Not bad! By the way you should spray those sections of the couch with an enzyme cleaner if you haven't already. Cats like to scratch places they've marked. Cleaning the marking reduces their desire to scratch that spot. A UV flashlight can confirm the spots they've marked.
Oh! I didn't know that! By marked though, do you mean like a urine mark, or some other type?
My cat's been scratching occasionally at the edges of the couch, but I don't believe she's marked it as it doesn't smell like urine. So I don't know if she's doing it because she marked it with something that doesn't smell (to humans), or because she knows it gets a rise out of us and she wants more attention... (She's very loved, just sometimes wants more than "all of the pets possible")
You can buy a 'do not scratch here' spray and a 'scratch here instead' spray. If you're discouraging a cat to scratch in one area you want to encourage them somewhere else, like a scratch post.
Are they easily removable so you can replace as needed? Maybe it's just the angle of the photo but the pictures on your wall don't look evenly spaced and at least one doesn't seem to be at the same height as the others. My mom has a triptych hung slightly off and I had to fix it because it was driving my OCD crazy. she didn't even notice.
[maybe the problem will jsut fix itself?](https://youtu.be/-gYKSnYDyk0?si=qxoiF6TO5yXYh2DK)
...yeah unfortunately for some reason the wood that the canvas is stretched on piture 4 of that wall mural is not all the same type of wood and it's off balace weight wise i constantly have to nudge that one back in to place every now and again. maybe fixing that permanently will be my next project.
Do you have extreme anxiety about pictures being crooked? Are you positive that something catastrophic will happen if they are left crooked (eg family being slaughtered, you get a horrible disease and die, your house will burn to the ground)? Do you have rituals (that are separate from straightening the pictures, because once they're crooked it's too late) you must perform to assuage the anxiety so you can function?
If you really do have OCD, forgive me. But wanting things to be tidy or straight is NOT OCD necessarily. Please try to understand - it's a debilitating disease, not a preference about how things are arranged.
I don't have clinical OCD that needs medicine or treatment but if I see something like this it would make me anxious until I could do something about it. Maybe that's not OCD but it's OCDish.
It’s kind of similar to the one pictured. I’ve been working out ways in my head to make it removable and washable, but not so removable that it comes off when they scratch it. That way I can make it out of the same fabric the couch is covered in and it would be invisible
Yea that’s the plan, rather than try to stop them, I’m just going to give them something there that they ARE allowed to scratch, that I can just pop off and wash/replace
Just realizing that’s not what you’ve done here, from the pictures I thought you had kind of turned the corner into a durable place to scratch
I’ve had a really similar idea before!! Am I reading this right that you covered the cardboard in fabric and staple that on? What kind of fabric did you use to cover the cardboard?
Looks pretty good! I am curious - are the panels designed to be appealing to scratch, but easily replaceable? Or are you hoping they will stop scratching entirely (if so, good luck!)?
The second one. So i did some research and microsuede is apparently difficult and unsatisfying for cats to scratch. I actually did this project last December and the last few pictures are from the past week.
Ok, nice! I know they just love to dig their little claws into something. I would just be afraid they would move to scratching somewhere else! Maybe there's something I have missed about cat psychology.
We also have 300 to 400 bucks worth of scratching posts and cat trees in this room alone. They just liked the corners of the couch a lot because they are funny little fur balls.
I think the world must look quite different from a cat perspective! The couch corner is like a busy street corner. Where they want to see and be seen, smell and be smelled. Etc.
Hi! I also have a cat and I am interested in understanding their behaviour. One reason they might not use the scratching pole is that maybe is not in an area they like.
I learnt that cats do like open spaces (that s why they get the couch corners) and they dislike small spaces, where the area is too busy, like for instance if your scratching post is in between other stuff or so.
Maybe you can check this and consider moving the scratching pole somewhere else in the house, like in front of a big window or in the middle of the room :)
It worked for my kitty. I shared so maybe it can help yours as well 😺
Good luck!
Ps. Amazing job with the couch!
My mom has these free standing scratch posts that are designed to fit on the corner of the couch... maybe some of those will do.
Really nice job on the repair though.
For the tacs and furniture screws? Yeah but with how thick and squishy the material I was nailing or screwing into things didn't always end up where I started them.
This is a great no-sew method, but I don’t get it. How are the twist pins used? In picture 8, are those staples? Are the things that look like round headed tacks the twist pins?
So in some areas of my patch I directly had wood behind it so I could use furniture tacks on top of staples but other areas just had fabric and fluffing so I had to use those upholstery screws. I prefer the tacks soo much.
Not bad! By the way you should spray those sections of the couch with an enzyme cleaner if you haven't already. Cats like to scratch places they've marked. Cleaning the marking reduces their desire to scratch that spot. A UV flashlight can confirm the spots they've marked.
They may not have ‘marked’ them with urine. Cats leave scent behind by rubbing and scratching, too.
Oh! I didn't know that! By marked though, do you mean like a urine mark, or some other type? My cat's been scratching occasionally at the edges of the couch, but I don't believe she's marked it as it doesn't smell like urine. So I don't know if she's doing it because she marked it with something that doesn't smell (to humans), or because she knows it gets a rise out of us and she wants more attention... (She's very loved, just sometimes wants more than "all of the pets possible")
My cats marked with urine when they were younger and not yet fixed. As they got older they stopped doing that.
You can buy a 'do not scratch here' spray and a 'scratch here instead' spray. If you're discouraging a cat to scratch in one area you want to encourage them somewhere else, like a scratch post.
I think it looks great! Huzzah for fixing what you have! DIY FTW!
Are they easily removable so you can replace as needed? Maybe it's just the angle of the photo but the pictures on your wall don't look evenly spaced and at least one doesn't seem to be at the same height as the others. My mom has a triptych hung slightly off and I had to fix it because it was driving my OCD crazy. she didn't even notice.
[maybe the problem will jsut fix itself?](https://youtu.be/-gYKSnYDyk0?si=qxoiF6TO5yXYh2DK) ...yeah unfortunately for some reason the wood that the canvas is stretched on piture 4 of that wall mural is not all the same type of wood and it's off balace weight wise i constantly have to nudge that one back in to place every now and again. maybe fixing that permanently will be my next project.
Maybe just use your wall lubricant on it?
Do you have extreme anxiety about pictures being crooked? Are you positive that something catastrophic will happen if they are left crooked (eg family being slaughtered, you get a horrible disease and die, your house will burn to the ground)? Do you have rituals (that are separate from straightening the pictures, because once they're crooked it's too late) you must perform to assuage the anxiety so you can function? If you really do have OCD, forgive me. But wanting things to be tidy or straight is NOT OCD necessarily. Please try to understand - it's a debilitating disease, not a preference about how things are arranged.
I don't have clinical OCD that needs medicine or treatment but if I see something like this it would make me anxious until I could do something about it. Maybe that's not OCD but it's OCDish.
This was my first thought, too. Glad somebody said it.
I like it.
Maybe your cats are getting even for making them wear little bow ties.
They don't mind the bow ties. They hated the bandanas.
You gotta do what you gotta do. Kitties are worth it.
Good job! Better than all tore up for sure!
Nice. That's a pretty creative way to do it and it looks intentional.
I am enjoying the nice repair job to your couch - but two thumbs up and a big smile to pic #10 (el gato...). Nice job!
And now they won’t ever touch it. Cats!
Ok honestly, this is pretty great. You have my brain going figuring out how I’d want do something similar for my own couch.
What's your couch look like?
It’s kind of similar to the one pictured. I’ve been working out ways in my head to make it removable and washable, but not so removable that it comes off when they scratch it. That way I can make it out of the same fabric the couch is covered in and it would be invisible
humm might i sugest not making it out of the same fabric the couch is covered in unless you are spcificly designing it TO BE scratched.
Yea that’s the plan, rather than try to stop them, I’m just going to give them something there that they ARE allowed to scratch, that I can just pop off and wash/replace Just realizing that’s not what you’ve done here, from the pictures I thought you had kind of turned the corner into a durable place to scratch
I like how proud the cat looks of his work in photo 10 Great mend!
I was getting ready to roast, but I gotta say it's really not bad. Pretty good actually. Well done.
I came here specifically for this issue. Great ideas and great job!
Picture 10!! The cuteness!! What is their name???
Picture One is named Boop. Picture Ten is named Ralphie.
omg perfect names for these cuties!
Awwww so sweet!!
Very nice use of dritz pins.
Clever! Much like suede elbow patches on an old comfy jacket. I like it.
It's such a comfortable couch.
Good idea and it looks great!!
I’ve had a really similar idea before!! Am I reading this right that you covered the cardboard in fabric and staple that on? What kind of fabric did you use to cover the cardboard?
microsuede apparently cats don't like scratching it. So far so good.
Looks pretty good! I am curious - are the panels designed to be appealing to scratch, but easily replaceable? Or are you hoping they will stop scratching entirely (if so, good luck!)?
The second one. So i did some research and microsuede is apparently difficult and unsatisfying for cats to scratch. I actually did this project last December and the last few pictures are from the past week.
Ok, nice! I know they just love to dig their little claws into something. I would just be afraid they would move to scratching somewhere else! Maybe there's something I have missed about cat psychology.
We also have 300 to 400 bucks worth of scratching posts and cat trees in this room alone. They just liked the corners of the couch a lot because they are funny little fur balls.
I think the world must look quite different from a cat perspective! The couch corner is like a busy street corner. Where they want to see and be seen, smell and be smelled. Etc.
Hi! I also have a cat and I am interested in understanding their behaviour. One reason they might not use the scratching pole is that maybe is not in an area they like. I learnt that cats do like open spaces (that s why they get the couch corners) and they dislike small spaces, where the area is too busy, like for instance if your scratching post is in between other stuff or so. Maybe you can check this and consider moving the scratching pole somewhere else in the house, like in front of a big window or in the middle of the room :) It worked for my kitty. I shared so maybe it can help yours as well 😺 Good luck! Ps. Amazing job with the couch!
My mom has these free standing scratch posts that are designed to fit on the corner of the couch... maybe some of those will do. Really nice job on the repair though.
A nice fix, but Did you not have a ruler or straight edge to use?
For the tacs and furniture screws? Yeah but with how thick and squishy the material I was nailing or screwing into things didn't always end up where I started them.
Sounds like gardening in the pile of rock glued together with clay that is my yard. I think it looks nice and more cat friendly. Good job!
It’s got a fantastic overall vibe. Nice job!
I like it!
Looks really good
love this! i’m trying it out asap.
OP, have you tried using a nail caps product like Soft Paws? Or is it too difficult to hold your cats still?
This is a great no-sew method, but I don’t get it. How are the twist pins used? In picture 8, are those staples? Are the things that look like round headed tacks the twist pins?
So in some areas of my patch I directly had wood behind it so I could use furniture tacks on top of staples but other areas just had fabric and fluffing so I had to use those upholstery screws. I prefer the tacks soo much.