As well as sharpening and conditioning claws, scratching helps cats to stretch and tone muscles, relieve stress and mark their territory. Unfortunately, this means they will make a beeline for your furniture as it makes an ideal scratching post. While you can’t stop cats scratching altogether, there are a few ways you can modify their behaviour and help protect your table legs at the same time.
Provide a suitable scratching post
One option for deterring your cat from scratching your furniture is to provide them with a scratching post right next to the furniture they like to scratch. This does need to have certain elements to attract the cat to use it, however. It needs to be tall enough to enable a full stretch and can’t be too small, otherwise your feline friend will target something higher (likely the back of your couch).
It will also need to be weighty enough to provide a sturdy surface while scratching. If it wobbles or feels flimsy when the cat tries to jump up on it, you can be sure it will quickly be ignored. The material it’s made out of is also important. Carpet isn’t a good choice as claws can snag the fibres and may cause an injury. A natural fibre rope, like natural woven sisal, is best as it acts much like a tree trunk providing a durable surface you won’t have to replace after a week.
Catnip spray or catnip leaves sprinkled on the post will also help to entice your cat to use this new scratching option.
Make your furniture unattractive
Sticky Paws is a medical grade adhesive tape and a great way to stop your furniture from being destroyed. Basically, it’s just clear double-sided tape that comes in strips that you place onto your furniture, once on you can’t see it, and it can be removed easily. Normally cats don’t like the sticky feel of the tape and tend to leave well alone. As one reviewer of the product said “We use it on everything the cats want to scratch or places they want to go that they’re not meant to, and it works.”
Spraying the area with a citrusy air freshener, can also be effective as cats dislike the smell of oranges and lemons. In both these scenarios if you can also give them a more attractive option, like a catnip-smelling scratching post, then they’ll quickly turn their attention to this and leave your furniture alone.
Trim Their Claws
If all else fails, you can try trimming their claws, so they don’t do as much damage, either by DIY or taking them to the vet. If you’re going down the DIY route, it’s best to start getting them used to this from kittenhood as older cats can take umbrage to having their claws trimmed. But most cats should be ok unless they’ve had a bad experience. This wikiHow video shows you how to safely trim your cat’s nails. This can be done every two to four weeks and helps to keep claws (and your furniture) in good shape.
