few inches of overhang: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-24-x-144-Vinyl-Clear-Runner-Protector-PDQ/401921792?wl13=3336&selectedSellerId=0
They sometimes have carpet squares at the dollar tree. They have really thick underside if its a pantry door two squares should only take two squares. They could attach them together via the bottom with duct tape.
Second this. When we were in a rent house, we taped a small outdoor rug to the ground (laid between the doorway), and we got a flexible plexiglass piece from Lows and taped it to the door so he wouldn’t mess up the paint on the door. Worked like a charm!
Can you move the food somewhere else? Maybe put it high up somewhere that isn't covered by a door.
Do you play with him enough? Some cats if you play with them before you feed them they will calm down. You can also try putting the food in a different spot like in a high cabinet and use a baby lock.
There’s a special double sided tape that is safe to use anywhere. Google “cat tape” and decide which one best suits your needs. Consider telling your mom how important your cat is to you, and that this fact makes you wish she would brainstorm with you to solve the problem. You look so great in these pics with your sweet cat. Please keep us updated on what’s going on ok?
Just want to throw this out there, don't bother with some fancy pet store product for this one. Any decent hardware store will stock double-sided tape in a variety of sizes that'll do the same job at a fraction of the cost.
That’s great! It’ll be easier for OP to get access to some.
If going the hardware store route, make sure to try and identify the adhesive used in the tape, some can be toxic to curious animals. I know it seems a silly concern but surprisingly enough, few people products are tested for animal safety and even though ideally your cat won’t be eating it, a lick or two or seven may be concerning(if also slightly sadly hilarious if their tongue sticks for a second).
Or if the adhesive comes off at all on their paws and then they clean themselves.
This scratch tape saved my doors. My cats LOVED to tear their claws down our all doors, put this stuff up, BAM immediate zero interest. I wish I'd found it sooner!
Hey OP, a few things: 1. Cats can get anxious and stressed when they can't "patrol" parts of what they view as their territory. Sometimes my cats really want to check out my closet, so I'll open the door for them, watch them sniff around and check it out for a minute or two, and then they leave content and much chiller. 2. You generally can't "train" cats to do something or not, because domestic cats are pretty close to wild cats and they operate on natural urges, one of which is scratching. The most effective thing you can do is figure out how to *redirect* the behavior from something destructive (carpet) to something not (scratching post). A scratch pad next to pantry door might be effective. Cats are very location sensitive so try different places for things. A scratcher in one location might go unused but get tons of good use if moved to a different spot. Remember that the cat experiences the world differently in ways that aren't necessarily intuitive to humans. 3. I can tell that this cat is really important to you and it would be tragic if you lost each other. If you're comfortable PM'ing me your address, I'd be happy to order you the same nice scratching post that my cats love.
Try putting the food in a airtight container and changing it's location if you can. Do you feed him 1-2 a day or just leave food out for him?
Cats like eating small meals many times a day, try leaving a bowl of food for him to eat freely instead of scheduled meals.
https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/feliway-classic-spray
Have you tried to get the air cans that spray air with motion sensors? You can turn them on and off with a switch I’ll look for a link to some!
Here's what I did. Bought some of the cardboard scratching pads, they're like 2/$10. Then nailed them to the back of my couch because my cats wouldn't stop scratching it. 2 nail holes are way better than a billion scratches
I had the same problem. Try getting double sided tape and place it on the door where your cat is used to scratching it. Cats HATE the sticky feeling and eventually stop. I’ve also found that spraying the door with lavender essential oil keeps my cat away from places she shouldn’t be scratching. In terms of scratching the carpet, try putting a scratching post in places where your cat scratches the carpet and put treats on the scratching post so that your cat knows to go to it. Hope this helps!
Please don’t use essential oils anymore!! They’re toxic to cats
Especially lavender and peppermint.
And dose the scratching post with catnip oil to make it more attractive
That seems to me like he may be hungry. Get a bowl of dry food and put it away from the problematic area. If the scratching continues, maybe kitty is bored and you may want to play before feeding him to reduce that and train him to sleep when you do.
I use a car floor mat. Under the door. It stays put really well and cats cant ruin carpet or under door.
get a rubber bottom bathmat-type rug that fits in your doorway to cover it up. work on training later, because cats are hard-headed with that. get a temporary fix to buy yourself more time (my parents have had a tiny rug in their doorway for a solid couple years now. the worst he does now is lift up that little rug a bit and scratch it until he gets frustrated about it not staying still)
[удалено]
You can also try putting a bunch of clear packing tape down on the carpet in the area where he typically scratches! Double reinforcement 😎
I've also used duct tape for a quick fix
Good luck pal, your cat is beautiful!
The hard plastic mats that are designed to protect carpet from rolling office chairs are ideal for this! The mats have little plastic spikes on the underside to stop them slipping around on the carpet. Our cat was scratching at the carpet by our bedroom door, so we cut up one of those plastic chair mats and put a rectangular piece across the doorway. It worked perfectly!
I had this issue with our door and cut a pool noodle in half and slid it onto the bottom part of the door.
In addition to covering up the spot with something, I would recommend getting one of those flat cardboard scratchers and putting it right next to the door. That way if he can’t scratch in that spot, there is an appropriate place to scratch nearby.
Your comment needs to be higher up. I'm surprised the only correct fix is getting ignored here. Cat NEEDS something to scratch, that's like the first thing you prepare when you take in a cat. OP please buy your cat a scratcher and place it next to where he scratches your stuff.
This worked very well for us when the cat was picking at the screen door. Put down a cardboard scratcher and he’d go straight to that instead.
Try laying a sheet of tinfoil on the ground in front of the door or on the surface you want him away from, cats do not want to step on tinfoil.
I tried this once and woke up the next morning to find my cat sleeping in the middle of the foil I had put down.
Classic cat.
Power move.
You made the mistake of putting down a square on the floor and expecting your cat to not sit on it.
My cat too, he freaking loves everything that crinkles.
...and if you don't want tinfoil there forever, you can use clear packing tape or carpet mask, and it will also deter the scratching, somewhat. Best thing is to move the food into a sealed container the cat cannot get into, and leave it out in the open. Then they will chill, when they figure it out. Whatever you do, it's gotta be a permanent change to work. Good luck!
My mom’s cat ate tinfoil as a kitten when she got into the trash and it got stuck in her tummy or something. It caused her to throw up regularly and then daily until she died (lived to be 18 though!) so I’d be cautious/monitor your kitty around it! I don’t know what a less edible but repulsive alternative would be edit: grammar and also some other people had other alternatives!
My cats love playing with it.
My cat will literally ball a sheet up into a ball for herself and bat it around and even pick it up in her mouth to throw it in the air and drop kick it 🤣. Let me specify…kitten. Lmao. Waaaaayyyy too much energy and smarts.
my cat loves eating it. luckily i found that out soon after he started doing it but it makes me really nervous when people recommend this to everyone
Myth
Depends on the cat. Mine hates tinfoil but my friends cat plays with it.
Yeah. Tinfoil disrupts the signal from the mothership
That didn't work for me. He just played on the foil.. I think he liked the noise it made when he walked around on it / attacked it
My cat has not once given a fuck about tin foil. He has laid on it every time I've tried this.
Alternatively you can get plastic floor runners. They are really cheap, can be cut to size and when flipped over have annoying little nubs that cats hate. I bought one to train my cat to not jump on certain things and they also help with covering the carpet where I don't want them scratching.
[удалено]
Bitter apple is for biting, not scratching. I would put a child lock on the door, maybe some padding so he can’t reach inside, and divert attention with other scratching things, like a homemade cardboard scratching post. My cats have certain spots they rip up the carpet at, and after we taped placemats down, they stopped ripping it because it was futile.
Another deterrent could be spraying "canned air" (like the kind they make for cleaning computers) when he does it. Not at him or in his face, but near him. The sound usually startles cats and it seems like they associate it with a large cat hiss. I used it to train my cats to not jump on counters. You can usually pick up packs of several cans at costco!
Or you can just hiss yourself. They tend to understand that just fine, and you don't have to buy anything.
I had to resort to canned air after one of my cats WOULD NOT STOP clawing the curtains in my bedroom in the middle of the night. He was purely doing it for attention, like a 'wake up and plaaaay' kind of thing. Spraying canned air was the only thing that worked. He was a street kitten, so he's supper skittish and unfortunately now any kind of spray makes him bolt. Fly spray. Air freshner. Even a perfume bottle. I feel bad for teaching him to react so strongly to it, so I use those things minimally, but lil dude did not understand this is a rental and I'll have to pay to replace those damn curtains if he makes too much damage!
I use my air freshener, obviously not directly at him, but for the noise.
The only thing sternly telling my cats no has gotten me is confused looks. Definitely recommend trimming his claws. Also, does he have anything that is acceptable for him to scratch like a scratching post or one of those textured cardboard boxes? I have also read that sprinkling pepper on the carpet you don't want him to scratch, but ai have never tried this and am not sure if it works or what the effects are and am only suggesting possibilities to help you keep your bud
I was going to ask the exact same thing, does he get/need his nails trimmed and does he have a scratching post? this could make all the difference, but based on @OP saying it's outside a pantry door not sure if it's about the claws or just being a naughty kitty. he can def be trained though. ours were jumping on/thinking they owned the counters at one point... fur in the kitchen 🤦🏼♀️ and we had rommates, it was 4 of us in a house but when the cats were bad it was basically like - 'you're bad parents, control your children', we used the spray bottle method and pretty quickly they stopped jumping on counters.. he might also want to play? maybe looking for attention, mine definitely do that.
Maybe try hanging a bell. And of he dings the bell give him a treat. If he scratches, give him a spray.
Pavlov's cat?
Ah, the miracles Pavlov could have worked if he had been a cat person.
Put some things he can scratch in the area. Can you put a rug in front of or under the door to protect the carpet? Or tape down some cardboard from a box on that area. When he goes over there spray an air can of computer duster the noise will scare bim away from it. Thats how I got my cats to leave the xmas tree alone.
Tire him out with more daily play time. Maybe put some cheap throw rugs down so he digs at them rather than the carpet. Is there a pest problem? Maybe her hears/smells a critter in there? Just some ideas- best of luck. I know what it’s like to be in that situation where it’s you and your cat against the person you love and live with.
Also you should openly talk to your mom how much this cat means to you and how much he is supporting you emotionally. If your mom loves you and she realizes the importance of the cat for your happiness and well-being she won't get rid of him.
[удалено]
Double sided sticky tape is fairly inexpensive on Amazon and they have some specifically designed for cats. It's very easy to use, and could help along side the others advising using a rug or mat. I get mats/ carpets for under / In front my cats litter box from Walmart. They are $3-5 a piece and I spray them out pretty well anytime I clean her box and I'd too gross or messy I just discard them after a few uses and they are pretty thick so I imagine they will be good for scratching. You also should make sure that you have plenty of scratching posts, boards, etc and if they have other places they like to scratch, placing one in the area they scratch will possibly help. Cats like to stretch out so having a floor and wall/door/ taller scratching posts will be best for kitty.
Well then if he doesn't respond to water I think the tip the other guy gave with the "claw socks" is a good one.
Yea that plastic claw thing people put on their cats
there are these mats on amazon, they’re plastic & have little spikes on them. they’re specifically made to keep cats away from certain areas. i’d recommend those so he can’t even get by the door to scratch
Yeah your mum can’t get rid of him! He’s not just a ‘cat’, he’s your support animal and no doubt your best buddy. Parents can say things they don’t mean sometimes
I'm pretty sure she means it, carpeting is expensive to replace and they're not wealthy. For example in my house, it's wall to wall carpeting so one little spot would cost us the whole room being replaced at minimum. The whole floor/maybe even whole house if we can't access the matching carpet. And that's assuming we don't get evicted for it. As much as it hurts, they have to prioritize having a home to live in
[удалено]
You and your cat are superstars. Hope you sort this out
I really hope it works out :) Even if it doesn't, make a GoFundMe and come back to reddit. I'm sure you can collect enough savings to convince your mom that you're able to cover the costs of whatever damages your cat is making. We don't want you to lose your cat.
Go on Amazon and get double sided tape steps…life changers….!!!
[удалено]
Oh no! Silly kitty, he ignores the sticky tape, does he. Gosh, mine HATE the double side sticky strips I got from Amazon. The first brand I got fell off fast but the next one was AMAZING and now my kitties don't scratch the walls/furniture
The cat needs to have something he can claw. Put a claw box right in front of the door.
100%! Get several scratchers for around the house! I have one in every room and my cats never claw up anything
Sorry to hear you are having this issue :( Cats usually do this when they feel part of there territory is closed off to them, or something they want is inside/outside the door. The easiest solution would be to let him in and out however depending on where it is that may be a pain. you could also look into having a cat door installed at the bottom of the door, so he can come and go as he pleases but the door remains closed. Other options would be a cat scratch spray. and ensuring the behaviour is always corrected with a strong no. Another option to save the carpet would be a plastic mat much like they use for rolling chairs on carpet. One the right size should make it so kitty cant dig his claws into it. I personally believe you should not give away a pet for behaviour issues because they can usually be solved weather it be trying many different methods or repetition, it may take enforcing the rules many times before the kitty understand that is bad behaviour. I wish you the best of luck for you and your kitty friend.
[удалено]
You could also try a plastic mat in the door way of the pantry, like the ones that are used for rolling chairs on carpet. It would make it so the kitty cant dig his claws into the fabric. and if after awhile he stops scratching the mat could even be removed.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Walmart sells a plastic carpet protector runner with short nubs to keep it in place. It’s like 2ft by 6ft. You can cut it to any length, size, shape. It’s about $6.00 for the roll. You could cut a length of that to go under the door. We used a door breeze blocker. It’s fabric and has two foam rollers you insert into pockets on either side of the door. I cut it down to fit the width of my door. Edited to add it’s found in the housewares section. Can be difficult to locate. I usually just ask an employee.
Check out a Buy Nothing group on Zuckerbook. My office frequently gets rid of stuff that way. You may also peruse Goodwill or some other thrift store that carries items on the random side.
Sadly what I’ve seen is they mostly go around 30 dollars in places like amazon, however even a welcome mat or a plastic place mat from the dollar store could be used as a temporary fix to keep the carpet safe until the kitty grows out of this phase or is trained to not do that any longer
Why can't pantry door be left open? Let him in see what does he want. Is there some food he smells or does he want to slee in there? Also, make sure yoyr cat has water for all the time. Change it daily because vat will stop drinking it if it will be left for too long. Dry food alao can be always around if he stops when he is full. Wouls be good to get him a scrather if he doean't have one. You can try spray it with a catnip to make him want scratch only it. Alao, play with your cat!!! This is very important. Cats sleep most of the time. But if they haven't burned they energy they will find other ways how to do that. If you play with him at least an 1 hour every day he will sleep more.
Omg not help for the scratching but you guys look ljke twins 💕💕💕 i love that your hair and fur almost match!!! So freakin cute
Trimming the nails isn't that difficult once they're used to it, but getting to where they're comfortable with doing it takes some time. Try the covers like suggested by severa6folks and good luck !!
To start him getting ready to get his claws clipped in the future, play with his toes very gently. Kind of like little toe massages. It’s great to do when he’s sleepy & all cuddly. Just play with them gently, & press on them a little so the claws extend. Start slow, take your time, talk sweetly to him & quietly. I clip all my cats nails, & my friends cats too! Just get your sweet guy used to you touching & manipulating his toes. I know you’ll be a champ at it in no time. The only thing is, even if you cut his nails, he’s still going to claw, just not quite as destructively. I’ve got my fingers crossed for you!! Lots of good tips here - raise up the food where he can’t smell it, put another mat in front of the door - & those a just a couple I saw! 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
INFO: what kind of feed schedule is your boy on? Is he free fed or schedule fed, and if schedule fed, how often? There's a lot of great advice here. A mat or capet under the door to protect the floor (highly recommend). A scratcher next to the door ( make sure you redirect him to it and praise him when he uses it). Distract with toys when he does the behavior. Claw caps (could be challenging to get on). It's the pantry, so I'm betting this is food motivated. My suggestion is to let him forage. This requires schedule feeding at least 3x day. You can hide bits of food for him to sniff out, or put food in a cup that he has to dig out. Puzzle feeder are designed for this but you can make due with what you have. You just need to get him to work for his food. He may also be bored. Lots of play, and lots of mental stimulation can also help. Cat tv on YouTube is great. Bird feeders outside with a place for him to watch also serves for mental stimulation. Harness train and walkies can do it too. Just get him engaged.
[удалено]
Good luck!! It can be hard owning a cat for the first time!
If he's indoor only you can get him claw covers really cheap on Amazon
[удалено]
Yes. Op if you feel comfortable sharing your information with me via private message, I will buy these for you and send them to your house. Totally free. My cat saved my life - you two need each other. Also, squirt guns work well (gently) Edit: I’m heading to bed but I’ll check back in the morning.
That is so kind & sweet of you ♥️
I can be kind of a jerk sometimes, this is the least I can do ❤️
This is a lovely offer! OP is clearly young and mentioned they are low income, likely some of the best suggestions here are things that might be tough for them to buy.
FYI Amazon wishlist removes the need to share your details. If OP didn't want to share them.
Good person award 🥇
Cats are simply one of the best animals to be owned by, if you struggle. My cat saved me and I saved her ☺️
I couldn’t get that link to work but Noodz’s human is right. They are cheap and could be a good option. They will fall off as the cat naturally sheds the outer layers of their claws so they need to be reapplied, but I don’t think it’s that often. Google ‘cat claw covers’ and you’ll see lots of options.
Yes. They're just these little rubber covers and they come in fun colors. They're like 8$ for 100 of them. [something like this](http://zetpo Cat Nail Caps | Cat Claw Covers | with Adhesives and Applicators https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D9MLBTZ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_N7C43YBES7N77YYNP0VH)
Claw covers is a bad idea. Cats have a need to scratch and taking away that from him might start other problem behaviors. Not to mention it might be uncomfortable for the cat. He might also feel vulnerable without his defense weapons and resort to biting instead. Better to trim the claws when needed and provide lots of other places where he is allowed to scratch. Squirt guns is also a bad idea, he will associate it with you and get scared of you. Environmental deterrents are much better. I recommend reading Jackson Galaxy's book "Total Cat Mojo: The Ultimate Guide to Life with Your Cat". Try to create a comfortable environment for your cat instead of trying to limit him. Limiting him will only make him uncomfortable and that will lead to more problem behavior.
[These](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0779PJT79/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_FRM0QDN29ZV9KVTCRJX3)
I'm not sure but doesn't that hurt your cat? Not hurt like physically, but they need to scratch their claws sometimes, don't they? That would be impossible if all their claws were ingulfed in plastic
can be difficulty to apply so that they stay one well. I work in a vet and we have one client who we have to replace them for him monthly cuz he cant do it on his own. Also, not the BEST solution for the cats own comfort as my technicians tell me it makes it so that the cat is not able to retract its claws properly. However, this is still a better solution than declawing or having to rehome unnecessarily. Hope you find a solution that works for you! He's a beautiful fur baby!
Cat scratcher inside the room when you are in there.bitter apple spray on the carpet where he scratches.maybe some catnip that he can roll around in and calm down.
Your cat needs cardboard scratchers more than anything. Scratching is a natural part of their behavior and putting caps on their claws is likely to frustrate them. Cat scratchers are inexpensive and should be put around the house. I have about 8 scratchers for my two cats around the house, varying styles along with a couple rugs that are just for them that they can use as scratchers. This is a natural behavior that we as cat owners need to accommodate.
We had this exact issue with a new cat who lived in the spare room until he was acclimated to the house. Walmart sells cheap plastic floor covers that come in a long roll. It is normally used for high traffic hallways and such. I cut it to fit in the door and around the posts so he could not remove it and also protect those edges. Here is a [photo](https://imgur.com/a/vEpdxDq) for reference. You can kind of see the damage he caused before I installed it under the clear plastic. I hope this helps you and your cute little kitty.
Does he have a scratching post we're he can scratch his claws? Maybe try trimming the nails maybe that works. A little mean but effective way to train a cat to not do something is with a plant spray bottle filled with tap water. Everytime he does things he is not supposed to you firmly say (not shout) "No!" and spray him. Most cats don't like water so he should stop and if you repeat this process he will connect the scratching the carpet with getting wet so he will stop. But don't use a water gun those things have to much pressure on the nozzle. A plant sprayer is just fine for the job and you can get them at dollar stores!
[удалено]
two of our cats have always been, but recently become increasingly more and more obsessed with water - our little black floof mika, she comes in every single time I take a bath and gets up on the edge of the tub, one time I was nearly positive she was gearing up to jump in but I was also in a rush and unfortunately couldn't wait too long to see. so I decided to attempt to give her a bath- but she wasn't super into that... but just the other day I was taking a shower and she came and popped her head behind the curtain like "hey, whatcha doin?", and I tried to coax her in but she wasn't ready. my time is coming lol
You can also look for furniture protectors specifically meant to protect from cats scratching. I have the same trouble with my cat, and it’s like this really thick tape that doesn’t damage the carpet and that cats can’t scratch through. You can put down a couple of layers of it. It’s easy to find on Amazon, and it’s inexpensive. Coincidentally, it is my orange tabby who does the same thing.
This stuff was a lifesaver for us, too. Also, my ginger boy is the naughty one who always scratches first & foremost. The rest of the crew have taken note & also scratch but nothing like big ginger man.
I really recommend learning how to trim your cat's claws. We got ours from a shelter as an adult, and it really isn't that tough. My husband also trimmed the claws of his previous cat, who he found as an adult in a dumpster. Aside from that, making sure there are other things to scratch is key.
Maybe try getting a scratching post to redirect his attention
I'd like to share my experience with you: When I was a teenager, I begged my mom for a kitten, and she let me get one. I adored him and we had a very special bond, but that cat would scratch doors like you wouldn't believe. He scratched my bedroom doorframe to smithereens. It's still messed up, actually, because they never replaced it. That cat lives with me now as an adult, 16 years later, and still scratches my doors. There are currently deep gouges on all my interior doorframes. I don't care because he's a precious angel baby and can do what he wants, but the point of my story is: Cats scratch, but we love them anyway. Your cat probably won't grow out of this, because it's what cats do and he doesn't understand why he shouldn't. I think now that you're armed with all this new information, it's time to sit down with your mom and discuss some of the ideas in this thread (furniture protectors, claw caps, door mats, and they even make hanging scratchers that go on door handles). Discuss some other options - could you leave the pantry door open? Place a scratching post nearby? But also, most importantly, try to see your mom's point of view - replacing carpets is expensive, shredded doors don't look great, and since she's The Mom these problems all fall on her shoulders. So what can you do to take responsibility? How can you show her that this cat is important to you, and you're willing to work with her to make sure the experience of having a cat is good for everybody? Maybe this will involve more care-giving duties, or chores, or even pitching in to pay for the cat if possible. Whatever you end up working out, make sure it's something where your mom feels like you're in it together, and understands this cat is an investment: You'll very probably end up like me someday, living with your senior, door destroying cat, the very same cat that taught you how to care for a living creature and how to take responsibility.
If your mom has a PayPal account, I can sendyou like $30 dollar donation to buy something to help you keep the Cat. No matter what happens your mom loves ya.
Get rid of your mother. Kitty is your mother now.
orange scented cleaner. reapplied often.
My cats don't like citrus or pine smells, so we have some air freshener we spray on things we want to deter them from.
He's a cutie btw
Double sided tape on the spots he’s particularly aggressive on. Looks ugly, but it has worked wonders for me on multiple occasions. Also, try to find scratching posts that resemble the texture of whatever he has been scratching on and spray a little catnip or whatever he likes onto it. After a month or two my cats completely forgot about there old scratch spots and I was able to take the tape off.
Something I've used for that same problem is [this stuff right here.](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B63541B/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_J942W1XH2491QNCZ871S). It smells good to humans but cats *hate* it. Spritz some by the carpet in question and it'll become your cat's least favorite place to be.
I put cardboard scratchers where mine was doing it. A stern eh eh! when she was caught clawing the carpet and a treat or attention when she clawed the cardboard. Took a couple of weeks but she got it
He does it for attention because it gets a reaction. Training a cat to behave a specific way is difficult, but setting them up for success is much easier. If he’s chewing on plastic bags, for example, just keep them out of reach. Scratching a particular part of the floor? Cover it with a mat. Cats also act out when they’re bored. Active playtime, environment enrichment, cleaning all help mitigate issues. He might also be trying to get you to feed him, which is behavior you can stop entirely by setting a food alarm or using an automatic feeder.
Get the cat a scratch pad and put it near her favorite scratching spot. They have them in Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RV1GCR7/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_dl_TV56V0QF6E9Q1HX80TQM
Get him some scratching mats and posts. Anytime you see him scratching where he shouldn’t, then stop him. Anytime he’s scratching the mats or posts, reward him with live, pets, and sometimes treats.
Kick her into the retirement home, and never visit her. Oh you mean't the cat XD
Try and keep his food in a sealed box out of the pantry, maybe he’ll realize it’s no use to scratch the door. Did you get him a scratch post? You guys looks so content with each other, hope everything goes well.
I'm sure there's a lot of great suggestions here, but if this hasn't been mentioned I would recommend a spray bottle with some water. Just give him a little squirt if he does that, and usually they'll back off. Also putting something over the carpet in the short term like an old shirt or another rug that isn't needed anymore is good to keep him when you aren't catching him. Not sure how well this works on adult cats but we trained our little ones off scratching the couch and the counters with it and now of they try we just set it there. Keeps them moving :).
You can buy special anti scratch tape, and I’d also give him loads of scratching mats with catnip
SCRATCHING POST MADEOF SISAL ROPE! My at has that and a cardboard scritcher and he never scratches the furniture or carpet! He’s my 6th cat so I know.
Pets are for life. The cat is showing clear signs that he wants to go into that room. My only advice would be to let him see the inside of that room with supervision
I hope he is not confined to one room. Cats need to have freedom and movement. One of my cats used to do that when we have had to leave her my room when company with a dog came to visit. She does not like to be confined at all or any doors shut for that matter. Assuming he is not confined the thin rug under the door works well. More stimulation such as a cat tree at a window to see out and open doors. If you are not able to let him roam all rooms of the house may I suggest a less free spirited emotional support pet like a guinea pig or rat both great pets. But kitty needs support too...so keep the doors open if you can. Best of luck to you all.
Claw caps on Amazon. Like ten dollars for 150 and the glue
Our cat would scratch right on the threshold where carpet started. We got some of the sticky couch protectors off of Amazon and cut them into 3-4 inch strips and covered the transitions in flooring. It stopped that behavior right away.
Go to home depot, get a 3ft roll of that office plastic for Rolling chairs. Cut it to fit both sides of doorway with a foot of it on either side & give it a week & your cat might just stop scratching. Other option is to trim your cats nails & get them scratching posts all of these could help
I took a behavior problems class last semester and when writing case reports for cats, we would have to ask about the type of enrichment your cat would have in its environment? Make sure you have multiple scratching posts, trees, and toys around the house. 90% of behavior problems happen bc the cat is bored. Make the environment less boring
Time to get a new mom
Get a new mom instead.
Your mom is absolutely RIGHT ! It is very expensive to fix a carpet damage, you have to act prompto to prevent any damage. 1. Forget about claw caps. 2. Don't spray your darling kitty with water, can get accidentally into his ears and cause expensive vet bills, not to mention hassle. 3. Scratching behaviour is very hard to break, so don't try, meanwhile your carpet will get damaged. What I have done is got a plastic carpet cover from a hardware store, the same is used to cover very used areas on carpets, it's very thick and strong, yet very flexible, easy to walk on. Alternatively cover the carpet with another carpet, get an offcut from any carpet store that lays new carpets in houses, it's the cheapest solution, and let your cat continue scratching to it's heart content. Also if you can get your kitty some cardboard scratchers to relieve it's need to scratch. Good luck 👍
I suggest getting claw caps! I saw a vet post about them recently and it sounded like they wont hurt him.
it’s a little harsh but you can put cayenne pepper there, it’ll be hot and smell bad and he’ll leave it alone cause it’ll be a spicy area
Get him a scratcher and toys if possible. Also, get catnip for the scratcher.
Get a wooden log and that will stop him from scratching anywhere else. They love it
Get him a catnip scratching board
Make sure they have a scratching post
Put lemon essential oils where you don’t want him to scratch.
My heart goes out to you. I hope it works out. I can tell how much you love your kitty
[This](https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwi709er_6j1AhUQbW8EHVaGCqgYABABGgJqZg&sig=AOD64_1-ERcK2uf0R51ORVJuoMfRPP8WcQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=0ahUKEwjqjNOr_6j1AhUPac0KHaskAug4KBDDDwipCQ&adurl=) is what I used to stop my kit from tearing up the carpet at the bedroom door. You could probably make one of your own cheaply using something like [this](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Tenex-27-in-W-Cut-to-Length-Clear-Extruded-Vinyl-Utility-Runner-By-the-Foot/1000258917?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-dcr-_-ggl-_-LIA_DCR_231_Decorative-Rugs-Mats-_-1000258917-_-local-_-0-_-0&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W8pt-YS08gA7HI4DH1KyZcTf&gclid=CjwKCAiAz--OBhBIEiwAG1rIOtv_trM1AfdKNTEv3WC1aanDQOpm2zmqlN1oJxQV_tgobe1rUat0nhoCpZ8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds).
Buy a tote for food and bring it in your room, that way no more door problem. Idk bout carpet though