cat destroyin house

[shelmarie]

Hi guys

I need help, my cat has always been destructive but is gradually getting worse.

I've just bought a new carpet and she's started to claw it up and pee on it.

I've tried the spraying water thing, but because my sister can't be bothered to follow through with anything nothing is working.

Help!!!! she's slowly driving me mad, and i don't want her to ruin my entire house

Shell

[Box girl]

What worked for us is with the pee put pepper in the spot after you've cleaned they don't like this. Presume you have a litter tray needs to be kept very clean and away from food (sorry if you know this!) Also get a cat scratching post.
If the peeing is more like spraying then this is a dominance thing and can be related to sex so neuter again if you have not.
You could try putting in just one room as well. That's all i can think of at the moment good luck

[Bindi]

I know friend bought one of those really massive scratch posts and the cat found that more entertaining scratching that up than the carpet. I wish I'd done the dame as my cat just lurves to sharpen his claws on every bit of carpet he can find, especially the stairs
Never had a prob with spraying as I got Topcat neutered as soon as he was old enough

[Gordon]

Sorry but if it were me the cat would go nothing worse than a house that smells of cat pee

[Doodle-Bug]

Eucalyptus is very good aswell, it helps to destroy the odour of the urine on the carpet plus most cats hate the smell.

[Alan1]

I have been led to believe that this often happens when there is some change of routine in the house, the fact that the carpet is new could be the cause. I have known it happen to people who have changed jobs and gone on to different shift patterns

[Shelled Lady]

Originally Posted by shelmarie

Hi guys

I need help, my cat has always been destructive but is gradually getting worse.

I've just bought a new carpet and she's started to claw it up and pee on it.

I've tried the spraying water thing, but because my sister can't be bothered to follow through with anything nothing is working.

Help!!!! she's slowly driving me mad, and i don't want her to ruin my entire house

Shell

First of all, you need to exclude your cat from the room with the new carpet, or anywhere where she can get up to mischief if you are not there. You don't say it is a "house cat," so assume it has access to the outdoors. If she needs to be in, say at night, then make sure it has a litter tray nearby and is in a confined area, where she cannot range around a large area, or the house, as you say you don't want it to ruin the whole house. There is some boredom here but your cat still needs to know the boundary's, so if you have her in the living room when you are there, provide distraction and play with her. Remove her from the room as soon as she misbehaves. Let her back when she calms down and get her to come to her name for a treat. Also provide a scratching post. You also need your sister to abide by your rules. If she doesn't, then say you will be finding the cat a new home. Animals are supposed to be a pleasure to own. I am sure when you have trained your cat, that will be the case.

[Taszia]

Have u tried a new scratch Play post and using felloway ? Felloway is very good for this ask your nearest pets at home store to help you choose one it really works I have a destructive Siamese tabby and she now uses her post n barely destroys the house anymore

[Nellie and Morla]

Originally Posted by shelmarie

Hi guys

I need help, my cat has always been destructive but is gradually getting worse.

I've just bought a new carpet and she's started to claw it up and pee on it.

I've tried the spraying water thing, but because my sister can't be bothered to follow through with anything nothing is working.

Help!!!! she's slowly driving me mad, and i don't want her to ruin my entire house

Shell

More details are needed here to make a good suggestion although my advice with cats is always ask a behaviourist to come out and make a full assessment. It's more expensive than most other situations but with cats they're so sensitive to stupid little things that it's the best way to work out problems with them.

First on it always having been destructive, in what ways. You do not explain whether the cat was just climbing/clawing at things or spraying.

Caledonia has a good point, cats are really stressy animals and something as simple as a new carpet could have stressed it out. Remember when a cat is worried about something it sprays and scratches to spread it's smell around as a comfort to itself.

When bringing in new furniture a Feliway diffuser is brilliant at helping the cat come to terms with the change. You could also at the same time try using the Feliway spray on the new thing, be it a new animal, person or piece of furniture.

There are many punishment based methods that attempt to resolve problems such as this but none work on all cats and many will just risk a nervous cat that may well associate you with unpleasant things or even leave.

If it isn't spraying and squats to pee (males and females do both so sex is irrelevent) then it could simply be that you haven't properly litter trained the animal. Scratching could also be due to boredom or a need to scratch. If you haven't already get a scratching post as it is a need.

[EJ]

Get rid of it.