Scratch That!
Does your cat scratch on the furniture? It's true that life with cats can include this particular bad habit. Sometimes you can train them to use a scratcher or piece of wood, but sometimes - despite your best efforts - they just really like that couch/rug/chair/mattress...!
They do this behavior for many reasons. Scratching marks territory, is sometimes part of their playtime, maintains their nails and even offers a good post-nap stretch! In the wild, they really do need to keep their claws sharp for hunting, climbing and safety. Indoor domestic cats, however, maybe not so much, but that doesn’t stop this species behavior.
To address this issue, we suggest a couple of things. First, it is possible to train your cat to scratch on something else. It can be done. A simple rule of thumb is if you tell a cat "NO - don't scratch the couch!," you also need to give him/her an alternative place to scratch with some positive reinforcement. A No must also have a Yes attached to it.
Here's a good scenario from Alana to model on. Get your cat a tall scratcher. Take them to it, stand them up in scratch position and move their paws to make scratching motions on the scratcher. Pet them and give them some positive reinforcement right then if they scratch on their own.
Then, every single time you see the cat scratch where they should not, you say a strong loud NO!, take them back to the scratcher and again guide them through the scratching motions. Remember to praise them and give them some love every time you see them do this on their own.
You'll be amazed how fast they'll learn if you are very clear and consistent about No! and Yes!
Corrugated cardboard scratchers are very popular at BCR! If you watch boxes, you know how much the cats LOVE their Scratch & Rest toys. We barely get them out of the shipping boxes before the cats leap on! Heavy duty cardboard scratchers or scratching posts come in a huge array of shapes and styles and can even hang on the wall - Frankie seems to enjoy wall climbing! Some are flat and others are loungers shaped like an X or and 8 or even a couch, which Sterling clearly prefers! Some even come with catnip packets to help get your cat interested in them. Lots of choices!
CLICK HERE to find out the best scratchers for cats of all ages.
**Scratcher Bonus for Game of Thrones fans! Your cat can have his own Iron Throne!
CLICK HERE for more!**
Another option is to select furniture that cats won’t scratch on. Yes, according to several furniture manufacturers, it is possible!
CLICK HERE to learn about choosing furniture cats won’t scratch!
They do this behavior for many reasons. Scratching marks territory, is sometimes part of their playtime, maintains their nails and even offers a good post-nap stretch! In the wild, they really do need to keep their claws sharp for hunting, climbing and safety. Indoor domestic cats, however, maybe not so much, but that doesn’t stop this species behavior.
To address this issue, we suggest a couple of things. First, it is possible to train your cat to scratch on something else. It can be done. A simple rule of thumb is if you tell a cat "NO - don't scratch the couch!," you also need to give him/her an alternative place to scratch with some positive reinforcement. A No must also have a Yes attached to it.Here's a good scenario from Alana to model on. Get your cat a tall scratcher. Take them to it, stand them up in scratch position and move their paws to make scratching motions on the scratcher. Pet them and give them some positive reinforcement right then if they scratch on their own.
Then, every single time you see the cat scratch where they should not, you say a strong loud NO!, take them back to the scratcher and again guide them through the scratching motions. Remember to praise them and give them some love every time you see them do this on their own.
You'll be amazed how fast they'll learn if you are very clear and consistent about No! and Yes!
Corrugated cardboard scratchers are very popular at BCR! If you watch boxes, you know how much the cats LOVE their Scratch & Rest toys. We barely get them out of the shipping boxes before the cats leap on! Heavy duty cardboard scratchers or scratching posts come in a huge array of shapes and styles and can even hang on the wall - Frankie seems to enjoy wall climbing! Some are flat and others are loungers shaped like an X or and 8 or even a couch, which Sterling clearly prefers! Some even come with catnip packets to help get your cat interested in them. Lots of choices!
CLICK HERE to find out the best scratchers for cats of all ages.
**Scratcher Bonus for Game of Thrones fans! Your cat can have his own Iron Throne!
CLICK HERE for more!**
Another option is to select furniture that cats won’t scratch on. Yes, according to several furniture manufacturers, it is possible!
CLICK HERE to learn about choosing furniture cats won’t scratch!
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