Why Cats Scratch

Are your chairs, window screens, and rugs all turning to confetti beneath your cat’s lethal claws? If so, you may be wondering how you can stop this behavior. Of course, it may be easier to stop your cat from destroying your home if you understand why he scratches first.

Before cats were domesticated, they were deadly hunters. They relied on their razor sharp claws to help them climb trees so that they could leap down on their prey.

Today, cats may get dinner from a bowl, but they still sharpen their claws. Scratching is their way of trimming their nails, since it removes the old outer part of the claws. Another reasons cat scratch is to let other cats know that the house and yard belong to them.

When cats scratch, they release scent from special glands in their paws that help them mark that spot as theirs. Finally, cats scratch to get the kinks out of their bodies and to burn off some of their energy.

If you are getting fed up with your cat’s scratching, you may be planning to declaw him. However, before you have this surgery performed, you may want to try some alternatives.

One simple way to prevent cats from scratching is to provide them with scratching pads or posts. You can shop for a wide variety of scratching posts, including posts that are part of an elaborate condo. However, you can also make your own simple scratching post, using a two foot high section of a four by four, a two foot by two foot piece of heavy plywood, and a carpet remnant.

Once you have a scratching post or pad, be sure you place it right next to his favorite piece of furniture. After he is in the habit of scratching the post, you can try moving it a bit further from the furniture, but you should do so gradually.

If having his own personal scratching post doesn’t deter your cat from ruining the furnishings, try using a pet repellant spray, such as Bitter Apple, on the furniture. (You may want to test the spray on an obscure part of the upholstery first to be sure it doesn’t discolor the fabric.)

If you don’t want to risk spraying your furniture, try covering the material with aluminum foil or tape that is placed sticky side up. Your cat will not care for the feel of these materials and should willingly turn to his scratching post instead.

For cats that still insist on scratching, declawing may be the only option. As long as your cat does not leave the house, this should be safe. However, declawing is painful and there is some risk to the procedure, since your cat will be under anesthesia during the surgery.

Some people recommend using nail caps instead, but these caps do have a tendency to fall off and will need to be replaced occasionally. The caps are applied in a similar manner to the way manicurists attach false nails. The nails are shortened and then the caps are applied with a non toxic adhesive.

Related posts:

1. Prevent Cat from Scratching the Furniture
2. Cats grooming themselves
3. Meat and Fish Best For Cats
4. How often should bird nails be trimmed?
5. Flea control

Cat Secrets Revealed - Successful cat trainer reveals 11 powerful strategies that will show any Fed Up cat owner how to stop bad cat behavior in its tracks.   Ragdoll Cat Secrets - Ragdoll specific care and training. Because your Ragdoll cats quality of life is important to you.   18 Ways To Stop Cat Urine Odor - Get rid of your cat urine odor problem once and for all.   Cat Tree Construction Plans - Professional cat tree plans written by the manufactuer. Complete, detailed construction plans designed to save cat owners money and time.   PeeAway! Pet Urine Neutralizer, Cat & Dog Urination Deterrent - The first of its kind formula recipe used to prevent pets from urinating where they are not welcome and to help eliminate smelly pet urine odors.   Ultimate Cat Secrets - How to have a perfectly well behaved, healthy, happy and affectionate cat.   Solutions To Cat Behavior Problems - Using this manual you can stop your cat from using your house as a toilet and turn your aggressive cat into a pussy cat.   Train Your Cat To Use The Human Toilet - Discover how to quickly and easily train your cat to use the Human toilet.   Solutions To Your Cat Behavior Problems By 2 Cat Vets - Solve all your cat behavior problems, developed by 2 vets with over 28 years experience. A cat behavior guide you can trust covering a wide range of feline behavioral issues with practical solutions based on experience.   How To Make Your Cat Adore You - How to make your cat adore you?   Ultimate Siamese Cat Secrets - The ultimate Siamese cat ebook, everything you need to know about keeping healthy, happy Siamese in optimal condition. Includes Siamese money making, Siamese training and Siamese cat showing bonus books. Awesome level of content written by a biologist.

How To Make Your Own Cat Urine & Odor Remover - Discover an inexpensive yet highly effective homemade cat urine and odor remover recipe. Easy to make and cost less than a cup of coffee. This recipe also contains a secret all natural ingredient that makes it even more effective.   Kingdom Of Pets : Complete Cat Training - Cat obedience training secrets to stop your cat behavior problems.   No More Bad Cats - How to turn your bad cat into a well-trained pussycat in less than 2 weeks without punishment, pleading, or struggle.   I Am Siamese Cats & Kittens - Raising happy, healthy, beautiful Siamese cats.   Cat Training Secrets - Who else wants to have a more rewarding relationship, with their perfectly well trained cat, and be the envy of all their friends?   Cat Health Secrets - An 87 year old Southern Belle on her death bed reveals the truth about how to have happy, healthy, long-living cats without spending a penny on vets, medicines or special foods. Her cats routinely lived over 30 years.   Winning Show Cat Secrets - A complete step by step manual for anyone who wants to show their cat. Loaded with tricks from the Pros. Teaches you step by step on how to properly show groom, show bath, show train and much more. Loaded with secrets to showing winning cats at CFA.   How To Take Care Of Your Pregnant Cat - Discover the secrets that veterinarians and cat breeders use, to keep your pregnant cat safe and healthy and raise happy, healthy kittens.   Stop Cat Peeing - Thinking outside the box is geared towards people desperate to stop their cats peeing outside the litter box.   Easy Cat Training Home Study Course - Discover the ingenious training methods and highly-specialized behavior-reforming tactics I trust to train even the most stubborn and unruly Jungle Cats into impeccably well-behaved and insatiably loveable furballs.   Complete Ragdoll Cat Keepers Handbook - Discover the trade secrets of professional Ragdoll cat breeders to care for, breed and show Ragdoll cats in this comprehensive manual.

Tagged as: Cat, scratch