Help - My Cat Keeps Scratching the Furniture
Felines That Ruin Furniture with Their Claws Need to be Stopped
Nov 13, 2009
Scratching is natural behavior for cats, a behavior that can never be stopped. Declawing a cat is inhumane, and these days, many cats are indoor cats, who never get a chance to dig their claws into a tree. As a result, cats often turn to scratching the furniture, costing a lot of money in damage. The trick is to prevent cats from clawing your furniture, while encouraging them to scratch an item placed in their living space specifically for them. Take a look at how you can do this.
Preventing a Cat from Scratching
There are a wide variety of products on the market that deter a cat from scratching a piece of furniture. Spray repellents that are basically odorless, but leave a scent that a cat can detect and dislike, are available. These sprays get mixed results, as they seem to not even faze some cats. Whenever you test a repellent, it is always a good idea to spray it on a small, nondescript area to test for color-fastness.
Another product on the market that deters cats from scratching furniture is two-sided tape. This clear adhesive tape sticks to the furniture, and is also sticky on the side facing out. When the cat puts its paws onto the tape, the pads of its feet will stick to it, annoying the cat.
There is also a product on the market called Soft Claws. These are little plastic nail covers that can be adhered to the claws of a cat, making its nails too dull to do any damage. It may be difficult to have your cat sit still long enough to get these nail covers on, but they work quite well, and come in a variety of colors (who can resist giving their cat red toenails?).
If you catch a cat shredding up your couch, do something to let it know that this is not acceptable. Shaking marbles in a tin can will scare a cat sufficiently, as will squirting it with a water bottle.
Providing a Cat with a Place to Scratch
Scratching is natural behavior for cats, and if they do not have a place to stretch their claws, they will continue to destroy the furniture. It's a shame when a pet owner successfully trains a cat to stay away from the couch, but it starts clawing the wall instead. Cats need scratching posts.
There is a size and type of scratching post that fits any budget, and any cat. There are simple ones for $10 that hang off of door knobs, elaborate kitty scratch post play lands that can cost hundreds, and everything in between. There are even scratch posts that fit over the corners of couches, as this seems a popular area for cats to scratch. Most scratch posts are carpeted, but if your cat doesn't seem to like the carpeted ones, try a cardboard scratching post, or one that is covered in sisal rope.
Enticing a Cat to Use a Scratching Post
Not all cats will take to a post right away. Some catnip may have to be sprayed or sprinkled onto it in order for them to give it a whirl. Placing the post near the food dish or the cat's bed may also pique its interest. If you see the cat using the post, praise it and offer it treats as a reward.
The most annoying habit to break in cats is to get them to stop scratching up the house. With a little effort though, and a new scratching post, you can save your couch from your cat.
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