Cats have claws. It’s a fact of life. Unfortunately, they often decide to redecorate your furniture and walls with their sharp little weapons. So why do they do it?

A cat’s claw isn’t like a human fingernail. Unlike our nails that grow in nail beds, a cat’s claw is an extension of the last joint on its toe. A cat doesn’t walk on it’s feet - it walks on its toes. Its whole body is designed for this. The claws are used not only for defense, but also for balance, exercising, and stretching. In order to stretch its back and shoulders, the cat will dig into a surface and pull backwards. Humans do this as well, but by gripping with their fingers.

Cats have an inherent need to scratch. You can’t stop that behavior. What you can do is redirect it to more suitable objects instead of that $2000 leather couch. The cat needs to feel as though he decided where to scratch in order for the new behavior (scratching his post, for example) to gain permanence.

Many animals, cats included, have a hard time with the concept of not doing something. They need to be shown what TO do, not what NOT to do. It’s like telling your three-year-old not to draw on the walls. Well, then, where SHOULD he draw? A coloring book or some paper, of course. But he wouldn’t know that if you didn’t teach him. The same goes for the cat. She shouldn’t scratch your sofa. Well, then, where SHOULD she scratch? Her post, scratching toys, kitty condo, or other kitty item. You need to show her that it is more pleasant for her to scratch these appropriate items than to scratch the inappropriate items.

The biggest problem I see with people trying to train their cats not to scratch the furniture is that they punish, yell at, squirt, or otherwise deter the cat from scratching. If you are the only reason the cat should not scratch an item, he will scratch it at the first opportunity in your absence. If instead the inappropriate item is made less desirable than the appropriate item, the cat will decide to scratch the appropriate item. This gives kitty the feeling that HE decided to scratch in a certain spot (not that if you catch him, he’ll get in trouble), so you won’t have to worry about him scratching the couch as soon as you leave the area. After all, he will have decided that he prefers to scratch his post than the couch, so why would it matter if you are there or not?

That all leads to the big question - how do you make kitty think that a scratching post is the best thing since sliced cheese? How do you make kitty decide that she doesn’t want to scratch the Armani sofa and instead prefers a pile of carpet and wood? There are three things to remember for both making something pleasant and unpleasant for kitty’s exercise sessions - angle, surface, and location. Using these to make an object either more or less pleasant will allow you to control your cat’s urges to scratch.

First, there is the angle. Some cats prefer horizontal surfaces while others prefer vertical ones. Have one (or more) of each so your cat can choose. Second, there is the surface. Carpet, cardboard, sisal rope, and wood are common surfaces. Choose one closest to the texture of the item the cat already likes. Having two or three different surfaces to choose from is even better. Cat trees are excellent for this, as they often combine angles and surfaces. Third, there is the location. Few cats want to scratch some post hidden off in a dark corner. One of the reasons cats scratch is to mark territory - place it near where kitty already scratches. For best results, have at least one acceptable scratching item in each room. Pet stores sell small sisal and carpet scratch pads for the doorknob or floor for $15-$20 each (at least in my area). Buy one for every room if your cat likes to scratch.

Now that you’ve chosen items kitty can scratch, you need to make them especially nice to encourage her to play there. Remember, it has to make clawing the couch look boring! Try sprinkling catnip on the items once a week as well as tying toys to posts (some posts come with attached toys) to encourage the stretching motion that precedes clawing behavior. Interactive play with you and a feather or string near and on the items to get her to dig her claws in gives you a chance to praise her for choosing the correct item. It also establishes the items as playthings and increases the likelihood of her seeing those items as “hers” to mark and claw instead of your new LazyBoy.

Kitty now has appropriate and fun things to scratch, but he may still fall back into the habit of scratching that favorite corner of his. You want to make him not like that old spot at all and really like his new spot. How? Again, look at the three aspects of angle, surface, and location. If you can change the location of that item he likes to bother, do that, as it helps break the habit. Whether or not you can move it, you need to make it unappealing. Change the angle by putting something else in front of it (a newspaper basket, for example) to make it hard for kitty to get a good clawing stance. Change the surface by putting aluminum foil, citrus scent, double sided sticky tape (Sticky Paws is available at many pet stores), orange peels, and/or other things he finds offensive on and near the area. If the item is near an outlet, those plug-in air fresheners with citrus (or orange or lemon) scents act as a deterrent, as cats dislike citrus smells. Fresh orange peels rubbed on the surface are even better, but be careful if the item can be stained. Something that startles the cat can be a deterrent for the stubborn cat, but be careful - if he sees it is you causing the unpleasant thing (yell, clap, squirt), he will merely avoid the item when he sees you home, awake, and near enough to catch him. Deterrents that function regardless of your presence are much better - balloons, scat mats, and other motion-aware specialty products that can squirt water or citronella are available for your use for the stubborn cat. Don’t leave the house with the balloons there, though, as if Kitty eats a piece, it can be deadly.

Remember, cats like and need to scratch. Keeping the claws trimmed can go a long way towards minimizing any damage kitty may do.
Soft Paws nail caps are another great product if you find you need extra protection for your furniture. Have patience and let kitty think he made the decision to scratch his things instead of yours and you’ll have a cat that won’t scratch your things when you aren’t looking.