How to convince your cat to stop scratching the couch
What helpful hints can you provide to help me teach my cat not to scratch our furniture and drapes? I purchased a scratching post but she does not use it and reprimanding her whenever she starts scratching anything she is not supposed to does not seem to be making a difference. My boyfriend thinks I should have her declawed but I would prefer not to.
Scratching is inherited and instinctive behaviour that kittens learn from their mothers as early as five weeks of age. It is normal for all cats to scratch and your challenge will be to redirect scratching to objects that you approve of.
To begin to correct this destructive behaviour, it helps to have an understanding of why cats scratch in the first place. Cats scratch primarily so that they can leave a visual and olfactory (i.e. smell) territorial marker. They leave their scent from sweat glands located in their paws. To a lesser extent, they also scratch in order to condition and trim their claws and to provide muscle toning for their front legs.
Your first step is to temporarily scratchproof your home during the training period. This means closing off any problem areas and keeping your cat restricted to an area that does not have any “scratchable” furniture. If this is not possible, cover your furniture temporarily with plastic sheeting and move your drapes out of reach.
Next, purchase several scratching posts. One post is not enough. Each post should be of sufficient size and texture to make it appealing for your cat and be stable enough to not tip over. The preferred covering should have a longitudinal weave that allows your cat to dig its claws in and get a long stroke. The posts should also be taller than your cat when it stands on its hind legs. The posts should be placed close to where your cat sleeps, since most cats mark their territory near their sleeping areas and prefer to scratch shortly after waking up.
Encourage use of the scratch post by rubbing the surface with catnip and by rubbing your cat’s paws gently on the post (cats prefer previously-scratched objects). If your cat wishes to scratch an object other than the posts, give her a firm “no” and bring her to the post and once again gently rub her paws on the post. You may want to give praise or a treat when the post is used.
If the above methods don’t work, you may need to resort to applying some remote form of “punishment.” This involves hiding out of sight (or using a video camera or mirror around a corner) and applying an unpleasant stimulus whenever you catch your cat scratching the drapes or furniture. Since you probably do not have time to lie in wait for your cat for hours, you will need to set up opportunities for your cat to scratch, then administer the unpleasant stimulus.
Unpleasant stimuli can include a loud noise, spraying with a water sprayer, or throwing a small pillow or stuffed toy in the vicinity of your cat. In this way, your cat will identify the negative stimuli with the act of scratching, rather than with you.
Other hints to minimize scratching include keeping the nails closely trimmed, providing enough play toys, and, if feasible, allowing your cat access to the outdoors.