One of the most frustrating parts of having a cat as a pet is dealing with all the damage they cause.
Cats love to scratch furniture and other household items, so if you don’t want your sofa, table, or any other piece of furniture to be ruined by their claws, you need to learn how to keep cats from scratching furniture.
Get them an appropriate scratching object instead. Here are some tips on how to do that effectively.
Understand Why Your Cat Scratches
There are a lot of reasons why your cat might be scratching furniture. It could be as simple as they’re bored or trying to make their space feel more like home. Cats tend to scratch when they’re feeling insecure or overwhelmed.
If this is the case, invest in some kitty toys and provide them with more things to help them feel safe and secure in their environment.
A common misconception about cats is that they need to claw furniture because it’s how they trim their nails.
While this may be true for some cats, many prefer vertical surfaces such as walls and curtains instead of horizontal surfaces such as tables and couches because it feels better on their claws.
Here’s how to keep cats from scratching furniture. One way to protect your favorite piece of furniture is by purchasing a piece of sisal fabric, usually found at craft stores.
Trim Your Cat’s Nails Regularly
Here’s how to keep cats from scratching furniture. The best way to keep your cat from scratching furniture is by trimming its nails regularly.
You can trim his nails so they are not as sharp and do not scratch the furniture. You should trim them at least every month or more often if they grow faster than usual.
Trim only the white part of the nail because cutting into a blood vessel can cause pain and bleeding.
If you do not want to cut their nails yourself, there are many places where you can take them to a professional groomer who can give you peace of mind while still giving your kitty all the love he needs.
One option is taking your furry friend to a pet salon near you. These salons have staff members who are experienced with cats and can help with everything from bathing, clipping nails, and brushing coats.
Provide an Alternative Scratching Surface
Provide your cat with an appropriate scratching surface, such as a post or cardboard scratcher.
Posts and boards for scratching come in different sizes and purposes. Some are flat on the floor, while some are raised.
Choose from a variety of hemp-based products. The best thing you can do is have too many around rather than not enough.
You can improve a cat’s chance of using a vertical or horizontal scratching post if you orient the post horizontally or vertically to the animal’s preferences. These scratching posts are available in cardboard, sisal, and carpet.
Whatever you purchase, don’t purchase something that feels too fluffy or is too fluffy.
Scratching posts should feel rough and tough, like tree bark, to make a cat as comfortable as possible.
The rougher the rope is, the less enticing the heirloom needlework pieces seem. Here’s what you need to know about keeping cats from scratching furniture.
You should scratch strong, stable, tall posts that encourage your cats to scratch. If your scratching posts do not have a cat-friendly surface, they may ignore them.
Place the posts if your cat loves to play or rest near the windows or in the family room.
After waking up, cats like to stretch and scratch, so keep one near their usual sleeping area and the furniture they like to scratch.
For your cat to use them to mark its territorial boundaries, you must place the posts in conspicuous places.
Make sure all the areas where the cat marks and scratches are good scratching opportunities.
You should have multiple scratching posts in your house, especially if your house is large or you have more than one cat.
You will reduce the likelihood of your cat scratching other rooms’ furniture. If you sprinkle catnip or honeysuckle on the posts, the cat will likely scratch them.
A wand toy can also be placed on a post and played near it so the cat discovers and scratches it.
To discourage your cat from scratching inappropriately, make a loud noise to distract them, then redirect them to a scratching post.
Provide positive reinforcement when they scratch the scratching post, such as catnip or treats.
Every time your cat uses the scratching post, offer praise and give it a pat and a treat.
Some suggest that you encourage your cat by gently placing his front paws onto the post and moving the paws up and down on it, but warn that many cats hate being forced to do anything, which can have a negative effect.
You can also discourage your cat from scratching by spraying him with a water bottle when he starts scratching furniture.
Try this several times before moving on to another technique.
Use Cat Scratch Spray, Tape, or Socks
You may have tried many tactics to keep your cat from scratching furniture, but cat scratch spray is the most effective way. Cats hate the taste of this spray, and it will stop them in their tracks.
The smell deters your cat before it can get a chance to do any damage. You can find this spray at any pet store or online.
If you don’t want to use the spray, try putting socks on your furniture and leave them there for a few days.
Your cat will associate the smell of their feet with scratching furniture, and they will soon stop this behavior.
You can also try using double-sided tape on the places where your cat usually scratches. Some people find that placing double-sided tape on items that are being scratched is helpful.
Cats don’t like sticking their claws into sticky surfaces, so they’ll stop using these items as scratching posts.
Put some of the double-sided tapes where your cat likes to scratch furniture, and watch it work!
They say once you put up double-sided tape, your cat will never return to the old ways again.
It’s time to say goodbye to ruined furniture and hello to peaceful home life! “Soft Paws” on your cat’s nails will reduce your cat’s destructiveness by blocking its ability to damage surfaces.
You can install these with nail glue or take your pet to a vet. These caps will come loose for three to six weeks and must be reapplied.
Be Patient
It may take some time for your cat to get used to having a scratching post. Here’s how to keep cats from scratching furniture.
One way is to place the scratching post near an area where your cat likes to scratch.
You can also try wrapping the post with sisal rope and putting a small amount of sisal on the floor in front of it, making it more appealing for your cat.
If your cat can already go in and out of the house and scratch around, you should introduce them to some trees outside (unless it is harming the tree) that they can use for a scratching post.
This will help them enjoy a healthier relationship with you and lessen their desire to use your furniture as a post.
You’ll need patience, but eventually, you should see less furniture damage. You should contact your vet for help if none of these solutions work.
Your vet can recommend something that works better than what you’re trying now. However, some cats may need more than just medication to solve the problem.
For instance, some cats have an underlying medical condition that causes them to scratch furniture excessively.
If your cat has a skin condition such as mange or fleas, the itching caused by these diseases likely makes your cat want to scratch furniture even more.
An appointment with the vet is necessary in these cases because treatment must address both conditions simultaneously.
They may recommend prescription medications to treat the underlying cause of your cat’s destructive behavior.
These medications include anti-anxiety drugs like Valium or antidepressants like Prozac. In some cases, if necessary, your vet may recommend surgery to repair torn claws, declawing (usually considered controversial), and tendonectomy, which removes ligaments in front paws so it will no longer be possible for cats to scratch furniture.
