Six Suggestions to Prevent Cats From Scratching Furniture

Scratching is a fundamental feline activity. There is no way to live with cats and not deal with scratching in some form. The trick is to prevent cats from scratching furniture and redirect their attentions to where it's ok to scratch.

1. The first thing to stop cats scratching furniture is providing at least one scratching post, several would be better. Cats like stretch and scratch after sleeping or after meals. It makes sense for a scratching post to be near the cat's food bowls. Cat trees provide for a number of feline activities at the same time. Cats can scratch and climb them rest on them and even use them as observation posts.

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2. It can also help to reduce the cat's need to scratch by keeping the claw tips trimmed. After all one of the reasons cats need to scratch is to get rid of excessively long claw tips.

3. Keeping them entertained is another way to prevent cats from scratching furniture. Boredom and lack of exercise can lead to frustration and silly ideas which is often taken out on the furniture. Actively playing with the cat promotes the bonding process, and the cat gets rid of excess energy. Creating a comfortable spot near a window can provide mental stimulation for when the human is absent.

4. Yet another trick to prevent cats from scratching furniture is to change the texture of the item. Usually cats decide what to scratch based on how it feels under the paws. Taking that away can be very effective. Double-sided tape as well as silver or plastic foils can be used for the purpose. But this method is only recommended with cats the don't chew or even eat non-edible things. Where this is a problem citrus or eucalyptus oils can be applied to the endangered objects. Such oils are non-toxic, but they will keep most cats at a distance. (Tea tree oil must be avoided!)

5. When they're caught in the act, one can stop cats scratching furniture with a direct squirt of water or a shout. But cats are smart. This will not deter them in the human's absence.

6. A new invention, soft vinyl claw caps, can help cat owners in their effort to prevent cats from scratching furniture. Many happy customers testify to the effectiveness of this method. Though it should be considered that a cat's personality can play a role in the success.

Declawing:

Some readers may wonder why declawing surgery isn't listed as a recommended method to prevent cats from scratching furniture. Here is why:

Declawing surgery can't be compared to a manicure because a cat's claws are more than nails are to a human. The surgery itself is major, with a long and painful recovery period, as claws are direct extensions of the bone. Declawing in fact amputates the last joint of a cat's toe.

While recovering form the surgery a cat would have no alternative to the continued use of its injured paws. There would be great danger of blood poisoning from digging in the litter box, not to mention excruciating pain. Cats are very sensitive to pain, just as all their senses are very keen, even though they disguise it as much as possible.

Claws are an important part of a cat's anatomy. Amputation severely changes the paws' conformation. Both that and being without the primary defense mechanism, its claws, would cause a cat to be at a major disadvantage when facing rivals or predators.

It has been reported that a cat's personality changes after being declawed due to the surgically imposed limitations. Sadly not all professionals recognize this further side effect.

This brief overview should adequately illustrate why it is an inhumane choice. Notably, it's also illegal in many countries, and where it isn't many vets refuse to perform it.

A genuine cat lover would not resort to mutilation for the sake of their furniture. Admittedly, valuable antiques should be protected. Or people may just be a lot more house-proud than the author of this article.

Keeping valuable items in cat free rooms and using one or several of the above suggestions will bring the desired result.

If all these solutions are not enough to reassure some people that they can prevent cats from scratching furniture, there are still ways to interact with cats and do them good. Most people have at least some friends with cats. It's very enjoyable to make friends with one's friends' cats. Sponsoring cats with reputable charities is another great way to help felines in need and keep one's furniture safe.

Six Suggestions to Prevent Cats From Scratching Furniture

This article was written by Amy L Watson. She is a lifelong cat lover that currently lives with her husband and three cats. They also maintain the informative website http://www.solvecatproblems.com/prevent-cats-from-scratching-furniture/

Please visit Solve Cat Problems for more information on cat care and training.

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Cat Furniture Trees - Make Your Own!

If you are trying to figure out a way to get your cat to stop scratching your furniture making cat furniture trees is something you will definitely be interested in. When I first brought my cat home he was very well behaved, but after he got used to everything he started scratching my couch to the point where threads were starting to come loose. I knew I had to do something about this problem so I started looking for a solution.

I asked a few friends who also had cats what I should do about the cat scratching problem I had, and they all suggested buying him a cat tree. I started looking at all of the options for buying a cat tree at my local pet store and found that they were very expensive and I did not have the money to buy one. That is when I started trying to find an alternative solution.

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When I was looking at the cat trees that were available I remember thinking to myself that it might be easier to just make one. I got home and tried to find a few things that I might be able to construct one from, and tried to put all of the stuff together myself. What I came out with looked like a junk yard pile of leftover scraps that could be used to make a cat tree, but it was not functional enough for my cat to use.

Well, I still had the problem with my cat scratching my furniture, did not have the money for a cat tree, and found it a little bit harder to build one from scratch than I had originally thought it would be. I was almost there on building one myself, but needed to have a guide to go by that would help me to know what to put where and give me some advice. That is when I got the idea to search online for some cat tree plans that I could use to guide me through the entire process.

I was surprised when I did my initial search. At first I found a bunch of useless information, but then I finally found it! I stumbled across this site that had everything that I needed to know about building a cat tree for my cat. I downloaded the plans that I needed, printed them off, and am proud to say that I was able to build a cat furniture tree for my cat in only a few minutes! If you are having the same problem I was then I highly suggest looking into building cat furniture trees so that you can get your cat to stop scratching your furniture.

Cat Furniture Trees - Make Your Own!

Do you want to know where I found the cat tree plans I used? Go and check out the website that I stumbled across and download your own Cat Furniture Tree today!

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How to Keep a Cat Off Furniture

Sometimes, cats and furniture just don't mix. One of the most frustrating parts of being a cat owner can be the possibility of having your furniture ripped up! But you don't have to simply accept this as a fact of life. There are things you can do to reduce your cat's desire to put his claws on your sofa:

Declawing your cat is the easiest option, but it's also the most painful for him. Most veterinarians won't even perform the surgery since they believe it's inhumane to the animal. Instead, they will probably advise you to try a scratching post.

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Providing multiple scratching prospects is a must for cats, who like to scratch after sleeping and eating. Placing a scratching post in your cat's environment is a great way to encourage his claws to stay off your furniture.

You can try temporarily covering your furniture with something that cats dislike, such as double-sided tape or aluminum foil. Cats can't stand stuff that sticks to them, and they generally avoid the sound of foil. Just make sure the tape won't damage your furniture or your cat.

Provide stimulation so your cat dose not become bored. Boredom is usually the root cause of furniture destruction. Supply your cat with a variety of toys that cover the senses of smell, texture, sound and movement. Observing your cat while he plays with different toys will give you an idea of his preferences.

Make it a habit to clip your cat's nails on a regular basis. This can curb the amount of furniture scratching your cat engages in, or at the very least, it will diminish the damage done by the scratching. Small cats will become easily accustomed to clipping when rewarded with treats following a clip.

If your cat has an affinity for a particular drape in your house, pin a doorknob alarm to it. When the cat tries to climb the curtain, the alarm will sound every time.

Provide endless entertainment for your cat by installing a window perch inside and a bird or squirrel feeder immediately outside. Your cat will spend so much time watching the locals, he'll forget you have furniture!

If you see your cat scratching the furniture, use a squirt bottle to give him a shower and firmly say, "No!" Of course, this only works if you're around to see him scratch.

Taping inflated balloons to the trouble areas may help, as your cat will avoid scratching in a place where he popped a balloon. However, you should only try this if you are around so you can keep your cat from eating the balloon pieces.

Pet supply stores and website sell training devices that deter cats from prohibited areas by emitting aggravating noises. You can also use fragrant deterrents, such as bitter apple sprays or orange peels.

Avoid physical punishments that can produce anxiety or hostility in your cat and will probably only teach them to avoid scratching in your presence. No matter which method you employ, it is unreasonable to think that your cat will stop scratching altogether. Scratching is part of a cat's nature, and if you want to be a cat owner, you'll have to put up with it to a certain degree.

How to Keep a Cat Off Furniture

Max Young is an information researcher whom presents working information to be used for every day experiences. To get the inside word on preventing and dealing with problem behaviors like aggression and dominance in your dog, click now on the following link.

http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-keep-a-cat-off-furniture

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