Scratching is a normal behavior for cats, but that doesn’t mean that you have to live with scratched up furniture!
Have you had a chance to read our North Bellmore veterinary clinic’s latest blog yet? If so, then you already know why scratching is so important for cats. Cats need to scratch for many reasons, but that doesn’t mean that your cat needs to scratch your furniture. There are many things you can do to encourage good scratching habit, including:
#1. Buy your cat a scratching post.
The first step to discouraging your cat from scratching the furniture is to give him or her something that is acceptable to scratch. Place the scratching post right next to your cat’s favorite piece of furniture to scratch. There are many different scratching options for cats, so get a variety of them so that you can find something your cat really likes. It’s also a good idea to have multiple posts around so that your cat can scratch whenever and wherever he or she needs to.
#2. Deter your cat from scratching the furniture.
Cats are very sensitive to both odors and textures. Place some aluminum foil or double sided tape on your cat’s favorite scratching place to deter them from using it. You can also soak a cotton ball in muscle cream or cologne and place it on the furniture. The smell will deter your cat from scratching.
#3. Encourage your cat when he or she scratches the post.
When your cat scratches the post instead of the furniture, reward him or her with a treat!
Do you still need help preventing your cat from scratching up the furniture? If so, give us a call!