How to Stop a Cat from Scratching Furniture
Aug 30,2024 | puaintapets
Scratching is a natural behavior for cats, but it can be frustrating when they target your furniture. Cats scratch to mark territory, stretch their muscles, and maintain their claws. Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to prevent your cat from scratching your furniture without discouraging their instinctual behavior. In this article, we'll explore why cats scratch and provide effective solutions to protect your furniture.
Why Do Cats Scratch Furniture?
Cats scratch furniture for a variety of instinctual needs.
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Claw Sharpening
Sharpening cats' claws helps them remove old nail cuticles and keep their nails sharp, which is essential for their hunting and climbing behavior.
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Marking territory
Cats have scent glands under their paws and by scratching they can mark territory by leaving their scent on objects.
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Stretching and Exercise
The scratching action helps cats stretch their bodies, especially their back and shoulder muscles, which is good for their physical health.
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Psychological Needs
Scratching is also a way for cats to relieve stress, anxiety or boredom.
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Habitual Behavior
If cats have been scratching furniture since they were young, they may have developed this habit even if a scratching board is provided.
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Furniture material attraction
The material of furniture such as sofas may be more suitable for cats to sharpen their claws, so they are more inclined to scratch these pieces of furniture.
Furniture is often targeted by cats for its stability and easy-to-scratch surfaces. In order to meet these needs of cats while protecting the furniture, it is important to provide specialized scratching boards and regular interactive training.
Related: How To Keep Cats Off Furniture
How to Stop a Cat from Scratching Furniture
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Provide Appropriate Scratching Posts
- Multiple Options: Place scratching posts in areas where your cat likes to scratch, especially near furniture they’ve targeted. Make sure the posts are sturdy and tall enough for your cat to fully stretch.
- Variety of Textures: Offer posts with different textures like sisal, carpet, or cardboard to find what your cat prefers.
- Place Strategically: Position scratching posts near your cat's favorite resting spots, as they often like to scratch after waking up.
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Use Deterrents on Furniture
- Double-Sided Tape: Cats dislike sticky surfaces, so applying double-sided tape to areas where they scratch can deter them.
- Furniture Covers: Temporary covers, like aluminum foil or plastic, can be placed on furniture to discourage scratching until your cat becomes accustomed to using a scratching post.
- Cat Deterrent Sprays: Sprays with scents that cats find unpleasant (but are safe for them) can be applied to furniture to deter scratching.
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Encourage Scratching on Posts
- Catnip: Rub catnip or silvervine on the scratching post to attract your cat to it. Most cats are naturally drawn to these scents and will start using the post.
- Play Near the Post: Engage your cat in play around the scratching post to encourage interaction with it. This can help them associate the post with positive experiences.
- Reward with Treats: Whenever your cat uses the scratching post, reward them with treats or praise to reinforce the behavior.
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Protect Your Furniture
- Furniture Guards: Use scratch guards or furniture protectors made of plastic or vinyl to shield vulnerable areas.
- Move Furniture: If possible, rearrange furniture to block access to favored scratching spots until your cat is consistently using a scratching post.
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Trim Your Cat’s Claws Regularly
- Regular Trimming: Keeping your cat’s claws trimmed reduces the damage they can do when they scratch. Use a sharp, cat-specific nail clipper and be careful not to cut too close to the quick.
- Start Slowly: If your cat is not used to having their claws trimmed, start slowly by trimming one or two nails at a time and rewarding them with treats.
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Consider Soft Paws (Nail Caps)
- Soft Paws: These are soft vinyl caps that can be glued onto your cat’s claws. They are a humane option that prevents damage to furniture while still allowing your cat to scratch.
- Temporary Solution: Soft Paws are a temporary solution and need to be replaced every 4-6 weeks as the cat’s nails grow.
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Reduce Stress
- Environmental Enrichment: Provide your cat with plenty of toys, climbing structures, and interactive playtime to reduce stress and boredom, which can lead to destructive scratching.
- Feliway Diffusers: Consider using Feliway, a synthetic cat pheromone that can help reduce stress and unwanted behaviors like scratching.
How to Properly Trim Cat's Nails When Scratching Furniture?
Properly trimming your cat's nails when they scratch furniture is an important step as it reduces furniture damage and keeps your cat's claws healthy. Here are the steps to trim your cat's nails.
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Prepare the tools
Use cat-specific nail clippers, which have a smaller curved blade that better suits the shape of your cat's claws.
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Fixing the cat
Choose a quiet environment, gently hold the cat on your lap, use one hand to fix the cat's body, and hold the cat's claws with the other hand.
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Expose the nails
Gently press the fleshy pads at the top of your cat's toes to fully expose the nails.
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Identify blood lines
In good light, find the pink blood lines in the nails, which are the vascular part of the nail, and avoid cutting into them.
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Trimming the Nail
Trim only the clear part of the nail, the part in front of the blood line, keeping the tip of the nail neat.
Also Read: The Ultimate Guide on How to Cut Cat Nails: A Step-by-Step Approach
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Reward your cat
Once trimming is complete, give your cat a snack as a reward to build a positive bond.
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Pay attention to safety
If you accidentally cut the blood line, stop the bleeding immediately with hemostatic powder or a clean cloth and consult your veterinarian if necessary.
Regular nail trimming prevents overgrown nails, reduces furniture scratching and keeps your cat's claws healthy. It is recommended that nails be trimmed every 2-3 weeks, depending on how fast your cat's nails grow. With patience and the right approach, you can make nail trimming part of your cat's daily care routine.
How to Choose the Right Cat Scratching Board for My Cat?
When choosing the right cat scratching board for your cat, you should consider the following factors.
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Material
Common cat scratching board materials on the market include sisal, corrugated paper, blanket and polypropylene. Sisal material has a good scratching feeling and is durable, but there may be problems with glue coming off; corrugated paper material has a rich shape but is less durable; polypropylene material doesn't shed chips, doesn't hurt the claws and is environmentally friendly.
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Shape and size
The shape of the cat scratching board should be chosen according to the cat's preferences and habits. Vertical scratching boards are suitable for cats that like to stand and grind their claws, while flat or nest-shaped scratching boards are suitable for cats that like to scratch horizontally. In terms of size, the scratching board should be large enough for the cat to scratch comfortably.
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Stability
The scratching board should be stable and sturdy to avoid violent shaking during scratching, which may affect the cat's experience.
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Comfort
Cats usually prefer soft and flexible scratching boards, which helps them relax and sharpen their claws better.
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Environmental friendliness and safety
Choose a scratching board that is bonded with natural rubber and check whether the edges and corners are rounded to ensure your cat's safety when using it.
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Brand and reputation
Choose regular brands and reputable products, which will ensure the quality and safety of the scratching board.
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Regular replacement
Scratching boards made of any material should be regularly inspected and replaced to maintain hygiene and avoid bacterial growth.
You can choose the right cat scratching board according to your cat's specific preferences and the actual situation in your home. If you are unsure of your cat's preference, try a variety of materials and shapes of scratching boards and observe your cat's reaction to find the most suitable style for them.
What Other Items Can Be Offered as Alternatives to Cat Scratching Boards for Cats to Sharpen Their Claws?
In addition to traditional cat scratching boards, you can also provide the following items as alternatives for your cat to sharpen its claws.
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Corrugated cardboard boxes
Cats love to scratch cardboard boxes, which not only satisfies their scratching needs, but also provides a temporary hiding place.
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Twine or rope
You can wrap sisal rope around furniture legs or posts to provide a scratching target for your cat.
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Rough tree trunks or branches
If you have outdoor space, place some rough tree trunks or branches for your cat to sharpen its claws in a natural setting.
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Scrap carpet or cushions
Place scrap carpet or mats on the floor for your cat to scratch.
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Cardboard
Cardboard can be scratched by cats and is inexpensive enough to replace regularly.
These alternatives can be chosen and arranged to suit your home and your cat's preferences, helping to minimize damage to your furniture and providing your cat with more entertainment and exercise opportunities.
How to Give Effective Negative Feedback When Cats Scratch Furniture?
Performing effective negative feedback when your cat is scratching the furniture can help you correct the behavior. Here are some specific ways to do this.
Use Audible Feedback
When you see your cat start scratching the furniture, make a sharp “no” sound to get your cat's attention and let him know that this is not allowed.
Use a water gun
If the cat continues to scratch the furniture, use a water gun to gently spray the cat with water. The sudden stimulation of the water will cause the cat to feel uncomfortable and associate it with the scratching behavior.
Avoid direct punishment
Ensure that your cat does not associate negative feedback with you, e.g. don't throw coins or other objects in front of your cat so that they don't associate you with an unpleasant experience.
Give feedback immediately
Negative feedback should be given as soon as the cat starts the furniture scratching behavior to establish a clear cause and effect relationship.
Divert attention
When your cat is scratching the furniture, try to divert its attention with toys or other methods to direct it to more appropriate activities.
Maintain Consistency
Always provide negative feedback in the same way during training so that your cat learns faster which behaviors are unacceptable.
By using the above methods, you can effectively teach your cat to avoid furniture scratching behavior without hurting them. Remember to provide negative feedback along with positive rewards and training to reinforce the proper behavior of your cat using the scratching board!
Conclusion
Stopping your cat from scratching furniture requires a combination of providing appropriate alternatives, using deterrents, and reinforcing positive behavior. By understanding your cat’s natural needs and offering suitable outlets for scratching, you can protect your furniture and keep your cat happy. With patience and consistency, you can successfully redirect your cat’s scratching behavior.
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