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So, recently I think someone sneaked in a cat. This is likely the third time it has happened within 5 years.
The first time the area rug sitting beneath the coffee table looked like it was “teased.” Then another time I noticed it looked more teased. And this last time I noticed that the coffee table was pushed over this area…and again - it looked very teased. I know another member mentioned that cat’s can smell an area where another cat was clawing and will be drawn to it. Can someone explain what caused the first cat to start picking at the rug?
Another thing…one bed skirt was completely covered in short hairs. My partner saw them and immediately said “that’s cat hair.” Now…not sure how he knows it was cat, or if I had already planted the see in his head that I think they brought a cat. Do cats like to rub themselves against bed skirts?
All cats have claws at one point. Some owners may remove them. (controversial practice). Cats scratch things to remove the dead outer layer of their claws and also to mark territory.
Yes, that’s what we do when we travel with our cat. He snuggles down in his carrier and sleeps. In the past I’ve let cats loose in the car but there’s always the danger they can get under the pedals and prevent you from braking (or get squashed - the alternative).
Not ours, he’s as good as gold. Put cat personalities might differ.
As @Brandt says, some cats have had their front claws removed. Our Stan is a rescue cat and quite old so had no front claws when we adopted him. But it is a cruel thing, I think. But I do believe that a declawed, neutered male cat shouldn’t leave his mark anywhere by any means. Un-neutered males are the stinky ones.
By the way, just a note. I’ve found that cats are much better guests than dogs. They are quiet, they don’t shed (as much) and they pee (etc.) in their litter boxes and nowhere else. I’d much rather host cats. But I don’t have any carpets - just tile throughout, which might be a factor in the ease-of-cleaning aspect.
I’ve heard (I don’t know 100% for certain) that cats are declawed by removing the first joint of their toes. It’s not just a case of ripping their claws out (which sounds gross enough) because they would grow again so the entire first joint is amputated. Imagine the uppermost knuckles of your hands being amputated; the joints with the fingernails. Like that.
I don’t think it’s rugs especially, but they do like to sharpen their claws on vertical surfaces (often upholstery). I don’t let Stan go out, although he’d be fine as an outdoor cat except for the fact that because he doesn’t have front claws he can’t defend himself against the local stray cats, the iguanas on the dock and the land crabs that live in the yard.
I had outdoor cats in the UK when I had fitted carpet throughout the house but never had a problem with the scratching the carpet. At one time I had four cats but no damage. (Yes, I’m a crazy old cat lady).
Litter boxes aren’t very big. One being carried into your rental could at first glance look like an item of luggage or a box of groceries.
A healthy house cat that is spayed or neutered should not mark territory with urine. This is usually for mating. I don’t know anyone with a house cat that deals with this. I don’t think it is a given that a cat will scratch furniture and rugs. They can be trained, however, It depends on the owner. I allow our cat to scratch one particular rug as it is junk anyway.
They need to dig into something to break the dead part off, almost like their form of a toe nail clipper. They will sometime try to get it done by biting the claw as well.
It depends on the owner and the cat. We have trained all three of our kitties to sit still as we clip their claws. They all start purring as soon as I put them into position because they know a treat is forthcoming.
I’ve never seen a cat sharpen their nails on the rug, as @jaquo said it’s usually vertical places like on sofas or chairs. It is possible that another cat sprayed there and they are attracted to the area so they are scratching at it? Or worse, cats are peeing in the same place that they smell prior cats’ urine and the guests are scrubbing it, cleaning it up and the rug looks teased? Hmmm
EDIT: Did you get down on your hands and knees and SMELL the area? Gross I know but you can usual smell the cat urine no matter how hard they scrub unless they travel with some really good enzyme urine/feces cleaning product!
Yes, and that’s one of the reasons we do not host cats (as much as I’m sure I’d prefer them over some guests). They especially like to claw surfaces to mark their territory, so I always worry about my soft furniture as all of that is virgin territory for the visiting cat. Cats have scent glands on their paw pads, and this (and rubbing, and sometimes peeing) lets other cats know that that particular item belongs to them. That includes their owners.
I am astonished that anyone travels with a cat. They are territorial animals and highly stressed by changes in their environment. Declawing is a cruel practice. I’m no animal rights activist but the cavalier attitude of some people treating their pets as if they were possessions really disgusts me. Maybe this is a US/UK cultural divide, though.
Cats have an internal navigation system, both indoors and outside. This involves their scenting trails that they will use regularly, and of marking their territory out, including on/from their staff. The scent, a pheromone I think, is excreted around their jaw/cheek area, which is why they rub themselves along objects/furniture/people. We were stared at balefully for several days after moving our bed to the other side of the room, and clearing boxes from underneath. Proprietorial tunnels and trails had been altered without permission…
Interestingly, a lot of French families take their cats on holiday with them, even to campsites. It’s bad enough moving house with the buggers; imagine all the trails that need re-laying and learning.
