How to Stop Your Cat from Scratching Furniture

It is a healthy habit for cats to scratch things although the effects on the pet owner’s furniture or carpets can be devastating. Fabrics and wood feel great to the cat when scratching but, unfortunately, can’t really stand up to the kitty’s love. This can turn into a serious issue for the pet owner.

The pet owner must first realize that the pet is not misbehaving or intentionally trying to destroy the items being scratched. The cat’s only utilizing the best object for scratching that is available. Instead of trying to make the cat stop scratching, an appropriate scratching post needs to be provided for the cat so the owner can begin training on using it instead of the furniture. Once given an acceptable alternative, the cat can be made to understand that other items are forbidden for scratching.

A good place to start is to really take note of the physical attributes of the item or items the cat prefers to scratch. This will help the pet owner understand the preferences:

• Location – Observe the area of the house where the cat does the most scratching.
• Texture – A very important element of what the cat likes. Determine the whether the cat likes soft, coarse, grainy or smooth surfaces for scratching.
• Orientation – Determine the position most preferred for scratching. Does your cat do most of its scratching laying down or does it like to stand on its hind legs and reach for the object to be scratched?

Taking note of these aspects of what the kitty likes will enable the owner to find an appropriate substitution for the unacceptable recipients of the cat’s attention. It is recommended to find items that are similar to truly entice the cat. Once a good substitute is acquired, it should be placed in the same area as the object the cat is currently using for scratching. The replacement object should be sturdy and securely positioned so that it won’t move or tip over when in use.

The unacceptable objects that were used for scratching should now be made unattractive to the cat. This can be accomplished by covering the area of the object with aluminum foil, double-sided tape, plastic pointy carpet runners or sand paper. Scent plays a part in displacing the cat’s attention as well. Try perfuming the objet with an unpleasant smell like muscle rub or perfume. Take care that the scent is applied specifically to the unacceptable item so that the new acceptable scratching object is not contaminated.

Once the cat has begun scratching the acceptable object and has begun to ignore the unacceptable one, the new object can be gradually moved to a location that is more suitable in the scheme of the room. This has to be done slowly at a rate of approximately one inch per day. In order to remain effective, the new scratching object needs to remain as close to the previously used object as possible.

The coverings and scent treatments used to discourage the cat from using the initial scratching object should be left in place and maintained for at least a month or several weeks. Removal should be done gradually, not at once.