If your cat likes to claw and scratch through various objects in your home, it can be very frustrating. Some pet owners even consider declawing their feline friend but the truth is, declawing is never the solution to your cat’s scratching problem.
Declawing can be a terrible experience for the cat. It can cause a great deal of pain and also lead to other problems in the future, including behavioral disorders. Before you come up with the perfect solution to stop your cat from scratching your furniture and other surfaces, you first need to understand why cats scratch.
Why cats scratch surfaces
1. Claws are a part of them
Claws and scratching are inextricably linked to a cat’s personality. The claws are a part of them and in the wild, their claws help them to survive.
A cat needs its claws to be able to obtain food in the wild. Pawing and scratching help the cat obtain food. Also, cats in the wild use their claws to grip tight to tree branches as they leap from one branch to another, it also helps them descend from the tree without falling.
So although your cat is home and isn’t in the wild, the claws are still part of it and it will need to use these claws naturally, whether it wants to or not.
2. To sharpen their claws
Since cats need their claws for survival, it is only natural that they keep them sharp. But unfortunately for you, that means scratching your beautiful furniture and other prized possessions.
3. To mark their territory
Yes, dogs aren’t the only ones that like to mark their territory. Cats like to mark their territory too. And whiles they do this with their litter boxes and spraying, they can also do it by scratching.
This includes scratching the surfaces of furniture and other important things in the home, thereby soaking it with their scent.
How to stop cats from scratching
Cover the surfaces
One way to stop your cat from scratching is to cover the surfaces of your furniture with aluminium foil, cats hate the noise it makes and they will stop scratching it or even stepping on it.
Whiles aluminium foil can get the job done, it might not be the most aesthetically pleasing choice, so instead, you can use anti-scratch stickers which you can get from pet supplies online.
Use the yes and no technique
Your cat is going to need to scratch at something. So the best solution is to find them something they can scratch. That way, when you say no to scratching the furniture, you present them with something they can scratch. You can find such items from stores like Aoin.
Use vinyl nails
Vinyl nails are soft and when worn on their nails, cats can not scratch surfaces. But you need to understand that scratching is a part of your cat’s life and taking that away from it can make your little feline friend sad. So instead, try any of the solutions above and let the vinyl nails be your last resort when all others have failed.
Store them away
Although you have to understand that your cat needs to scratch, it doesn’t mean you should compromise with your precious furniture and other items.
If these are prized possessions that you would rather not have destroyed or scratched, simply put them away in your home storage and only go for them when you need to use them.
