If your cat scratches furniture, curtains or anything you DON’T want your otherwise sweet fantastic kitty cat to ruin, it’s helpful to understand why they do it. They’re not deliberately trying to piss us off, they have a reason. Read why my cat scratches furniture to help you understand your cat’s behavior.

solutions for cats scratching furniture

Get scratchings posts and pads. Lots of them. The goal is to offer your cat as many options as possible. Get different styles, textures, and sizes.

Pet store scratching pads & posts

In nature, cats use trees to stretch and scratch, which is why it’s one of several materials used on scratching posts. Similar surfaces that have scratching appeal are sisal, hemp and carpeting.

Your cat might prefer one material over another, and letting them sample scratching posts with different textures is how to find out what your cat likes. Maybe all of them.

• Take advantage of offering different scratching textures to your cat.
• Place post or pad close to where your cat scratches as an alternative.
• Your cat needs to know the scratching pads and posts are theirs.

If your cat is reluctant to use your newly purchased post/pad, sprinkle catnip on it. Watch what happens. Catnip often works to entice your cat to using the pad/post. (Although not all cats respond to catnip.)

Another technique is this: if you see your cat scratching your sofa, for example, gently pick them up and carry them to a scratching pad/post. Never yell at your cat, you’ll only upset and confuse them. They are, after all, doing what’s natural to them. This shouldn’t need to be said —NEVER hit your cat, unless you want them terrified and possibly never trust you again. Instead, after you bring your cat to their scratching pad/post, place them or their paws on it and with a soothing tone, pet them and tell them yes my most loved kitty, here it is okay to scratch. Maybe this sounds silly, and although cats can’t be trained in the manner dogs can, my kitty care believes cats can be guided. Suddenly, your cat is happily scratching away on their pad/post. Take this opportunity to reinforce and reward your cat with their favorite treat. Cats understand that good behavior gets them good stuff.

Scratching post & hemp door hanger awaits Marnie

Remember, your cat isn’t deliberately disobeying you or trying to be bad, they’re just drawn to places which appeal to them because of their instinctive need to scratch, groom and stretch. It’s our job to provide them with alternatives that work for them and protect our furniture. You don’t have to get rid of your cat to eliminate the scratching problem, you just need to understand why your cat scratches, and make the effort to provide solutions that work for you and your cat.

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my kitty care does not endorse any product discussed on The Scratching Post, nor does my kitty care receive payments, or any form of compensation from any company or product on my kitty care.