Paws prints on furniture---what can help?

[Curmudgeoness]

My cat walks all over the coffee table and console TV (yes, I still have a console TV), and there are now marks on the wood that I cannot rub out. The coffee table is varnished wood. The TV, I am not sure...is it just wood or is it a veneer, I don't know. But I can't get these paw prints off. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Little Star]

1. Well you got me wondering so I googled and..

found this article about using oil soap to remove the paw prints.

It goes on to say (and this is important) that if the prints have eaten into the wood finish, which can happen due to the acids in urine and feces, Stop! Oil soap is not appropriate for raw or damaged wood!

Here read the whole article:http://www.ehow.com/how_12095953_removing-cat-paw-prints-wood-furniture.html

I don't know what you would do if your wood is raw or damaged.

[Curmudgeoness]

2. TV is not raw wood for sure.

The table, I am not so sure. It appears that "maybe" the varnish has been damaged????

I will read the article and I will try the oil soap on the TV, at least.

Thanks for taking the effort.

[Little Star]

3. I just get curious…

or nosy if you prefer.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. I followed some links on that site to other tips.

One did discuss what to do if there is what looks like damage to the finish of a table. The suggested mineral spirits. I don't know exactly what mineral spirits are, but I will look into that.

The only thing that brought to my mind was the turpentine/linseed oil treatment that I have used years and years ago.

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. You can find mineral spirits in the paint aisle of a home improvement store.

Someone will correct me (hopefully), but I always thought of mineral spirits as a non/less corrosive version of paint thinner.

[Ruby the Liberal]

6. Great link - thanks! nt