new couch needs protection

[mckitterick]

Aaaaah! tatsuko_shikibu just went to the litter-box, and all you cat-owners know what that means: The Crazies. Unfortunately, I have a new leather couch, easily marred by the claws of a crazed cat.

You see where this is going.

So I've thrown blankets all over it to prevent her scratching it. Well, That was a bad idea: It only encouraged her to run crazily all over the couch because she was able to dig in. When I scolded her, she launched off the couch and soon started making barfy-sounds (stress upsets her belly). I had to hurry over and give her a nice big dose of Petromalt.

*sigh*

The couch clearly needs real coverage (at least when people aren't over). Upholstery fabric, here I come!

(And no mocking me about getting a leather couch that must remain covered most of the time. Yeah, yeah.)

Comments

[arian1.livejournal.com]

You should try clipping her claws. Or, softpaws :)

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Um... you've seen her when freaked out about small things, right? Now imagine trying to clip her claws without welding gauntlets. I dare you.

[arian1.livejournal.com]

I didn't say me. I said you :)

[everflame.livejournal.com]

Why don't you Soft Paw her?

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Have you met Tatsuko? I dare you to try to apply Soft Paws. I'll be in the other room.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

What is this Soft Paws of which they speak?

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Soft Paws are little, um, claw sheaths for your kitty's paws. I haven't used them on Tatsuko, because she likes (needs to, really) climb her tall pole in the stairwell, and I'm afraid she'd freak out at not being able to dig in with her claws. But most cats would be fine with it: No reason to ever declaw a cat again (which I feel is inhumane, removing their last digit).

[radcliffe.livejournal.com]

I am about to clean out my office. In that cleaning out I will be looking at a couple of bolts of a black floral victorian heavy upholstery fabric I bought for $5 a yard. That or something like it would likely make a nice cat liking slipcover.

Or, it might be time to think seriously about her claws. My Blue Heron furniture is a big reason why I don't have pets :

[edichka2.livejournal.com]

We faced similar questions a couple of months ago when I decided to buy a leather couch to replace the totally beat, shredded sofa I bought almost 20 years ago. My decision was based on the belief that a leather couch should succumb to claws less rapidly and completely than a fabric one -- plus, you know, it's leather. The operative principle is a mixture of accepting the inevitable and damage control. CLipping the claws regularly is a must to avoid the full-thickness punctures and slashes (I mean to the couch, not to one's flesh), but the superficial marks are just gonna come. Leather conditioner will help rub out some of these marks, but the rest should be accepted philosophically. I had to pledge not to scream before the purchasing committee would sign off.

We've done okay with this approach. But then, our kitties roll over in our arms with their feet in the air.

- Eddie

[desperance.livejournal.com]

My cat also rolls over in my arms with his feet in the air.

Then he bites me.

Basically, I've always said you can have cats, or you can have furniture. I know which I prefer.

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

There are sprays that discourage cats from scratching things. I am told. :)

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

So there are. And there are cute cat beds at PetsMart that cost $10 to 15, and you *know* that cats always go for the different-colored thing, so a white fleece bed on the couch should keep her from doing in the couch itself.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's a good idea. Not an actual cat bed (she ignores those) but a different-colored blanket.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if you lay a towel on your bed, she would hop right on it.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Or papers. Preferably if I'm working on them at the time *g*