how to keep old cat off furniture

A

amanda12485

Guest
I just moved in with my boyfriend and he has a cat that is 10 years old. I am allergic to cats and i do not want it on the furniture. I cannot stand pet hair all over the place. Does anyone know of a way that will keep the cat off the furniture? some type of smell or spray maybe?
 
Would you consider having some designated furniture that is okay for the kitty? He/She has lived there for a long time and it was his/her home for a long time before it's been your home. Kitties sleep a lot and need comfortable and quiet places for this reason.

That said, they do make some natural/non-toxic sprays that might help. It will take effort to re-train the cat. Please don't try to punish the kitty for getting on the furniture--it doesn't help them learn and it's just cruel. Also, if you hate pet hair, keeping kitty off the furniture is not going to keep it away, you'll have to vacuum and clean frequently too.

Amy
 
I use Boundary to keep my dog from a spot on the floor she keeps peeing on (yeah, along the lines of the dog thread, you can't always monitor them & she knows when I've fallen asleep on the couch ;)). She's stubborn & it's taken about a month & 3 bottles, but she's finally stopped (or maybe it's the bleach the carpenter put on the hardwoods to get rid of the stains :mad:).

Anyway, to make a long story longer, I got it at the pet store, it cost around $12, & noticed they had Boundary for dogs & Boundary for cats. Maybe it'll do the trick. Good luck!
 
I know the cat is used to being on the furniture, but regardless if she has lived there longer than me it is a cat not a person and it is not going to ruin MY furniture. dander is absolutely horrible to get out of upholstery.
 
pixiesis said:
Would you consider having some designated furniture that is okay for the kitty? He/She has lived there for a long time and it was his/her home for a long time before it's been your home. Kitties sleep a lot and need comfortable and quiet places for this reason.
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I'm with Amy on this one.
 
Did you discuss this with your BF before moving in? If the cat is accustomed to sleeping wherever it pleases training it to do otherwise may be very difficult and even if you do manage to keep it off the furniture when you're around all bets are off when you're gone. Like the previous poster said, kitties need comfortable spots for sleeping but it can be very hard to predict what a kitty will consider comfortable. Most cats also enjoy being around their humans so they need a spot where there is some human action going on. Remember you moved in with your BF and his cat. I assume you knew he had one and he knew you were allergic before you did that.
 
Get the kitty a new place to sleep to start with, or cover favorite sleep spots with something easily washed.
I've had several cats and all love round beds. they're foam with a fleece cover over the foam. I got mine at one of the pet supply places for maybe $10-15. They're maybe 18 inches in diameter and weigh nothing. As soon as I set it down on the floor , my newly adopted 11 yr old cat jumped in. It did not take even 1 minute, it was like he knew it was for him. it was his favorite sleep spot from then on. the cover comes off and runs thru the wash machine easily. I put a folded fleece blanket on the futon where he liked to sleep. very easy to wash. When the first kitty passed away I got another shelter cat. he didn't hesitate 5 minutes to take over the bed and now he uses it all the time.

I'm sure there is some variation, but I get very little car hair accumulation although I do wash things every few weeks.

I'd focus on giving him a new better place to sleep rather than trying to keep him off his favorite spots.
 
I have an old cat too and I'm also allergic. It will be hard to not have him jump on the furniture if that's how he has always lived his life. That said, I have several throws that I place where I know my cat sleeps on a regular basis. I wash them weekly and it really helps with the fur and dander. Cats are Very clean animals he/she will appreciate you doing this for them.

Oh, the more time you spend around the cat the better your allergies will get.

Good luck,
Mary
 
Traildoggie said:
I'd focus on giving him a new better place to sleep rather than trying to keep him off his favorite spots.
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Exactly, cats become incredibly attached to their sleeping spots. If you concentrate on finding something he likes rather than scolding him for going on the furniture you'll both be happier.
 
Perhaps your post should be entitled "How to live with a cat that has been part of my boyfriend's life for many years before moi." ;)
 
Well, when you guys decide to get rid of the old guy, if you're near Richmond, VA, I'll take him.
 
TeTe said:
Poor kitty.:(
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When I first read this post a couple of hours ago I was going to type the same darn thing! To the OP: It doesn't matter who was there first. Please don't punish the kitty for your rules about furniture. There have been peaceful solutions offered by others in this thread. It may take some time and patience but I'm sure it will work out if you let it. Something about your second post tells me you seem ready for battle. I hope you don't take your frustrations out on that cat. Nobody wins if you do. Best of luck to you in finding a solution.
 
amanda12485 said:
I know the cat is used to being on the furniture, but regardless if she has lived there longer than me it is a cat not a person and it is not going to ruin MY furniture. dander is absolutely horrible to get out of upholstery.
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You've gotten some good advice already. Generally it is the saliva rather than the hair or dander that you are allergic to. There are pet wipes available online from places like jbpets.com and theferretstore.com that you can swipe the kitty with to help reduce the amount of allergen in the environment.

Good luck to all of you but please remember that he has been in a longterm relationship with the cat for many years. If you really love him and want this to work, learn to love his cat. :) I say this as someone who has three dogs and a boyfriend with dog allergies. :D
Lisa
 
amanda12485 said:
it is a cat not a person and it is not going to ruin MY furniture.
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Actually, many law experts do define all sentient creatures (including cats) as persons. I hope your furniture doesn't get ruined, but I have to say I'm more worried about the cat than I am about your stuff.

Amy
 
I guess you wouldn't be very happy at my house. :eek:

My Johnny eats dinner ON the kitchen counter, and he's pretty good about helping with the dishes after. :D
 

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Ok, I can't resist. Sorry Amanda for highjacking your thread but you could have bigger problems than keeping the kitty off your furniture check this out

http://bit.ly/19KKPp

My cats have the run of the house but I have yet to find them sleeping in my cookware!
 
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