clawing and pulling at carpet threads - help please ?

17 years ago

My dearly beloved and otherwise beautifully behaved old moggy has just one bad habit that is driving me crazy. For some reason he is constantly clawing and loosening the threads from my living room carpet. Not any of the other carpets in the house - just this one. It is nylon/acrylic I think, I thought if anything, he would have gone for the wool ones. I have tried pretty well everything I can think of. My carpet needs cleaning but I am actually too embarassed to have the cleaners around because of the state of the carpet but cannot afford to replace it. It seems so weak and ineffectual to admit that I just cannot stop him. He is a very old cat but he has been doing this since he was much younger. He certainly knows that it irritates me. If I am a few minutes late for his dinner or otherwise offend him at all, he heads straight for the living room, raises his paw ready to claw the carpet and then looks back at me as though to say "Do it (whatever "it" is ) or I will do the carpet again, Lady!" and then he does. Yes, I know he sounds like a spoiled brat and this is clearly learned "blackmail" behaviour but maybe it is too late to get him out of it ? Does anyone have any ideas ? I have tried alternative scratching posts which he treats with utter disdain, also the old water pistol trick but this doesn't deter him at all. I can't use any spray type things because my daughter has a problem with many chemicals so I am reluctant to use the cat repellent things (and I wouldn't want to anyway as the living room is HIS home as well as ours) but perhaps there is something similar that is natural and non smelling etc. Or maybe I just give in ?

Thanks for any tips at all.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

oakleif
17 years ago
Does he have a special place on the carpet or is it just anywhere. Would a couple of inexpensive throw rugs help maybe.
vickie
lostnca
17 years ago
I used hand towels that I rolled up and taped with duct tape to throw at my cats when they were clawing at the furniture. You can get a fairly cheap stack of them at Walmart and build an arsenal to stack up in strategic places and when he starts up say NO KITTY and toss one at him. So far this has worked with my cats. Good luck.
Lorie
Related Discussions
Please help me find bin pulls
Q
Comments (30)
I'm back on this as I finished painting the table this past weekend. I forgot the camera so I didnt' take new picks. I'm hand waxing a paste wax finish on it. I did one draw to see and it, if I must say so myself, looks amazing. So do think this pull is too busy? More traditional with a modern flair?: This second one is 1/3 the price of the first. Is it because it's made of zinc with a satin nickel finish and the other one is solid brass with satin nickel finish? What does that have to do with quality and does that impact it's durability and cleanability? This will be a well used bakers table... doughy hands and all. Too fru fru? A boring plain one: Two more cause they all look the same to me and I can't understand why some are only $5 or $6 and others close to $20 . I need help with this... Kinda contemporary? k I dont' even know what I posted anymore..
...See More
Cabinet pulls revisited - specific question, please help!
Q
Comments (12)
@jellytoast - thank you, that was one thread I hadn't seen (probably the only one, lol) A question for you all: our house is Edwardian but the interior would best be described as "transitional" - not period but not particularly modern either. I envisage the kitchen to be "transitional" too - white shaker cabs, keeping the existing rough slate tile floors, Caesarstone Urban benchtop (mid-grey), SS appliances. Are double pulls going to be too ye olde worlde? The pulls will be satin nickel as I felt antique pewter or antique silver did look a bit too traditional... I do definitely want to use double pulls on the 36" stack but this is a purely financial decision. 5" pulls are $5 each, whereas 10" pulls (which is the size I'd use on 36" drawers as a single) are $100 or so. Even 8" pulls are $55 - which is what I'd use on the 30" drawers if using 10" on the 36" drawers (does that make sense?) so the cost really does add up in the scheme of things. We plan to sell the house in about 5 years' time and since I like the double pull look as well, $ definitely comes into it. This post was edited by dibdot on Wed, May 14, 14 at 0:29
...See More
Carpet runner help please
Q
Comments (30)
Sigh - did a bit of looking yesterday and my husband really doesn't like the sisal look, he wants something with a bit of a pattern. I told him that I don't care for the large floral pattern that seems to be the norm for stairs these days so am looking for a compromise. It was also a bit frustrating because the sales person kept trying to steer us to a low cut pile and said that would be fine on stairs. We did find a nice one in Shaw Caress line that had more of a linear textural pattern. I also quite like this one that I found on Houzz (linked below) but didn't see anything similar in the store. Hello from Brookside Julie! We are loving the new house and neighborhood. We have been to Bella Napoli several times, I recall you saying that it was one of your favorites. We went to Southside yesterday, our first stop. They were going to call us after talking to one of their dealers who carries a wool blend carpet, so we'll see what they come up with. Here is a link that might be useful: [anybody know where to find a similar runner?[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/fremont-georgian-residence-traditional-staircase-minneapolis-phvw-vp~4577709)
...See More
My turn... Another ''please help me with hardware'' thread!
Q
Comments (24)
Thanks to everyone for helping out. :) plllog... the only thing being paneled is a single dishdrawer (small kitchen!). I do have a 36" 2-drawer base which would preferably have a single wide pull instead of two pulls on each drawer. blfenton... I'm liking the Revitalize a lot. Thanks for the Lee Vally endorsement; it seems like a well-liked company at GW. dianalo and breezy... Hi! Gosh I am really starting to kick myself about not getting a chrome faucet. I drove my husband nuts right up until he installed this one! I am happy enough with the faucet considering it is a budget-friendly one. But it doesn't come in chrome. breezy... I've read several of your posts elsewhere, and you're one of the reasons I've been second-guessing chrome! (I mean that in a complementary way!) But I am a little confused about your choice of Westerly since it only comes in satin nickel and graphite. traceee... thanks so much for the tip! I will definitely look into that site. I like the matching round Westerly knob, too. The one that matches the #4 pull wouldn't look right in my kitchen, so this is a good suggestion. celine... I didn't know about polished nickel until recently. You're right; it IS so pretty and warm. And I didn't realize you are so close to being done! It's going to be beautiful, can't wait! artemis78... how nice to see you! :) Have you posted finished pics yet or did I miss them?! I love the glimpses I've seen. Thanks for the Rejuvenation idea; that's a really nice pull, too. You make me wish I had gone shiny! lazydaisynot... at first, it seemed like this was going to be an easy vote of #4, but you are right about the Westerly and Revitalize each being really nice. p.s. to shanghaimom... your kitchen is gorgeous! Thanks all!
...See More
cynthia_gw
17 years ago
Have you tried the corrugated cardboard scratchy boxes? Put one the on carpet. He's not doing this to punish you, he does it because it feels good. Your job is to find something for him to scratch that feels even better. Or, close the door to the room. Throwing things at him will certainly cause him to become an anxious cat, so not recommended unless you want him to become fearful of you.
lostnca
17 years ago
Our cats are anything but fearful of us...The idea isnt to hurt them...
Lorie
pasternak
Original Author
17 years ago
I think there may be something about this particular carpet that is attracting him. Most of my other carpets are wool and tight weave and this is probably the softest one ie the easiest one to pull the threads out of ! I have a large floor rug but there is still quite a lot of spare space around it. He doesn't restrict himself to any one spot - if I cover up one area with a pouffe or similar he just finds another exposed area. I have tried tossing cushions at him, it doesn't scare him or make him anxious in the slightest, but then he goes into a major sulk - and when he does condescend to come back he then makes a beeline straight for this carpet again! I also tried the water pistol trick but he just looked very aggrieved as though WE were being quite unreasonable ! It didn't actually stop him. He isn't really afraid of water any way; we have a job getting him to keep out of the shower as it is ! I am wondering if the only solution is to get a tougher and closer weave carpet? It seems a costly way of beating the problem but . . . .
emma12
17 years ago
Could you try sticky paws on the spots he likes? It's double-sided and cats hate the feel of it.
pasternak
Original Author
17 years ago
Can you tell me what sticky paws is exactly ? It sounds something like the old fashined fly papers (yes, I am ancient enough to remember them !) I am in Australia so may not be available here but if I had some description maybe my vet would know ?

PS Even if it didn't work, wouldn't we have some fun watching him !

clawing and pulling at carpet threads - help please ?

Comments (7)

oakleif

lostnca

Related Discussions

cynthia_gw

lostnca

pasternak
Original Author

emma12

pasternak
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

clawing and pulling at carpet threads - help please ?

Comments (7)

oakleif

lostnca

Related Discussions

cynthia_gw

lostnca

pasternakOriginal Author

emma12

pasternakOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

pasternak
Original Author

pasternak
Original Author