Relax and breath! Don't punish your cat for scratching your furniture; it's a very natural behavior for your cat to perform. Your cat is stretching, marking their territory, and grooming their claws; you simply need to provide an even more attractive scratching surface for their use when they're indulging in this pleasurable behavior. There is plenty of hope for the lifespan of your furniture yet, just follow these easy suggestions:
Repellants
Protect your furniture by adding cat repellents to the specific areas on your furniture that your cat has special affections for (eg. the left arm of your favorite recliner). Most repellants do not cause damage to fabrics, but test the spray on a small area of the couch that isn't visible prior to applying it on visible locations. Reapply the repellent daily for about one week so that your cat concludes that these areas are undesirable surfaces for scratching. Widely available and very effective products include:
Bitter apple sprays - non-toxic; safe to use on most fabrics and surfaces; unodoriferous to people, but tastes and smells unattractive to cats.
Double-sided sticky tape - available in pet stores as well as home & office supply stores.
Aluminum foil - cover the area with the foil.
Note: DO NOT punish your cat if they commit one or two repeat offenses and scratch your furniture during their training period. Scratching is a normal and important aspect of feline self care. Punishing your cat for expressing happy, healthy cat behavior is unwarranted and will only cause your cat anxiety which will put strain on you and your cat's relationship. The goal is not to stop your cat from scratching, but simply to redirect the behavior to a more appropriate surface: one that is compatible with your, as well as your cat's, needs.
Scratching Alternatives
Assess the scratching surfaces you have provided for your cat within the home. Most cats have strong preferences regarding their scratching substrates, and the good news is that there are many different scratching post options available, among which you can select a substitute for the couch that will suit your cat's exact wants and needs! A cat who has enjoyable designated scratching mediums will not destroy furniture in order to stretch their claws satisfactorily. So whichever way your cat likes to dig in their nails, you need to satisfy those personal requirements:
Incline: Some kitties prefer vertical scratching surfaces while others prefer horizontal ones, and still others are partial to gentle inclines.
Substrate: Some cats prefer sisal rope, others prefer carpeted posts, and some prefer simple $10 cardboard cat scratchers (which, incidentally, are available as horizontal scratchers and also as ramps of variable inclines!). Note: Keep in mind that not all carpeting is created equal... soft, low quality carpet does not provide good durability; most cats prefer tougher, higher quality carpeting that they can really dig their claws into.
Mobility: Cats prefer that their scratching surfaces be immobile when being used, so scratching posts that hang (eg. from door handles) are generally not a hit with most kitties. A solid, wide base is paramount to having a sturdy cat scratching post that your cat will enjoy using. And remember, when purchasing cat towers, you frequently pay for the quality you are buying, so cheaper but more elaborate constructs may look great, but are often not very stable. Note: If your cat's scratching post is wobbly and insecure, chances are that your kitty will return to using the nice steady couch arm instead of their designated scratch post!
Provide scratching posts in all of the right locations in your home. If your cat's scratching posts are sequestered to the basement but they spend most of their time with you in the living room and bedroom areas, then the scratching posts are not going to be very effective! Chances are that if your cat wants to wake up and have a good lazy stretch after a satisfactory cat nap, that they are not going to saunter down to the basement to attend to those needs when there is a perfectly good couch staring them right in the face, offering up some lovely upholstery on its arms...
That's right, you may need to have multiple cat scratching posts available if you have a multiple level home, and they should not be banished 'out of sight,' otherwise they will also be 'out of mind' (ie. your cat's mind!). One substantial scratching post on the main floor, close to one of the main furniture victims, will often suffice. Ideally, however, there should be several scratching post options on the main floor. Other ancillary scratching posts should be added to the additional floors near your cat's various hang-out spots. Cardboard scratcher-ramps are a great way to provide multiple scratch posts around the home on a modest budget. Cardboard scratchers are also small and mean that your cat's scratching posts won't necessarily take over your entire home!
Sprinkle cat nip on your cat's scratching posts. Nothing encourages a cat to get familiar with the new, more appropriate scratching medium than some fresh 'nip! You can also place a few of your cat's favorite treats around the base and on top of their scratching posts to draw them over to their new posts and encourage their use.
Give your cat a 'pet-icure'!
Believe it or not, trimming your cat's nails is easily accomplished. It helps minimize the damage to your furniture during the 'new scratching substrate training interim,' and also ensures that your cat won't get their claws accidentally stuck in carpeting, slits in radiators, and other such nooks and crannies around your home (which can result in a painful torn claw).
Note:Additionally, it's beneficial for your cat to be accustomed to receiving pedicures from a young age. As cats grow older the outer nail sheaths do not shed as easily as they do in younger cats; their claws become long and thick, and can quickly become ingrown, infected, and painful unless they are trimmed periodically.
Additional Note: If your cat goes outdoors, do not trim your cat's nails too short. Decrease furniture damage by just clipping the sharp, pointed nail tip to create a blunt end, but leave enough nail length for your cat to be able to defend themselves against outdoor predators (other cats, dogs, raccoons, coyotes, fisher cats), climb trees to escape, etc.
Watch my know-how video (on my site) for tips on how to trim your cat's nails.
Soft Paws
Soft Paws are a truly innovative creation for indoor cats, and when all else has failed, this is the best solution available. Soft Paws are cheap, easy to apply, and painless. Declawing is NOT a humane option, and, hopefully, will be banned in North America in the near future. Soft Paws are essentially fake nails that ensheath your kitty's claws - nice, soft, rubbery fake nails that come in an assortment of fun colors! Soft Paws ensure that your cat's next big scratching session will be transformed into nothing more than a rigorous massaging action.
Note: If your cat goes outdoors you should not use Soft Paws to protect your furniture; without functional claws your cat will be unable to protect themselves in dangerous outdoor situations.
To read more of Dr. Ko's articles, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com
The information provided in this article is for educational reference purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice and care of your veterinarian, nor medical diagnoses or treatments. All questions regarding your cat's health should be discussed with your veterinarian.
