Stop Your Cat Scratching the Furniture
Friday, November 6, 2009 at 8:00AM Contrary to popular opinion cats do not start scratching the furniture to be vindictive or spiteful. It is natural for a cat to want to sharpen its claws, the problem is that most cats are fully domesticated now and seldom leaving the house.
Cats in the wild choose hard surfaces to claw that offer the most resistance. This action both sharpens and cleans their claws. They engage in regular scratching to remove any worn out or frayed claws and expose the newer, sharper sections beneath. Believe it or not scratching is also a way to make their territory. Cat's claws have a scent gland attached that deposits a unique scent that identifies their territory.
The best way known to combat this behaviour is to provide them something (other than your furniture) to sharpen their claws on.
If you are fortunate enough to have a garden allow your cat some quality time with nature. There is nothing better to stop your cat scratching your furniture than to allow it to go back to it's primitive roots. Trees provide the perfect scratching post.
If nature is not an option then you can make small additions to your home to keep your cat's destructive scratching at bay. Add some objects that your cat is allowed to scratch.
Posts can be made from: wood, carpeting, or cardboard. To encourage your cat to use these (instead of your furniture) you can try scenting with catnip or adding toys to capture their attention.
You can stop your cat from scratching your furniture by removing or altering its position. Then put your alternative in its place so that your cat is provided an appropriate substitute. If you find following simple pet advice like this saves your home from pet destruction, I am glad I could help. See more at AskDrLiz.com.
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Reader Comments (3)
Another best way to get a cat used to the scratching post is to give a kitty treat everytime your cat uses it. After a while they will just scratch it to get the kitty treat and voila no more scratching.
It work with my cat and he was 2 years old when he learn it.
That is true, positive reinforcement is a great way to get your kitty doing what you want. Great to hear that you have found another way to control your cats urges. Cats are really smart and pick things up quickly, in fact it is often easier to teach an adult cat new tricks. They have a better attention span than a kitten, and are able to grasp concepts quicker. Thanks for sharing your findings.