My cats scratch next to the board – I scraper back
20.5.2025
Translation: Julia Graham
Pictures: Darina Schweizer
My walls have the markings of an anonymous scratch artist. They ignore any scratching board and instead their medium of choice is my wallpaper. What to do when they take their art too far? I used a scraper and paint to fight back against the claws.
Catsky is on the loose in my house – a mysterious artist with claws as sharp as his mind. They keep going under the radar and leaving scratched works of art on my wallpaper. Skilfully, they avoid areas they’re officially allowed to leave marks on, such as scratching boards. Even after I’ve moved them several times. Is it Jasper? Or is it Joy? Beats me. I’ve never actually managed to catch Catsky in the act – they have true artistic anonymity.
Having said that, I don’t find their artistic outbursts all that aesthetically pleasing. When whole scraps of wallpaper stick out from the walls like a relief, I ask myself: is this art or can I get rid of it?
I’ve decided: it can go. Unfortunately, I’m not DIY-savvy. But hey, there’s always hope, like Banksy’s Girl with Balloon. So I call in two restorers to help me.
Tric handles the tough jobs
Tric is the one in charge of the groundwork and damaged ingrain wallpaper. It’s meant to work so quickly and cleanly that the filler adjusts perfectly to the structure of the wall. Let’s see.
«Hand me the scraper,» says Tric. Darn it, I don’t have one. So I make do with an old loyalty card. Tric rolls its eyes, but lets it go – with a little massage to make sure everything runs like a charm afterwards. A quick press on the tube and the viscous filler appears.
Spreading the paste with the loyalty card works well. Now it’s time to let it dry for an hour – and hope that Catsky doesn’t strike again in the meantime.
Tric and I are onto a winner. An hour later, the scratched area is completely sealed and feels firm. It also matches the wall colour.
Molto, the one for precision work
Now we need a specialist for the finishing touches. Enter Molto. As well as being ideal for spot corrections on ingrain wallpaper, it also works well on textured plaster. This white touch-up paint is designed to make concealed areas disappear, whether it’s filled areas, cracks, stains or streaks on the wall. So without further ado, let’s get into it.
Molto deals with the lighter, superficial scratch marks. With a bit of pressure on the tube, paint runs onto the roller so that it covers the scratches several times. Now they look fainter but can still be seen. «No problem,» says Molto, «I’ll sort that.» With a few little hops and dabs, it applies paint vertically into the scratch marks. The roller slips out of the holder a few times on one side, which is a bit tiresome. However, after going over the scratches two or three times, they’ve almost disappeared. Molto bene!
Verdict
At the end, I look at the retouched works of art in the light. They’re actually almost invisible with only two flaws. Molto’s paint looks slightly whiter than the wallpaper, depending on the angle, and Tric’s work on the corner of the wall is a tad untidy. With a bit of practice and a proper scraper, it’ll work even better next time. Or should I still stick an anti-scratch film on the wall? I doubt it. Catsky will just keep scratching next to it – and I’d end up taking the whole wallpaper off when I removed it.
Speaking of which, what happened to the scratch artist? Well, they’ve struck again. Restorers Tric and Molto will be kept busy for a while yet.
What do you do when you get cat scratches on the wall? Let us know in the comments.
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know?
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