Why Cat Lovers Are Using 30p VAPOUR RUB & Vinegar Hack To Stop Sofa Scratching
- Cat owners will know the eternal struggle of getting their felines to stop scratching furniture
- Budget-savvy kitty fans from Latest Deals share their tricks to prevent the destructive habit
- Tricks include spraying citrus oil, buying 30p vapour rub and using household items to repel them
Everyone who lives with a cat will know about the constant battle they fight when they try to get their furry companion to stop scratching the furniture. Even if you’ve tried to provide enough toys, love and entertainment to keep them happy, it would seem they are determined to sink their claws into your 3-piece leather suite!
Tom Church, Co-Founder of money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk, said: ‘Cats are wonderful companions, but their destructive habits can wreak havoc on your home. Fortunately, members of Latest Deals have come up with some ingenious ways to nip this behaviour in the bud. Here are some of the best ideas - hopefully one of them works for you.’
Get Plug-In Cat Pheromones For £15 - Reduce Cat’s Needs To Scratch & Mark Territory
Cats will scratch areas around the home for a number of reasons. It isn’t just to keep their claws sharp - it’s one of their marking behaviours. In other words, by rubbing their paws against your sofa, they are activating their scent glands and making it clear that the furniture belongs to them! However, there are ways you can calm this behaviour down. Kirsty Jones recommended plug-in cat pheromones: ‘The Feliway plug in diffuser works to calm them down.’
Tom added: ‘While this solution isn’t guaranteed to work for every cat, it’s worth a go if you haven’t tried it yet. The diffuser works to provide comfort to cats at home, and prevent the destructive behaviours owners hate such as spraying and scratching. Don’t forget to avoid plugging it in areas such as underneath shelves or behind doors, as it won’t work. You can get a 30-day starter kit for around £15 on Amazon.’
Spray Lemon Or Citrus On The Area - Buying The Natural Ingredients Costs Just £1
You may have heard this secret whispered between cat owners, and it can work wonders for repelling cats from certain areas of the home. Citrus scents, including lemon, orange and lime, can prove to be much too overpowering for a cat’s sensitive sense of smell. But how do you apply it? Sarah Gordon has come up with her own blend: ‘Lemon and pepper sprayed on sofa - they hate citrus and hate pepper.’ Meanwhile, Rys Stevo said: ‘We use citronella, works a treat as they hate it.’
Katie Scannell has had success with citronella in her garden: ‘Citronella essential oil...few drops in a bottle of water and spray on the area. Cats don't like the smell so stay away from that spot. I've not tried it on furniture but it works wonders for an area in my garden which my cat & the neighbours’ cat likes to go and do their 'business'. If for an outside space it needs reapplying now and then depending on how much rain there's been washing away the scent.’
Place Scratch Posts Around The Area - Grab One For Under £20
Scratch posts are an essential part of any domestic cat’s life. Toby Wheddon recommends trying different types until you learn which one your cat likes: ‘I placed five different scratch posts around my flat sprayed with catnip, and now down to one scratch post which she loves.’ Helen Mairie suggested paying attention to the height: ‘[Get an] extra large scratching post - they love height. Mine never used standard size but loved the extra tall one. They love to extend their bodies and be tall - spray the top with catnip spray too.’
Meanwhile, Sharon Maddix focused on the psychology behind scratching posts: ‘Provide a really sturdy post, an area were they can scratch..why do you think it's always places like a sofa, corner of a window etc [that they go to] - it's the most sturdiest part of the house that resembles a tree.’ Tom added: ‘Scratch posts are easy to find online - tall ones can be under £20 on sites like Amazon.’
Purchase Scratch Protectors For Your Sofa - Just £15 Per Panel
If your cat won’t stop targeting your sofa no matter what you provide them with, it might be time to protect your furniture from those razor sharp claws. Willow Calder recommends: ‘Cat scratch protectors for your sofa (available on Amazon) they are soft PVC pads.’ Natalie Tivey agrees: ‘We use [pet scratch furniture protectors]! We’ve a lot of indoor cats as we rescue & these are great.’
Sheena Cee found her fix: ‘I have the ones you fix to a corner. I just attached them right up to the ceiling and they love it. I only did it one the one corner and they now leave everything else alone. I screwed them into the wall so they were solid.’ Tom added: ‘If you spent a lot on your sofa, or simply want to keep your home looking presentable, these protectors are ideal - as they’re see-through, they don’t detract from the overall look of the room. Panels cost around £15 on Amazon.’
Use Household Supplies For Free - Vinegar Can Repel Cats
You may not even have to spend anything in order to get the results you want. Some Latest Deals members have had success by using everyday household items such as vinegar. Lou Ise advised: ‘Put some vinegar on the carpet or put on a tissue and rub the bottom of the door with vinegar. Most cats hate the smell - I have had 6 and only one didn’t bother about the smell.’
Tom added: ‘It may sound like a smelly solution, but if you rub a small amount of vinegar in the area you want your cat to stop scratching, you shouldn’t have to deal with unpleasant odours. What’s more, this option doesn’t involve going out to the shops or ordering anything online - most of us will have vinegar in our food cupboards!’
Try Vapour Rub To Repel Your Furry Friend - From Just 30p In Wilko
It may sound unusual, but if you’ve got some vapour rub left over from your last cold, it might be worth putting a little on or near your sofa. Jade Hyatt said: ‘They hate it - it stops them scratching or going near.’ Tom added: ‘The strong scent of Vapour Rub is likely to repel your cat, but be careful about how much you apply. Cats have such a strong sense of smell, it won’t take much for them to sniff out a tiny amount of the stuff.
‘If your cat is prone to licking everything he finds, perhaps avoid this one as you definitely don’t want your furry friend ingesting this stuff! Some people find their cats detest it, while others have experienced the opposite effect and discovered their kitty loves menthol! What’s more, you can get a tub for around 30p from Wilko - bargain!’
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