Cats love to scratch things, which is one of the reasons why pet stores are filled with scratching posts. If you’ve discovered this characteristic after your cat tore into your sofa arm, or shredded the leather on a new pair of boots, take a deep breath and rest assured that you can repair them with a little elbow grease and the right materials. Cat scratches, even deep ones, are one of the easiest types of damage to repair on leather boots.
Purchase leather conditioner, baseball glove conditioner, lanolin cream and olive oil at your local department store, grocery market or shoe store. Buy shoe polish that matches the color of your damaged leather boots.
Pour a teaspoon of olive oil onto a soft, clean cotton cloth. Gently rub the cotton cloth with olive oil into minor cat scratches on the surface of your leather boots. Use a dry corner of the cloth to wipe away any excess olive oil.
If the scratches remain after using olive oil, apply a tablespoon of baseball glove conditioner or leather conditioner to the scratches. Allow the conditioner to soak into the scratches for three to four hours. Use a second soft cotton cloth to wipe away the conditioner. Rub the cloth in a gentle, circular motion until the conditioner is completely worked into the boots.
If scratches still remain, use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of lanolin cream directly to the scratches. Let the lanolin soften the leather for a few minutes. Rub it into the boots with the cotton swab. Repeat two to three times, if necessary, until the scratches fade. Allow the boots to dry completely.
Dip the end of another cotton swab into shoe polish that matches the color of your boots. Apply a thin layer of the polish over the scratches. Allow the polish to sit on the leather for three to four hours. Use a third soft cotton cloth to rub the polish into the scratched area in small, concentric circles until the surface of your boots are smooth and shiny. Allow the polish to dry for 3 to 5 hours before wearing the boots.