There are uncountable benefits to sharing our lives and houses with pets. However, as any cat-owner can confirm, there are sometimes a couple of negatives. Just by following their normal, instinctual behavior, cats can sometimes create messes in our homes. Unfortunately, this will lead to hard feelings between us and our feline friends. One common area of contention is that the scratching of furniture, carpeting, or other household objects.

 

Why do cats scratch?

 

Your cat has to keep their claws in good condition, so if they need limited access to the outside, they're going to need to scratch in your home.

If your cat is scratching in many places in your home, including conflict areas like windows and doors, it's likely that your cat is scratching for communication reasons and feels insecure in these areas. even as with spraying, the foremost common explanation for scratching indoors is that the presence of another cat.

The reasons for cats scratching can change over time.

Some cats learn that scratching certain objects (eg your sofa) means they get more attention. this is often why it is important to praise your cat once they scratch a post and ignore them once they scratch inappropriate objects.




How to stop cats from scratching furniture

The results get interesting when comparing the posts provided in homes where cats didn't scratch inappropriately compared to the homes where they did. Those people that provided a rope scratching post were the least likely to have a problem with scratching. As well, cat trees with one or more levels were related to low levels of problem scratching. Since cats like high spaces, this is often also a good way to provide enrichment for your cat.


Cats should have more than one scratching post, to offer them a choice. If you've got multiple cats, they each got to have access to scratching posts, as having multiple and separated resources is one of the five pillars of a healthy environment for cats.


With a little creativity and patience, you'll keep both you and your cat happy, and keep your furniture and carpet intact. 

Choose a cat scratching post for your cat now!