Cats have taken the world over. All you need to do is peruse your Instagram feed to see an endless string of photos and videos of cats doing everything from looking cute to singing heavy metal music. But while the Internet might have you thinking that cats are all-loving creatures that come to Earth from some other peaceful Eden of a planet, those who have them as pets know all too well that some cats have a dark side to them.
From walking around the house like everything is owed to them to only wanting love from you when they want it, cats can be notoriously stubborn. And then there’s those claws. It’s a rare cat household that doesn’t have a variety of surfaces (especially the furniture) covered in scratches and claw marks.
If your cat has you thinking about changing her name to “Shredder,” then you might be nearing your breaking point. You may even be considering giving her away or having her declawed. Luckily, this post is coming to you at the right time, because by following these simple tips, you can learn how to stop your cat from scratching and clawing your furniture.
First Things First – Do Not Declaw Your Cat!
Declawing was popularized in the 1990s but it’s a good thing that the trend eventually ended because the procedure is especially painful for the cat. This cruel procedure involved amputating a cat’s knuckles from the ends of her paws and it often resulted in cats having to endure long-lasting pain.
Declawing removes one of a cat’s most important tools – her claws. Cats have relied on their claws for centuries for everything from capturing prey to climbing trees. Should you take away your cat’s ability to do these things, then she won’t be able to care for herself in the event she ever gets out of the house.
As a result, the first thing you need to do is recognize the fact that scratching is normal cat behavior. Cats scratch for a variety of reasons, including keeping their nails healthy and sharp. Scratching also helps cats claim their territory because every time they scratch something, pheromones are deposited on the surface from their paws. Cats will also use their claws to help them get a nice, good stretch in. Allowing your cat to scratch is essentially you allowing your cat to be a cat.
How To Get a Cat To Stop Clawing Furniture
Of course, as much as you want your cat to have the freedom to just be herself, you would also like to keep her from destroying the furniture you spent so much money on. So, the best thing to do is to provide your cat with other, more attractive surfaces for her to scratch, namely a scratching post.
But cats being cats, finding the right scratching post can be a case of trial and error because cats are especially picky. Whereas some cats may prefer carpet-covered scratching posts, others may prefer the feel of sisal or cardboard on their claws. Some may prefer vertical posts while others may like horizontal scratching surfaces. Be prepared that you may have to try a few different types of scratching posts before you find the one that grabs your cat’s attention.
Just as important as the type and texture of the scratching post is where you decide to put it. Cats not only choose to claw your furniture because it provides them with a stable scratching surface, but they also choose it because you spend a lot of time on it. Odds are you give your cat a lot of attention while you’re sitting on your couch, so it’s natural for your cat to want to mark your couch as its territory.
With this being the case, then the best place to put your cat’s scratching post is near the furniture she likes to claw. The goal is to hope she will prefer the surface of the post over that of your furniture. To increase your chances of success, you can use catnip to help lure her to the scratching post and encourage her to use it.
Don’t Punish Bad Behavior, Reward Good Behavior
Have you ever met a cat that learned from being punished? That’s because they don’t. Punishing your cat for scratching your furniture will accomplish nothing outside of making your cat more anxious. Instead, reward her for her good behavior and you’ll see better results.
When she chooses to scratch her post over your couch, wait for her to finish and then immediately reward her with a treat. This will make it more likely that she’ll choose the scratching post over the couch in the future.
If your cat likes her scratching post but continues clawing the furniture, then you can consider covering parts of the furniture that she prefers to scratch using blankets or a product like Sticky Paws. Covering the surface with a texture that’s opposite what she likes may help deter her because she may not like the feeling of it on her paws. You can also consider using a product like Soft Paws, which are rubber claw-shaped caps that get glued over your cat’s natural claws.
Or, if you have a cat that just can’t be denied, then you may be best served just to let her win. If your cat loves one particular chair, then you may want to let her have it to protect the rest of your furniture. She is the ruler of the house, after all.