Dealing with scratching behavior is an inevitable part of having a cat. Many people wrongly assume that you can't have both a cat and nice furniture unless the cat is declawed. Happily, you do not have to choose between claws and couches; cats can be taught to leave the furniture alone.

Understanding clawing behavior

Cats have a hardwired instinct to scratch objects. This behavior cannot be trained out of them. Even declawed cats go through the motions of scratching. Therefore, to save your furniture, clawing has to be made harmless. The most effective and reliable way is by training your cat to express this instinct appropriately. Cats scratch for several reasons. The most obvious is to stretch and hone their claws. Hooking the claws on a rough surface and pulling inward stretches and conditions the muscles and tendons in the paws. This activity also removes the old nail outer nail sheaths, which means it is the feline equivalent of a manicure. As territorial animals, cats are driven to claim areas they frequent as their own. Scratching leaves a visible mark that that tell other cats that an territory is taken. This is the reason a cat's chosen scratching sites are usually in prominent locations, such as a fence post near the street or an armchair in the living room. The mark that is left behind by scratching behavior goes beyond what we can see. On the inside of a cat's wrist is a scent gland, and during scratching, it leaves a scent mark undetectable to humans but impossible for cats to ignore. A cat is instinctively attracted to scratch wherever her nose tells her she has scratched before, which is why cats are drawn to claw at the same favorite places over and over. Even declawed cats appear to take great pleasure in this instinctive activity. In fact, it may give a cat an emotional release for tension she is feeling, just as a human might fidget with a worry stone or chew a pencil.

Training good scratching habits

Knowing why your cat scratches provides the key to teaching her not to damage your property. You first need to provide her with inviting places to scratch. Choose several materials; if your cat is fussy about texture, this will give you the best chance of success. Good choices are corrugated cardboard (glued in layers and set cut side up), sisal rope wrapped around a board, and untreated wood boards such as pine. Commercial scratching posts are often covered with carpet, but since it is not very rough, many cats reject this material. The reverse side of the carpet is actually much more inviting to most cats. If you choose a vertical scratcher, make sure it is sturdy and steady. To a cat, a hanging board that moves back and forth is frustrating, and a post that tips over easily is downright frightening. Locate the scratching pads in various parts of the house, including her favorite sleeping areas and high-traffic areas. These are the places she is already most motivated to mark as her own territory. Be sure to place a scratcher in the same room as any furniture items she already uses so she has a replacement. Show your cat her scratching pads. Take her paw and gently move it over each pad, imitating her scratching motion. This helps her get the idea, and more importantly, it deposits scent from her wrist gland and encourages her to make it a regular stop. Praise your cat when you see her use one of her scratchers. If you catch her scratching in a forbidden place, distract her with a loud noise or a quick squirt from a water bottle. (This distraction is only effective if you catch her in the act; if there is any delay, she will not make the connection between the behavior and your response.) Then take her to one of her scratchers. If her inappropriate scratching behavior is very ingrained, you may need to use a cat repellent spray or even temporarily cover the forbidden object with a slick, tough plastic cover. Kittens are easiest to train because they are in a learning phase of their lives, and they have not yet established any bad habits. But older cats who are used to putting their claws wherever they like can learn to express their scratching instinct appropriately, as well, although training will probably take longer. Consistency is important – you need to be more stubborn about training than your cat. Keep in mind that a well-used scratcher will need occasional replacement or recovering. These objects are meant to be used up! When you make the replacement, you can pat yourself on the back about how much less it costs than new upholstery.

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