My sister has an older male cat (12 or so years). She recently moved to a new apartment and she keeps catching him start to claw at the carpet. He does have a cat scratcher, but he won't use it. Does anyone have any tactics to encourage the cat to use his cat scratcher and leave her brand new carpet alone?
I have no idea if it makes any difference...he is an indoor cat. Being sent outdoors is not an option for this kitty.
Thanks mamas!
Some cats prefer a horizontal scratching area..... one of my cats absolutely LOVES the corrugated cardboard scratchers.. I would get the one that is about 8-10" wide (instead of the 4" wide one) to give them plenty of movement area.
Sprinkle the new scratcher with catnip to encourage him to go there... and go over and scratch it with your fingernails to get him curious about the sound..... then PRAISE and pet when the do use that scratcher.
She can try trimming his claws, using softpaws (http://www.softpaws.com/), using cat deterrent spray or putting something like foil where he is scratching so it's not so much fun. I also agree that there may be something about the carpet - the type or a previous pet's odor. She can try anti icky poo or nature's miracle on that spot. I would also try the cardboard scratcher.
If he never scratched the carpet before, there may be something in/on/under the carpet that is attracting him. Even if the carpet is new, if a previous pet had 'accidents' on the floor, it could have soaked into the subfloor (even on concrete). There are professional cleaners out there that are supposed to remove that odor, but she will have to talk to the apartment complex manager before taking any action.
