HELOISE: Teach cats not to scratch furniture

Dear Heloise: Is there anything we can do about our cat scratching our furniture? I enjoy reading your column.

Janie in Portland, Maine

Janie, cats do scratch! They do this to mark their territory, sharpen their claws and signal to other animals in the household just who is boss.

Don’t scold the cat for scratching the couch or other wrong object (as if the cat would pay attention to you scolding it anyway!). Encourage it to scratch the correct object. Introduce your cat to a scratching post. They come in different sizes and textures, such as carpet, upholstery and cardboard. Make sure the scratching post is tall, because cats like to stretch while they scratch.

Draw the cat to the post with catnip and toys. Place them where the cat likes to hang out. You may need several around your home.

Other factors to consider when you are trying to discourage scratching the furniture? Keep the cat’s nails clipped.

Keep a squirt bottle of water handy. If you catch the cat scratching the couch, one quick squirt will chase it off. Try not to make this your only training method, though; you don’t want the cat to be afraid of you.

Good luck!

Heloise

Dear Readers: Janice Blease of Greenville, N.H., sent a photo of her 3-month-old Boston terrier, Miss Daisy, sleeping on a pillow. Janice says, “She is very active most of the time and is a friendly girl!”

To see Miss Daisy, visit www.Heloise.com.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I was sitting at a table with a candle less than 2 feet away. My short-haired cat jumped on the table and walked next to the candle, and the back of her tail was immediately ablaze. Without thought, I grasped her tail and ran my hand up it, putting out the flame. Neither of us was hurt, but had she noticed her flaming tail, she would have been running like a shot, probably under a piece of furniture.

A Pet Lover, via e-mail

Yikes! This sounds like something from a cartoon!

Heloise

Dear Readers: When raising a puppy or kitten, please check the animal’s collar often. These little guys and gals grow so fast that they can quickly outgrow a collar. You should be able to comfortably slip two fingers under the collar. When your fingers no longer fit, it is time for a new neckband.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have two large and very hairy couch potatoes — my dogs, not my kids. We recently had the couches re-covered and wanted to break their habit. I laid down heavy-duty aluminum foil across the couches when not in use. It did the trick, and no need for us to get involved in correcting!

A Reader, via e-mail

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