One of the top cat behaviour problems that people face is destructive scratching. Scratching is often a territorial behaviour, and when kitty rubs his paws on the couch or the rug, he is actually putting his scent on the object. Unfortunately, this territorial behaviour often causes destructive scratching all over the home, which leads many owners to become frustrated with their cat. Luckily, this behaviour can be easily deterred if you know the right precautions to take with your cat. Therefore, we have come up with our top 3 tips to stop this cat behaviour problem.
Put Tape on the Furniture.
Placing double-sided tape or any thick tape onto the main target area, such as the arm of a couch, can cause kitty to stop scratching altogether. Cats do not like sticky things to touch their paws so a cat that tries to scratch something that has tape over top will quickly stop scratching because of the sticky texture of the tape.
Use a Cat Scratcher.
Placing a cat scratcher or a cat tree in front of a scratching target such as a couch can be a simple solution to deter this cat behaviour problem. These types of custom cat furniture are made out of all types of material such as rope, carpet, and cardboard. Simply find out what type of material your kitty prefers to scratch, and purchase a scratcher that is made out of this material.
If your cat likes to claw at several pieces of furniture in the house you may have to purchase several lower cost scratching poles and place them in these locations. Cardboard cat scratchers are a great low cost option and they are small enough to place all over the house.
Keep Your Cat's Claws Trimmed.
One of the simplest deterrents for destructive scratching is grooming your kitty's nails. If his nails are too short to tear up the furniture he shouldn't be able to do any damage. The easiest way to cut a cat's claws is to use special pet claw clippers. These special clippers are shaped like scissors and are available at most pet supply stores.
When clipping your cat's nails you will want to avoid the pink area of the nail, as this is a nerve ending so cutting it can cause pain, bleeding, or infection. If you are unsure how to clip an animal's nails there are many videos available online that can show you exactly how to clip a cat's nails.
Remember, all cats are different so you may not have success with every option suggested in this article. Be sure to test out each solution to see what works for your feline, and you will soon be able to deter this behaviour once and for all.