Destructive Scratching
Why do Cats Need to Scratch
Scratching is a normal, instinctive cat behavior. Cats have a need to scratch. They do it to express emotions, like excitement or stress, to mark objects with their scent (they have scent glands in their paws), to remove the dead part of their nails and, often, just to get a good stretch.
In order to peacefully coexist with our cats, it's necessary to understand why they may engage in what we consider to be a negative activity and then provide them with an alternative that is acceptable to us and our furniture. Cats are born with the instinct to scratch objects for a variety of reasons.
- Cats have scent glands in their paws. Scratching deposits the cat's scent onto an object and leaves a territorial message for other cats.
- Likewise, the visual marks left on objects by scratching convey territory information to others.
- Scratching helps remove the outer layer from a cat's nails: it's good grooming behavior.
- Cats scratch to stretch their claws, feet, and bodies. This releases "feel-good" hormones that help keep your cat healthy.
- Cats scratch to release stress or excitement or "blow off steam."
How to Stop Cats from Scratching Your Furniture?
Fortunately, there are ways that your cat's need to scratch can be satisfied without sacrificing your household items. A great way to do this is by providing high-quality scratching posts. With some attention to the properties consistent with a perfect scratching place (height, sturdiness, and good scratching material), a little training for your cat, and some extra understanding and patience, your cat will certainly learn to leave your furniture alone. In fact, your feline friend will LOVE the posts. Indulging in their natural activities will allow your cat to be healthier and much happier, and that will result in more love shared with you, too!
A company named PurrfectPost makes the purrfect scratching post; however, there are many good scratching posts out there.
