# Vinyl Carpet Runner



## Ted (Aug 28, 2011)

Hello all,

I was thinking about my new couches (which last night I put on slip covers...and they don't look half bad! LOL)... and had read somewhere that to help with scratching (at least with training to use scratching posts) would be to lay the vinyl carpet runners around the perimeter of the couches, upside down (pokey things pointing upward). I figured the kitty would not like to stand on it to scratch.

Then my mom (soon-to-be Grandma) called this morning and said, "Wait... won't the little pointy things hurt the baby boy's sensitive paws?" I said, "Well, that's the idea. They'd feel it ONCE and learn that's not a fun surface."

Long story short, I promised her I would ask here.

Is there a danger of using something like the vinyl carpet runner pointing up? Can a cat seriously (or even minorly) hurt himself? I certainly don't want a bleeding cat!

I thought he would just perhaps delicately touch with a paw and soon learn that he doesn't like it. But if there's a chance he would just pounce on it, then I don't want an injured kitty. 

Please advise...thanks much!


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

If it were me, I'd chill out and wait and see what happens. If you show kitty how to use the scratching post and praise it often for using it it will figure things out on its own.

Kitten shouldn't be left unattended for a little while anyway so it isn't like kitty will be sneaking in to scratch on post.

If you try to prepare for every single scenario that could possibly happen you're going to either drive yourself insane or have no time leftover for fun with a new kitten.... or both.... Basic kitten proofing and research should do you fine because really, kittens didn't read the books or the forums, they find their own mischief.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

There would be no danger of bleeding paws from using a vinyl carpet runner, but I agree with Krissy. I wouldn't start layering your couch with anything else unless circumstances later prove you need to. I adopted both of my girls as kittens. I provided various types of scratching surfaces -- horizontal and vertical, made of different materials. I also played a lot with them around the scratching posts and mats, dangling things above the vertical posts and putting little toys on the scratching mats. They both took to their posts and mats immediately and have never tried to scratch my furniture. So, I wouldn't bother with carpet runners and the like unless and until you need to, which may well be never.


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## Two Siamese (Aug 20, 2011)

I tried the plastic runners too -- haha, the kittens practically mocked me to my face. They were absolutely no deterent to them (I guess 2 lbs doesn't put a lot of pressure). For DH and me, however, they were a major pain.


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## Ted (Aug 28, 2011)

Thank you all for the tips. For now, I'll just work hard on getting him used to his post.

I purchased a 32" sisal post as well as one of those corrugated cardboard refills. I know I should have probably purchased the "holder", but honestly, I couldn't see the point when the refills are just as fine (IMHO).

Thanks again for your comforting words!


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

MowMow loves the cardboard incline scratchers. Unfortunately I can't just buy the refills because his massive weight bouncing on and off it crushes the base  and I always wind up replacing the entire unit. He loves these: Amazon.com: KONG Naturals Incline Scratcher with Toy Cat Toy: Pet Supplies



He always cracks me up when I put down a new one. He always cries and cries and cries while I unwrap it and put fresh nip on it for him...then he attacks it brutally and rips the heck out of it to break it in.


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## Vivid Dawn (May 31, 2010)

When I brought in a feral litter of 5 months old last spring, they all used the post automatically... I didn't even show them how! Cats naturally like to stretch, and I think the sissel rope wound around the post was more of a simulation of the trees they would scratch outside anyway, than a couch ever would be! 

And yeah, carpet runners never worked for my kitties. Tin foil worked for Nebbie, but not for Zinny... in fact, Zinny -likes- the crinkle and shiny of it!

(they also used the litter box without my instruction, too!)


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## Two Siamese (Aug 20, 2011)

Tin foil didn't work for mine either -- they love the stuff. The tear it with their teeth and roll it into balls and bat it around.


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## Vivid Dawn (May 31, 2010)

I was using it when Nebbie was new, and she was pooping on the carpet around the corner from the litter box. So I tried the runner, which didn't work (and was a hassle to clean), so tried tin foil. She would not get within half a foot of it! Once she was batting around a ball, and the ball rolled onto the foil... so then she looks up at me like "Well NOW what do I do? I lost my toy!" LOL So I had to roll it off for her to keep playing.


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