Understanding Cat Scratching: A Comprehensive Guide
Scratching is an essential behavior for cats that serves multiple purposes, including maintaining healthy claws, marking territory, and stretching muscles. Even declawed cats exhibit this instinctual behavior, demonstrating its significance in a cat’s life.
While it’s comforting to know that scratching is normal, it doesn’t alleviate the frustration when your feline friend chooses your couch as their personal scratching post. Fortunately, there are effective strategies to keep your cat content while protecting your furniture.
6 Effective Tips to Prevent Cat Scratching
Here are six safe and straightforward tips to protect your home from scratching damage while ensuring your cat remains happy:
1. Regular Claw Trimming
Trimming your cat’s claws consistently can significantly reduce damage to household items. This simple task helps blunt the sharpness of the claws, minimizing their destructive potential.
2. Utilize Nail Caps
Nail caps are temporary synthetic coverings that can be placed over your cat’s nails. These caps are designed to prevent furniture damage and typically stay in place for 4 to 6 weeks.
3. Apply Sticky Tape and Repellent Sprays
Using double-sided sticky tape or commercial repellent sprays on furniture can deter unwanted scratching. Aluminum foil can also serve as a temporary deterrent in emergencies.
4. Provide Scratching Posts
To redirect your cat’s scratching behavior, offer a designated scratching post. Ideally, each cat should have their own post, positioned in areas where they frequently nap to encourage use after waking.
5. Training Your Cat
Encouraging your cat to use the scratching post involves a bit of training. Place your cat next to the post and demonstrate its use, especially for kittens around eight weeks old. For more in-depth training techniques, consider exploring the Animal Behavior College Cat Trainer program.
6. Consider FELISCRATCH® by FELIWAY™
FELISCRATCH® is a clinically-proven product designed to attract your cat to scratch in appropriate areas. This drug-free solution mimics the natural pheromones cats use to mark their territory and has shown impressive results.
After contacting FELIWAY for more information, we discovered their newly launched website, Save The Couches, advocating for responsible scratching behaviors.
Understanding the Campaign
The Save The Couches campaign sheds light on the impact of cat scratching on furniture. It humorously addresses how couches can often fall victim to scratching due to a cat’s natural instincts.
How FELISCRATCH® Works
FELISCRATCH® provides a unique solution by accurately mimicking the visual and chemical signals cats use to mark their territory. Applying this product to a scratching post encourages your cat to scratch there instead.
For best results, apply one pipette to the post daily for the first week, followed by applications in weeks three and four.
The Results Speak for Themselves
Research indicates that 80% of cats began using a scratching post within the first week of using FELISCRATCH®, and over 90% never engaged in destructive scratching behaviors again.
Conclusion: A Truce Between Cats and Couches
By implementing these strategies, cat owners can foster harmony between their beloved pets and treasured furniture. With products like FELISCRATCH® and a commitment to appropriate scratching alternatives, both cats and couches can coexist without conflict.
