Why Cats Scratch

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Territory Marking: Cats have scent glands in their paws and every scratch leaves both a viual mark and a scent message that says to other cats: ‘This is mine.’

Claw Health: Scratching helps shed old claw sheaths and keeps a cats nails healthy.

Stretching and Exercise: That satisfying stretch up a couch arm or down a carpet also works their muscles and relieves tension in a cat.

Emotional Outlet: Scratching can be a sign of excitements, stress, or frustration. It can be a natural way for a cat to express their excitement or release pent-up energy and relive stress.

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Why Inappropriate Scratching Happens

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Lack of suitable options: If cats don’t have appealing scratching posts or pads, they’ll choose whatever feels right to them, which can often be your furniture.

Post Placement: Cats tend to scratch where they spend time, and if you have posts for them to scratch, but they’re tucked away in a place where your cat doesn’t frequent, they may not be used.

Surface Preference: Every cat has their own specific likes and dislikes. Some cats love sisal rope, while other prefer cardboard or carpet. If you don’t match your cat’s preference, they may find their own ‘perfect’ surface, which unfortunately may be your couch or recliner.

Stress or Anxiety: Big changes in the home like new pets, moving, or even visitors, can trigger more territorial marking, and scratching, as mentioned, is a way for your cat to mark their territory.

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How to Redirect Your Cat’s Claws

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Provide multiple scratching surfaces: Offer vertical and horizontal options as some cats like to stretch upward and others, many times older cats that don’t get around as easily as they did in their younger day, prefer a flatter scratching option. There are so many different scratching post and pads available on the market, there’s sure to be one that suits your cat! Think of sisal wrapped poles/posts, cardboard waves that sit on the floor or even carpet covered posts or wood.

Location, Location, Location: Place the scratching posts/pads in your cat’s favorite hangouts, near their sleeping spots so they have them available when they wake, and yes, right next to the furniture they’ve been scratching. By placing a scratcher near a couch they’ve been scratching gives them another option other than your furniture. They may even prefer the scratching post, which makes redirection much easier. You can slowly move the post away from the problem area of the furniture as your cat gets more into the post and grows accustomed to scratching on that instead.