You mention getting new furniture in your post, and that made me think of the one time we ALMOST had a scratching problem.
Years ago, I came into possession of a beautifully-crafted old wing chair. It was lovely, with a channel-back and wonderful woodwork. Trouble was, the upholstery was extremely worn and need replacing. So that’s just what I did. I picked out some nice (too expensive) fabric, and had the upholsterers do their magic.
Thrilled, I brought it home and placed it in JUST the right spot in the house.
The cats went berserk. I could barely keep them away from it, and I feared that they would destroy it if I left it unattended. Anyway, I think I figured out why they were so fascinated by this chair. I think the smell of the new upholstery upset them because it didn’t smell like home.
So...I covered the thing in some old flannel nightgowns of mine and left it there for about a week. The cats suddenly lost interest, and when I took the nightgowns off, they no longer gave it a second look.
These days, that chair still looks really good, but it seems that it has become the dog’s favorite sleeping spot when we’re not home. (It’s right next to the front door; I think he thinks it’s his sentry post.)
Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
Regards,
You know, you’re definitely onto something, something so obvious that it never occurred to me! Cats don’t always get along right away with newcomers, whether it’s another cat or furniture. Why didn’t I think of something so simple as putting some old blankets on the couches for a few weeks and letting them get used to it? They just want everything in the house to be familiar. Oh well, we’ll know better when/if we get new couches in a decade or so. Thanks!
My old doggie used to sleep by the front door, too. He was a poofy 30 lb Eskie (brushed him twice daily but he’d still shed hair everywhere) who thought of himself as a ferocious guardian. Not the old bull terrier, she was a baby and would only sleep on the bed or she’d cry at night. I miss them both. :(
Thanks for the common sense advice!