Cats have claws. Claws have to scratch. Cat owners will notice that their precious feline will love to scratch stuff. It is in their DNA. Cats spread their scent by scratching their paws which means they are marking their territory.
It helps them to feel secure and to identify their enclave. Shedding claws is another reason for scratching. Scratching also helps them stretch their muscles. Cats simply cannot afford for their claws to grow out of proportion and begin to curl under their paw to cause discomfort for the cat. If you find yourself with a cat that begins to claw at stuff, you better isolate that animal from your precious mahogany furniture because once you feline gets a hold of those nicely varnished wood, they will begin to use it as a scratch post. To solve issues like your cat scratching furniture and upholstery. You must introduce your cat to a scratch post and train your cat to use that scratch post early out.
It helps them to feel secure and to identify their enclave. Shedding claws is another reason for scratching. Scratching also helps them stretch their muscles. Cats simply cannot afford for their claws to grow out of proportion and begin to curl under their paw to cause discomfort for the cat. If you find yourself with a cat that begins to claw at stuff, you better isolate that animal from your precious mahogany furniture because once you feline gets a hold of those nicely varnished wood, they will begin to use it as a scratch post. To solve issues like your cat scratching furniture and upholstery. You must introduce your cat to a scratch post and train your cat to use that scratch post early out.
Train Cat To Use Scratch Post
Start Training at Early Age
In any kind of animal training, it is always good t train that animal starting at a tender age. So if you have kittens, start introducing them to post to scratch so it will become instinct when they get older. If you already have an adult cat you can still train that cat to use a scratch post, but you will have to exercise a lot of patience there.
Find a scratching post that your cat will love
Sometimes, it is all about finding the right kind of scratching post that will appeal to your cat. You can find the right post for your cat usually through trial and error. You may need to experiment and see which one works. For example, some would prefer a vertical post as opposed to a horizontal surface. The important thing is to be able to find the right one that will appeal to your cat's preferences.
Determine the best place to put your scratching post
Other times, it is not the quality of the scratching post that is important but the location. You should keep in mind that you should place your post where it will be accessible to your cat.
Cats usually do their scratching before they take a nap. The ideal place to put your scratching post is where your cat usually naps. If you have the capacity, it is also great to put several posts in different parts of the house. Place it on your pet's usual spots, and it will surely get to maximize its use.
Now, if you happen to have a piece of furniture that your cat is very much attached to, then you can try placing a scratching post near it. This is an excellent way to divert its attention and focus the scratching on the post and not on your furniture.
Use Rewards and Affirmations
As with all great training, you can use rewards and affirmations to your pet. This simply means that whenever your pet uses the scratch post, it will get a reward. On the other hand, if they still play with your beloved furniture, then you need to be firm and let your pet know that is wrong.
To further entice your cat to use the scratching post, you can put catnip on and around the post or hang a toy for them to be able to play with. Eventually, they will get the hang of it and start using the post regularly.
Do not tolerate
If your cat is persistent, then it is time to use your voice to let your pet know its actions are incorrect. When you hear your cat scratching the furniture, say stop in a loud voice. Your pet will be startled and over time will understand that what it is doing is inappropriate. You may also spritz some water on your cat whenever it starts scratching the future. These are just some ways to dissuade your pet.
Other Remedies
Now, if the tips mentioned above do not work at all, then you can go a different route. One thing that you could do is to make your furniture unappealing to your pet. You can do this by covering your cat's favorite furniture with foil or tape. Cats do not like these textures and can dissuade them from further scratching. It may seem like a hideous look for your furniture, but it is only temporary. You can remove them when your cat already loses its interest.
When all else fail, you can try changing your furniture. Consider furniture that is made from microfiber. It can tolerate scratching, but at the same time, there are also different designs available that will suit your home.
Conclusion
Cats are adorable and fun-loving. Just remember that cat scratching is a natural phenomenon. It may seem horrible, but if you train them early, then you will be able to surpass this ordeal. As mentioned before, cats scratch as their way of marking territory and shedding claws. It is easier to train cats when you understand the reason behind their behavior.
Start Training at Early Age
In any kind of animal training, it is always good t train that animal starting at a tender age. So if you have kittens, start introducing them to post to scratch so it will become instinct when they get older. If you already have an adult cat you can still train that cat to use a scratch post, but you will have to exercise a lot of patience there.
Find a scratching post that your cat will love
Sometimes, it is all about finding the right kind of scratching post that will appeal to your cat. You can find the right post for your cat usually through trial and error. You may need to experiment and see which one works. For example, some would prefer a vertical post as opposed to a horizontal surface. The important thing is to be able to find the right one that will appeal to your cat's preferences.
Determine the best place to put your scratching post
Other times, it is not the quality of the scratching post that is important but the location. You should keep in mind that you should place your post where it will be accessible to your cat.
Cats usually do their scratching before they take a nap. The ideal place to put your scratching post is where your cat usually naps. If you have the capacity, it is also great to put several posts in different parts of the house. Place it on your pet's usual spots, and it will surely get to maximize its use.
Now, if you happen to have a piece of furniture that your cat is very much attached to, then you can try placing a scratching post near it. This is an excellent way to divert its attention and focus the scratching on the post and not on your furniture.
Use Rewards and Affirmations
As with all great training, you can use rewards and affirmations to your pet. This simply means that whenever your pet uses the scratch post, it will get a reward. On the other hand, if they still play with your beloved furniture, then you need to be firm and let your pet know that is wrong.
To further entice your cat to use the scratching post, you can put catnip on and around the post or hang a toy for them to be able to play with. Eventually, they will get the hang of it and start using the post regularly.
Do not tolerate
If your cat is persistent, then it is time to use your voice to let your pet know its actions are incorrect. When you hear your cat scratching the furniture, say stop in a loud voice. Your pet will be startled and over time will understand that what it is doing is inappropriate. You may also spritz some water on your cat whenever it starts scratching the future. These are just some ways to dissuade your pet.
Other Remedies
Now, if the tips mentioned above do not work at all, then you can go a different route. One thing that you could do is to make your furniture unappealing to your pet. You can do this by covering your cat's favorite furniture with foil or tape. Cats do not like these textures and can dissuade them from further scratching. It may seem like a hideous look for your furniture, but it is only temporary. You can remove them when your cat already loses its interest.
When all else fail, you can try changing your furniture. Consider furniture that is made from microfiber. It can tolerate scratching, but at the same time, there are also different designs available that will suit your home.
Conclusion
Cats are adorable and fun-loving. Just remember that cat scratching is a natural phenomenon. It may seem horrible, but if you train them early, then you will be able to surpass this ordeal. As mentioned before, cats scratch as their way of marking territory and shedding claws. It is easier to train cats when you understand the reason behind their behavior.
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