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cat chewing on furniture

April 19th, 2004, 03:33 PM
I have a 9 month old tabby who chews furniture. Specifically, the corners (only the corners) of my headboard, footboard and night tables. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this might be happening. The only thing I can think of (and I could be way off base here) is that....I adopted two kittens on the very same day from a local shelter - Abby, who was 4 months old at the time and Molly, who was 8 weeks old at the time. Molly immediately adopted Abby as her surrogate mother and started suckling. Despite her young age, Abby exhibited amazing maternal tendencies. Five months later, Molly is still suckling and Abby is still allowing it. I can't help but wonder though if perhaps she is not feeling some kind of stress from this, which she relieves by chewing the furniture??? I have also noticed her at my house plants.
Has anyone else had any similar experiences? Were you able to get the cat to stop chewing?
Would love to hear from anyone who might be able to help.

Bill & Bob
April 19th, 2004, 03:36 PM
I have a friend of mine that's used something called "bitter apple" for her dog. It's a squirty spray stuff that you put on whatever they're chewing. Apparently the stuff doesn't smell, but when the dog tastes it, it's not very pleasant and they usually stop. Don't know if it would work for cats. Can't see why not.

April 19th, 2004, 05:25 PM
I had a cat (since deceased from old age) who would nibble wooden corners of antique furniture. Aside from reducing the value of a few collectables, and causing me a few anxious moments- there was no real damage. The cat was tempted by small wooden protrusions and would leave nice little gouge marks. No one ever knew why and while the bitter apple wasn't available at that time-mentholatum (Vicks) did not hurt the furniture finish and did disuade the wood nibbler. We went around the house and dabbed a small amount on all the exposed wood corners and it not only kept the cat from nibbling the furniture It helped keep our sinus's open during the spring.
After a while the cat lost interest and our house did not smell like a Vicks Vapor Rub Factory.

April 19th, 2004, 10:48 PM
Maybe that would work on spraying cats,My Rocky sprays on one spot on a big wood armoire when he gets agitated,but I suppose he would just find another spot.I do however like the smell of"Vick":p

April 20th, 2004, 07:38 AM
Are you sure he's not scratching the wood? I've never heard of a cat chewing on wood?
Also every cat will inspect house-plants,I have a regular jungle with 30 house-plants throughout the house and my 3 cats do occasionally check them out:D
I of course have made sure they are not poisonus to the cats,their most favourite is a huge spiderplant,but it's hanging too high for them to reach.
If the cats are indoors,plant some grass in a tray for them.

April 20th, 2004, 07:47 AM
I'm with anita.I have never heard of a cat chewing furniture.Scratching yes,chewing no.

What you can try is spraying anything that is a citrus.Lemon,orange.They may have something at the pet store.Cats are not crazy about citrus.

As for the plants.Please make sure they are no poisonus.What I did when my cat was a kitten and she got into my plants was,I sprayed the plants with a water/vinager mixture.After 3 days she stayed out of them.

April 20th, 2004, 10:34 AM
Bitter apple works for cats too!! I've also used tin foil to keep my cats out of the plants or off the tops of special shelves etc. You could wrap the ends of the bed and tables with tin foil...that should deter them!! Not very attractive, but it might help!! Good luck!:D

April 20th, 2004, 12:30 PM
Well my cats love to chew on anything crinkley and tinny.
Alum Foil-gum wrappers and all that comes of it is upset tummies and tinsel poop.
We had a cat when I was a wee lad some 60 years + ago and our housecat-Named TOM would eat all the lead tinsel off the Christmas tree for as far up as he could reach from the floor.
According to modern medical science he should have died from lead poisoning but he was still going strong when I went to college. I think he cashed in his 9th life at about 19

April 20th, 2004, 02:41 PM
Ah Woodbyter you certainly get're funny!!
Actually my youngest cat Vinnie has a"thing"for choclate bar wrappers,he especially liked the foil-wrappers around the Cadbury Easter cream eggs,my favorite yummy stuff!!!
Being a chocaholic I have to be careful and throw out the wrappers before he gets to them..

Bill & Bob
April 20th, 2004, 04:43 PM
I heard somewhere that it's something called TheoBromine that's in chocolate that's bad for cats and dogs. Only some dogs though. My friends Belgian got into the kids Halloween Candy this year and ate a tonne of chocolate. Didn't hurt the dog a bit other than what she had to pick up the next day being a bit messy.

April 20th, 2004, 04:54 PM
My cats don't eat choclate,it's just my Vinnie likes the foil-wrappers,must smell good to him...