Is your cat destroying your couch, rugs and other furniture around the house? It is natural for a cat to scratch so unfortunately this is a behaviour that your cat will not grow out of, or eventually stop doing one day. Cats’ claws grow continuously so they need to scratch to file them down. It is also a way of marking their territory and stretching their muscles.
Cats tend to scratch and claw after they have woken up from a nap so it is ideal to place scratching posts in these areas of the house. If you don’t want to buy scratching posts, you can make your own by wrapping carpet or sisal around a piece of wood or by using a log. If you don’t mind what your interior decorating looks like, another alternative is to strap a strong piece of bark to a table leg. Whatever you decide to use, make sure that it is stable and won’t topple over onto your cat. Make the scratching post positive and enticing by tying your cats’ favourite toy to it or by rubbing catnip leaves onto it. You can also play with your cat and feed it beside the post for a while.
If your cat refuses to give up its old scratching spot try placing aluminium foil, plastic or double sided tape in that area. For another option, water pistols or spray bottles are quite effective too (no super soakers please!). It is vital that you catch them in the act and squirt them with water while they are scratching in the undesirable area. If possible, try to hide so they don’t associate you with the water pistol otherwise they will continue to do this while you are not around.
Cats CAN be trained. They may not be as eager to please us as dogs are and may seem a lot more stubborn, but it’s up to us to be persistent. Having a good relationship with your cat (one where there is mutual respect) will help. The key to training any animal is to be consistent and patient. Believe me, the time you spend really will pay off!
This article was written by Natasha Rodionov.