Cat Your Scratching Furniture? Cat Scratching Posts Can Help
If you have a cat, or cats, then you more than likely have had some piece of your furniture tainted by your precious furry friend. If you have not than you are very fortunate. Or your cat more than likely doesn't have any claws, but if you're like me and haven't the heart to have your cats claws removed and had to live through the trial and error of getting your cat to scratch anywhere but on your furniture or walls, preferably on a scratching post. There is no way you are ever going to stop your cat from scratching. Why?
Because that is what a cat does. They scratch. It is in their nature. They do it because they have to. It is an urge, just like when you, say, have to yawn. So instead of trying to stop your cat from scratching, you might want to train your cat to scratch in the appropriate places. That sometimes is easier said than done. However it is not impossible. There are several ways you can motivate your cat to stop scratching your furniture, curtains or walls. Oftentimes people mistakenly think a cat scratches to sharpen its claws
But apparently this is not always true. Most times the cat is marking its territory, leaving both a visual mark and an odor or scent, showing those of you in the house that scratching that particular spot is to be left alone. Another reason your cat is scratching is to file down its nails and shed the outer edge. Have you ever looked around and found little pieces of claw laying about where your cat scratches? If not take a good look next time. You will see this outer layer of nail. Cats need exercise just as much as we do, by scratching they are stretching, flexing their entire bodies, and showing off a little bit, letting you know who is boss. This also is showing dominance if you have other cats in the home. Cats love to play. Sometimes they will bolt about the house and stop quickly and start scratching on whatever is available at that given moment. Curtains, sofa, or your finely painted wall. While they rip your couch to shreds they are playing catch me if you can.
Give Your Cat Something To Scratch
Get a scratching post or two, put them in locations your cat likes to scratch. There are many variations. Big or small, get whatever you have room for and can afford. Place a scratching post near the cat’s sleeping place, and rub a little catnip into them, cats love catnip. Cardboard-this has worked favorably for me. Compact pieces of broken down card board in areas your cat likes to sleep and play. I have five or six pieces throughout my home, my cats gradually started using the cardboard, and now they love it. Its free, can't get any cheaper than that. Hanging scratch posts are successful too, cats like to reach up and stretch, and these work considerably well. They easily hang on a doorknob. You can spread them throughout your home.
I was hyper diligent when I began breaking my cats of their scratching habit. Putting sticky tape or tin foil in areas they were not supposed to be scratching. Cats are not fond of sticky tape or tinfoil. Many people use a spray bottle with water, but I did not like that approach. I put little treats on the allowed scratching locations. When they scratched in the correct areas, they got more treats and lots of love and attention.
If I caught them scratching on the disallowed areas, I spoke NO, firmly and put them on the cardboard or scratching post and simulated scratching. Eventually they caught on quite favorably. So in the end that is what worked. They perhaps thought I too was a cat after much simulating, but my cats no longer scratch anything but cardboard and scratching posts. Trimming your cats claws on a regular basis supports healthy claws. There is also in addition to trimming, a product called Soft Claws, little rubber tips that go directly over your cats claws. For more information look for Soft Claws anywhere online. And as a last resort there continues to be declawing. But I am a firm believer cats need to scratch. It is part of their nature. Part of who a cat is.
Declawing is a radically painful medical procedure, many cats that are put through the declawing process end up with lifelong psychological and behavioral problems. Good old fashion training and hard work makes a good, obedient and loving cat, not to mention a happy satisfied owner.
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