Cats are fun pets, but they can also inflict some serious damage on the furniture.
Scratching is part of the natural behavior of the cat, intended to mark territory, exercise, and provide the feline with some good feelings.
Learning how to keep cats from scratching furniture will allow kitty and the owner to live harmoniously within the home.
It is pointless to attempt to stop a cat from scratching, so the goal is to rechannel the desires of the feline.
Physical punishment is never advised and can actually cause the cat to become insecure and scratch more frequently.
This type of reprimanding can break the bond of trust between the owner and the feline, which will be hard to repair.
Two ways to keep the cat from scratching the prized sofa are to keep its nails trimmed or place vinyl caps, called Soft Paws, over the cat's nails.
If neither of these options seems safe, the owner can purchase a scratching post for the animal.
The post should have a rough surface and be tall enough to allow the cat to stand on its hind legs.
The structure must be sturdy so that it will not fall over when the cat scratches on it.
If it falls even once, the cat may never return to scratch it again and the post may as well be used as a hat rack.
A post made from sisal textile material is a good product because the cat will be able to shred the substance without harming itself.
Research shows that cats prefer to leave vertical shredding marks in order to mark their territory.
The grain of the sisal material is well-suited for vertical scratching and the post can be kept long after it is shredded because the cat will still want to use it.
The back of a rug is also an ideal material for scratching, but it should be anchored to something so that it does not slide.
Stapling it to a post or wall will yield a homemade scratching post that costs virtually nothing.
Placing these posts in each frequently used room will give the cat something to work on whenever it is in the room.
The post should initially be placed where the cat was scratching the furniture.
It can gradually be moved to a less conspicuous area of the room after some time.
Cat owners should be aware of how to keep cats from scratching furniture.
Keeping the feline's nails trimmed, purchasing vinyl nail caps, and getting a scratching post are several ways.
The furniture will remain intact and the cat will still be able to mark its territory and get some exercise.