Are you tired of Fluffy having a heyday with the side of your living room sofa? Does your cat scratch on your furniture so much that you’ve threatened to have them declawed? If so, then you need to learn all that you can about how to keep your cat from scratching all your belongings.
There are several ways to stop cat scratching, thankfully. Depending on the temperament of your furry feline friend, you might believe one to be more prudent than the others.
See below for an in-depth guide with several cat tips you can use to prevent any problems in the future.
- Go Straight for the Claws
Perhaps you’re not a fan of having cats declawed. Maybe you find that scratching is your cat’s natural way of relieving some stress, so you’re hesitant to scold them for it. Whatever the reasoning, the destruction of your furniture must come to an end!
For that reason, we recommend going straight for the claws. In other words: do something with your cat’s claws that reduces or eliminates the possibility of destroying your couches, pillows, covers, etc.
First, try trimming your cat’s claws. Depending on the cat, you might be able to do this yourself, but others of you might need the help of a professional. You can ask a pet groomer or your cat’s veterinarian to trim their nails for a small fee; believe us… it’s worth every penny!
If that doesn’t solve the issue, then you’ll have to sock ’em (put a sock on their claws). The success rate of this method depends entirely on the cat. Some cats aren’t bothered by them while others will do everything in their power to remove them—and we do mean everything.
Lastly, you might consider investing in nail caps. These are applied adhesively and last for anywhere between a month or two. They cause no harm to your furry friend and negate the damage of cat scratches.
- Move and Spray
For some of you, messing with your cat’s claws might end up in you getting a swift scratch to the face or an ear full of hissing.
If your cat isn’t complying with the claw tricks, then you’ll have to try and protect the furniture itself.
First, try moving the furniture that they continually scratch on to a different area of the house. Every cat has a go-to piece that they like to scratch more than others, but the change in scenery might prevent them from damaging it anymore. That said, cats are ornery, so don’t be surprised if he/she finds it again and continues to go to town on it.
If moving it doesn’t work, then you’ll have to result in spraying the item. Don’t worry, this won’t harm the cat or your furniture in any way.
Cats are off-put by the smell of both citrus and vinegar. Purchase a spray bottle and mix in 3 parts water with 1 part of either lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Spray the area of the furniture that your cat usually scratches. This will likely keep your cat from scratching it at the risk of getting that scent on its paws.
- Tape the Furniture
Desperate times call for desperate measures. If you’ve tried the previous two methods with no success, then it’s time to appeal to one of your cat’s most heightened senses: touch.
Cats are very reliant on touch to determine their behavior. For example, they can show affection by grooming each other, rubbing up against you, or the awkward situation in which the family cat is grooming the family dog—this is way more common than you’d think!
Thankfully, touch can also prevent them from doing things. You can invest in two sided tape and install it on the areas of your furnishings where Fluffy has been scratching.
Cats can’t stand the way that double-sided tape feels. They will quickly lose interest in scratching and take their stress relief tactics elsewhere.
- Give Them a Scratching Post
One of the best ways to stop cat scratching is to give them a designated area/object to do it on. That way, you can control their behavior without causing them to compartmentalize their stress (they have it so tough, you know!).
Invest in a high-quality scratching post for them to take their mittens off. There are all kinds of posts out there, so you’ll enjoy finding one that fits the interior of your home well.
Be warned: some cats have a preference. For example, if they don’t take to one the horizontal scratching post you buy, you might have to try a vertical one instead.
- Location is Everything
You might be surprised to find out that the furniture your cat scratches is less about the object and more about the area it’s located.
For example, if your cat enjoys privacy and hiding behind places from time to time, then placing a scratching post out in the wide-open won’t do much good. They prefer to do their scratching in private.
Make sure that you strategically place the scratching post near the area that they usually scratch, then reward them when they use it instead of the family couch.
Use These Cat Tips to Put an End to the Destruction
Now that you have seen an in-depth guide on five different cat tips for keeping your cat from scratching the furniture, be sure to use this information wisely.
Take the time to browse our website for more articles on kitty cats, as well as many other topics you will enjoy.