Stop Your Cat From Destroying Furniture

Your cat may be a prized pet in your home, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to do anything to upset you. Unfortunately, some cats tend to claw up the furniture and with their sharp claws, they can really do some damage. If you’re wondering how to stop Fluffy from destroying your new sofa or from tearing up your throw pillows and using the table legs as a scratching post, read on.

First of all, you need to realize that scratching is a natural behavior. It’s something that cats do instinctually, so you can’t expect them to simply stop because it isn’t convenient for you. Scratching furniture serves as exercise and is going to be more prevalent in indoor cats. It is also a way for them to mark their territory. The scent glands in your cat’s paws leave a specific odor on the furniture when he scratches, making it simple for other cats to recognize that the area is already taken. Obviously this is not desirable behavior, natural or not, but you probably aren’t going to get that through to your cat.

Many people declaw, but this has several downsides to it, and you should research this option thoroughly. It cannot be reversed, and declawing is a big decision that will affect your cat for the rest of his life. Many people feel it is inhuman as declawing removes the entire first digit of the cat’s claw. As a pedigreed cat breeder, you’ll also know that most registries don’t allow declawed cats in shows. Besides, you will probably have better luck helping your cat turn his attention to something more suitable for his claws.

Start Early

Kittens are far easier to train than adult cats. You can nip the scratching furniture habit in the bud with a kitten. Get a scratching post right from the start and your kitten can learn to use it, just as he learns to use the litter box. It probably won’t occur to him to even think about tearing up the couch if he’s always used the post.

Scratching Posts

Choosing an appropriate scratching post for your cat to focus his attention on might be harder than it sounds. Outdoors, cats prefer rough surfaces, like wood, since this will hold their scent better and give them a good workout. That being said, an indoor cat has fewer options. Take a look at what your feline pal is clawing up. If he’s going after table legs and wooden items, you should look for a wood or sisal rope scratching post.

Cats that prefer softer items, like scratching the sofa, might prefer a carpet covered post. There are a number of options in cat scratching posts, and you’ll find that not all of them are suitable for every feline.

Once you have a cat scratch post, place it in a public place. It’s a good idea to use a post where the cat normally scratches. Make it a pleasurable thing. Don’t force your cat to use the post, but encourage it by rubbing the post with catnip and playing with your pet near it. It’s not so hard to train your cat at all! Especially if one cat already uses the cat post regularly. The others will learn by example automatically.

Avoiding Furniture

To keep your pet away from your furniture, consider using a citrus spray on the furniture. Cats generally don’t like the smell of citrus and this, combined with a scratching post alternative, can be enough to keep them away from your sofa or table.

A spritz of water in the face (or on the butt if you feel more comfortable doing that) is a good way to deter your cat from scratching the furniture or carpet, as well. Keep in mind that these methods work best if your cat has an alternative, such as a scratching post or a piece of carpet turned over and taped to the floor.

Your cat needs to scratch; it’s instinct. That doesn’t mean, however, that you should let your furniture be torn to pieces. Give the cat an alternative, and you’ll enjoy pristine furniture.