How to Stop a Cat From Scratching Furniture
Cats scratch to mark their territory, sharpen their claws and stretch their muscles. Here's how to help your cat curb the urge (or at least redirect it away from the sofa).
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Scratching Posts
- Cat Foods
- Cat Scratchers
- Cat Toys
- Cat Treats
- Catnip
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1
Provide scratching posts and place them in locations where your cat likes to linger - by a sunny window, for instance.
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2
Experiment with different types of posts to find the best ones for your cat.
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3
Keep in mind that different cats like different surface textures (cardboard, wood or rugs) and post orientations (horizontal or vertical).
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4
Encourage kittens to use posts, and reward them with food and praise.
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5
Consider giving your cat extra attention when he stirs from a nap, and then placing him near the scratching post, since many cats scratch when waking up.
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6
Avoid punishing your cat if she scratches an inappropriate area - punishment teaches the cat to not scratch in your presence, but it won't deter a cat from scratching when you're not around.
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7
Avoid letting your cat scratch an old couch, even if you plan to get rid of it soon - this will only encourage your cat to scratch the new couch.
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8
Consult your veterinarian about alternative treatment options before you give up. Destructive behavior is a leading reason why people surrender their cats to animal shelters.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Aversive-tasting substances will not help, since scratching does not involve the taste buds.
Yelling and loud noises may cause anxiety and encourage destructive behavior.
Scratching is a natural behavior, so blocking the cat's access to one area will simply encourage him to scratch elsewhere.
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Comments
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plethoraofpets
Jan 24, 2009
I have two cats, one that I adopted at two years old and was already declawed. My other cat never started scratching furniture & carpet until she was two years old. She has a scratch post and a cardboard scratch board, but she seems to prefer the carpeting. She's a small cat, but has done enough damage to warrant partial replacement of our carpet. Whenever she starts scratching, we gently pick her up and take her to one of the cat scratch boards. It also helps to rub catnip on the boards/post, but be sure not to drop any catnip on an area that you DON'T want her/him interested in. This has worked well for us and our carpeting has remained intact. -
plethoraofpets
Jan 24, 2009
I have two cats, one that I adopted at two years old and was already declawed. My other cat never started scratching furniture & carpet until she was two years old. She has a scratch post and a cardboard scratch board, but she seems to prefer the carpeting. She's a small cat, but has done enough damage to warrant partial replacement of our carpet. Whenever she starts scratching, we gently pick her up and take her to one of the cat scratch boards. It also helps to rub catnip on the boards/post, but be sure not to drop any catnip on an area that you DON'T want her/him interested in. This has worked well for us and our carpeting has remained intact.
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plethoraofpets
Jan 24, 2009
I have two cats, one that I adopted at two years old and was already declawed. My other cat never started scratching furniture & carpet until she was two years old. She has a scratch post and a cardboard scratch board, but she seems to prefer the carpeting. She's a small cat, but has done enough damage to warrant partial replacement of our carpet. Whenever she starts scratching, we gently pick her up and take her to one of the cat scratch boards. It also helps to rub catnip on the boards/post, but be sure not to drop any catnip on an area that you DON'T want her/him interested in. This has worked well for us and our carpeting has remained intact.
-
plethoraofpets
Jan 24, 2009
I have two cats, one that I adopted at two years old and was already declawed. My other cat never started scratching furniture & carpet until she was two years old. She has a scratch post and a cardboard scratch board, but she seems to prefer the carpeting. She's a small cat, but has done enough damage to warrant partial replacement of our carpet. Whenever she starts scratching, we gently pick her up and take her to one of the cat scratch boards. It also helps to rub catnip on the boards/post, but be sure not to drop any catnip on an area that you DON'T want her/him interested in. This has worked well for us and our carpeting has remained intact.
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daelin914
Sep 01, 2008
My cat used to do that and yelling at him works once in a while. He's been using scratching posts since he was a kitten. When he goes to scratch the furniture, I go and scratch his scratching posts. He gets annoyed that I'm touching his things and goes over and starts scratches the post to reclaim his territory. Keep in mind that this is a male cat, so your mileage may vary with a female cat.
