Everyone who has owned a cat at a certain point is quite familiar with all the damages cats can cause with their claws. Actually, the cat's claws have numerous functions: felines use them for climbing, tractions, quick turning, moving, accelerating, defending themselves and even cleaning themselves after they have used the litter box. If you don't believe this, just watch your cat playing with a toy to see how they use the claws to pull, grip and change directions. All these activities are part of the feline natural behaviour.
Scratching is part of the cat's everyday routine. One of the reasons why cats scratch is because this activity helps the feline keeps their claws sharp. Also, scratching provides good exercise for the cat and it makes the muscles of the front paws stronger. Cats that live outside scratch on trees but indoor felines don't have trees at home, so they use alternatives, such as carpets and furniture.
Provide a Scratching Pole
Indoor cats need to have a surface where they can demonstrate their natural scratching behaviour. That is why you should provide them with a scratching post. This is a construction usually made of wood or
compressed cardboard covered with carpet or sisal rope. There are various kinds of scratching posts: basic ones that are cheaper and more sophisticated with numerous condos, boxes and levels that are more expensive. You can also make such a construction by yourself at home.
It is essential to start training your cat using appropriate scratching areas at young age. One way to achieve this is to rub catnip on the scratching area you want the cat to use. This is a good start for the proper development of the habit.
In case you have delayed this training or you have a new cat that is not trained, you will not be surprised to see them scratching on your furniture and causing severe damages. The training will be quite difficult in this situation but it is not impossible. You can get a scratching post and provide treats when the cat uses it.
During the training you can use different tricks to protect your furniture. One way is to cover the furniture with throws or sheets. You can also wrap parts of the furniture with tin foil or stick shelf paper. Another alternative is to use a natural repellent spray that is repulsive for your cat.
Claw Trimming, No Declawing
Another way to limit the damages on your furniture is to trim the claws of your feline. But this procedure should be conducted very carefully because you may cause pain or bleeding if you cut too deeply. Your cat should be very used to you and should be fully relax in order to successfully trim their claws. It is recommended two people to be involved into the procedure. One of them will hold the cat while the other will clip the nails as quickly as possible. If you don't want to do this yourself, you can take your cat to the vet.
It is not recommended to declaw your cat because this procedure is actually very painful surgery that affects the future life of the feline. Your cat will face numerous challenges without claws. The feline may get clumsy and won't be able to defend effectively. Very often the procedure of declawing causes very aggressive behaviour, so may vets refuse to perform it.
According to a popular opinion cats are animals that can't be trained. However, this notion is absolutely wrong. Of course, the training requires time and patience but you can achieve proper feline behaviour, so that you won't have to worry about your furniture.
