Homemade Cat Deterrents for Furniture

Cats are creatures of habit and curiosity. Height, warmth or familiar scents are natural instincts that urge your cat to claim any furniture as its own territory. Your favorite chaise longue provides your scent and warmth. A chair near a window presents a vantage point. Scratching marks territory and allows your cat to stretch and sharpen her claws. By first identifying the reasons your cat has claimed a piece of furniture, you can find a more appropriate homemade deterrent without expensive devices or chemicals.

Things You'll Need

  • Clean wood
  • Foil
  • Spray bottle
  • Water
  • Empty soda can
  • Coins
  • White vinegar
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide an alternative. One of the best methods for deterring a cat from furniture is to offer another option. Incorporate the outdoors inside with clean wood appropriate for scratching. Entice your cat further by leaving a well-worn piece of clothing, a blanket or a pinch of catnip in the new area. Encourage your cat's good behavior with treats and praise.

    • 2

      Wrap foil around the legs or arms of chairs. Tuck some under sofa cushions and allow enough to hang over the skirt. Spread foil on the top of chairs and tabletops. Cats are sensitive to walking on certain materials, like foil, and will avoid the areas where it is placed.

    • 3

      Fill a clean spray bottle with water and spray your cat when he breaks the furniture rules. This is a common training technique used to teach boundaries. Do not add vinegar, cayenne pepper, lemon juice or essential oils to the water since the spray will affect the cat and the surrounding area.

    • 4

      Insert a few coins in an empty can and tape the top shut. When you see your cat beginning to climb onto the furniture, toss the can near it. The object will startle the cat. Do not aim at or hit your cat with the can.

    • 5

      Wash all detachable upholstery, pillows or blankets from furniture or bedding to remove your cat's scent. Add a half cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. Use a spray bottle filled with white vinegar to dampen the nondetachable upholstery. Wipe down windowsills or other surfaces with white vinegar to deter your cat from those areas.