When cats scratch your sofa or your favourite curtains, do not do it because they want to destroy your house, but rather to satisfy specific inherent needs. Scratching is a gesture of marking the territory that comes naturally for them; it allows the infiltration of the substrate with the animal’s smell, originating from the secretion of special glands located at the level of the feathers. Because this is an innate behaviour, scratching is challenging to control or quiet. Therefore, buying a cat scratching post will offer them the perfect surface to scratch while keeping your furniture safe.

You can stop your cat from scratching the furniture by offering her accessories created for them to do it. Did you know that scratching also removes the superficial sheath of the cat’s claws? The traces of scratches and the remains of the sheaths on the substrate can also show confidence in one’s strength. You can try to teach your cat how to scratch objects specifically designed for this, such as scratching boards or sisal assemblies. Some strategies can come in handy in redirecting your cat’s scratching habit.

Buy a Cat Scratching Post from the Pet Store

It is essential to identify what your cat likes to scratch. To understand what the cat likes to scratch the most, observe it. Does it prefer to scratch carpets, curtains, wood, or other surfaces? Does it scratch vertical surfaces or horizontal ones? As soon as you discover her preferences regarding materials or scratching plans, you will know to buy her scratching materials that are more suitable for her needs. Usually, the cat scratching post is all cat’s favourite; getting one might be your best option.

Provide your cat with objects that she likes. There are objects for scratching with various shapes, sizes, or textures in specialty stores. If your cat likes to scratch carpets, a sisal rug is recommended. But if the cat prefers sofas and other rounded surfaces, an assembly covered with sisal or ropes may be the best option. The scratch object should also satisfy the orientation of the preferred scratch plane. Cats who like to climb and scratch the curtains surely prefer a tall object that can apply a long scratch, like mounted on walls or doors.

If your cat prefers the horizontal plane of scratching, you should opt for a carpet or a plank placed on the floor. Some cat owners use their imagination to create cat scratching posts or play sets. You can wrap some wood cylinders in carpets or textiles and glue them to create the perfect play accessory to climb. That way, your cat will have her scratch accessory whenever it feels like it. More than sure, your pet friend will appreciate doing that for her and will recompensate you with all her love.

Be Careful About How You Position Any Accessory

Any scratching object you purchase or buy must be stable enough not to tip over when used by the cat and have a height equal to the length of the cat standing up on its hind limbs and having its forelimbs raised upwards. Correctly positioning an object for scratching is essential to redirecting the cat’s scratching habit. Place the object near an area that the cat uses. You can change it to a location of your choice as the cat gets used to it.  If the cat uses several places to scratch, place the cat scratching post in each such place.

Show your cat the newly purchased object and reward it with delicacies, petting, and praise every time it uses this object. Some assemblies may have toys attached to them. You can also sprinkle cat food or grass pellets on top of the assembly as an additional incentive. After your cat gets used to using a particular object for scratching, don’t throw it away if it frays or wears out; its appearance demonstrates that it achieves the purpose for which it was created!

Make Your Favorite Things Unattractive for Your Pet

It may sound weird, but it is not, and it usually works. Turn the objects from your house, for example, your furniture that you want to avoid being scratched, into something your cat does not feel so attracted to. The only method that guarantees the cat will stop scratching a particular surface or object is blocking the animal’s access to that place or object. Closing the doors may be the simplest solution. However, if this is something other than what you would like, some traps can be placed to get the job done.

Others recommend making a tower from plastic cups that, when touched, will fall and scare the cat, and they can be placed near objects subject to the risk of scratching to discourage the cat from scratching those surfaces. Covering objects with bedding, plastic wrap, or double-stick tape discourages this habit. Another method is to buy an indoor electric fence that provides mild and harmless electric shocks every time the cat breaches specific barriers. But that is not something recommended since you would not want to hurt your beloved pet. You better spend that money on a cat-scratching post.

Scratching Is a Natural Behaviour

Since the habit of scratching is a component of territorial marking with pheromones, it is possible that cats try to scratch surfaces that are already infiltrated with their scent several times. To break this cycle, try using a solution to deodorize the areas previously scratched by the animal. In addition to limiting access to particular objects in the house and changing their appearance and smell, you can minimize the damage caused by scratching by regularly cutting the cat’s nails. Some special plastic boots or sleeves can cover the cat’s claws.

That is something that is recommended only for those cats that touch the pads. Even if the cat has those mittens, it can perform the scratching motion, but since the claws remain hidden, it cannot cause any damage. The sleeves must be replaced every 6-12 weeks. These cat accessories can be found at any local store or online, from where you can buy the cat scratching post. Your cat has all sorts of needs, just like humans do; therefore, before deciding to get a cat, try to learn what the needs of such a pet are.