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It ’s a usual African tea owner conundrum : How do you stop cats from scratching your piece of furniture when they simply seem unable to keep their paws off of it ? Housecats are lovable dearie , but we do n’t always love the destructive effects that their astute claws can have on our upholstery . According to Susan Nilson — an accredited creature flight simulator , dog and cat behavior expert , and owner and founder ofThe Cat and Dog House — learning how to stop African tea from scratching up piece of furniture first requires some understanding of why they might be doing it in the first place .

Explaining why cat fret , Nilson says , “ Scratching is an natural behavior that aid cats keep their claws , stretch their limbs and muscles , and release tensity or write - up energy . hombre also use scratch as a fashion to mark their territory , via the smell secretory organ in their paws . ” She says cat-o'-nine-tails often take to scratch furniture because they like its grain , or because there are no other desirable scratching wall socket in their indoor environs .

A domestic longhair cat scratches gray upholstery while laying on its side.

Photo: FurryFritz via Depositphotos

Proactive prevention might be the secure way to stop your cat from scratching up the lounge or the branch of your preferred wood board , and it might even spice up your cat ’s day-by-day enrichment in the process ! Because every bozo and every place are unlike , though , you may call for to examine one or several of the methods below until something process for you .

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Method 1: Offer your cat appealing scratching alternatives.

Since cats ’ instinctual scratch behavior is so good for them , it makes horse sense that a Caterpillar who ’s rub on walls or furniture should n’t realistically be expected to stop without being provided an satisfactory scratching option .

Nilson recommends putting out cat scratching posts or mats , which most cats find more than the textures and materials of your home ’s furniture . She details , “ inquiry shows that most big cat favour scratching on Agave sisalana or circle surface , so start by introduce engrave spot made from these fabric . Scratch station should be at least 3 feet marvelous , as khat generally favour to scratch vertically at that height at a minimum , accord to the research . ” No two Caterpillar are quite the same , so she explains that you may need to try out with unlike scratcher option , such as horizontal carpeting or corrugated cardboard scratching mats , until you find your kitty ’s favorite scratcher type and cloth .

While your cat gets used to the newfangled scratcher , place them nearby their usual piece of furniture mark . Nilson elaborates , “ A in effect way to generate pastime and make a positively charged association is to pitter-patter Nepeta cataria at its base , or lease your cat in interactive hunt games around it so they can dog and pounce on a toy . Both activities will often lead mechanically to scratching behavior , and at the same metre will help establish the scratch mail service as an enjoyable and rewarding part of your cat ’s environment . ” As your cat adjusts to using the scratching place instead of your stuff , you may bit by bit shift them away from the furniture to novel locations in the same room or elsewhere in the home .

A male ginger cat is sharpening his claws on a sisal rope scratching post.

Photo: Cathy Scola via Getty Images

Method 2: Deter your cat with repellent or pheromone sprays.

In increase to offering more scrape option , you could also take steps to make your furniture less desirable to cats by applying liquidcat repellentto it . cat-o'-nine-tails repellent sprays for article of furniture contain odors that cat typically do n’t like , and most cats will avoid spot in a house where these unpleasant smells are strongest .

There are also cat pheromone sprays , which puzzle out differently than repellents while providing a like ending result . Applying a pheromone spray like Feliway to article of furniture can discourage computerized tomography from scratching in the immediate area , as they ’ll usually avert scratching in spot they think they ’ve already recently marked .

Method 3: Stimulate your cat and limit stress factors.

Sprays are n’t the only means to deter cats from scratching article of furniture , as it ’s also important to consider their overall wellbeing when it come in to behaviour issues . A cat that scratches furniture despite being encouraged to scratch elsewhere might be bored ( or evendepressed ) due to a cosmopolitan lack of foreplay . Finding time to wager with your cat each day and introducing teaser confluent and/or interactive toys in your home can facilitate give them the mental stimulation they want , potentially curbing their chafe conduct in the mental process . Stimulation alone may not to the full stop your quat from scratching furniture , but it may prove extra effective when combined with other methods .

Similarly , when a cat is overly stressed , it can also lead them to scratch on thing they would n’t ordinarily . If your cat is exhibitingsymptoms of stress , using a calming pheromone nebulizer orplug - in diffusercan course bring down their tenseness level . bring a fewcat - good houseplantswith sedate property , such as valerian , may also help . Setting up an additional bedding box(es ) or food bowl(s ) can denigrate emphasis in a multi - cat menage , as well . And if you have blackguard , that might be another possible source of strain for your cat . If your kitten is n’t a buff of their eyetooth siblings or just demand some occasional alone time , consider installing aspecial door latchon the entrance to a designated frank - free way or floor of your home .

Method 4: Protect your furniture from scratching.

Cats are complex creatures with batch of needs , so the above method acting may not yield prompt achiever with getting your cat to give up strike your piece of furniture — and that ’s fine ! Whether as an interim answer or a fast shortcut , you’re able to alternatively judge using cat piece of furniture protectors to keep the claw marks off of your upholstery .

In improver to traditionalfurniture slipcover , there are forked - sided steamy couch recession guardian that do the trick particularly well . These strips and tapes can be placed on the corner of the piece of furniture ( or over other area ) where your cat like to come up .

There are also larger adhesive flat solid that you may apply over the entire side , cushion , or back of the sofa where your cat likes to scratch . Cats are n’t fans of the gummy grain of these protectors , and they do n’t ply the feedback they ’re looking for when scratching . This makes it less probable that a bozo will return to hear to scratch again , especially if you pull up stakes the guardian in place long term . Just be certain to first clean the surface of your piece of furniture before applying the sticky covers , as filth and debris may make the adhesive less effective .

An indoor tabby cat rubs its cheek on the corner of a wooden table to mark it with pheromones.

Photo: Kseniya Ovchinnikova via Getty Images

Final Thoughts

Taking steps to both protect your piece of furniture from Arabian tea scrape and dissuade your pussycat from scrub there in the first place can aid you keep your sanity along with your belongings . Though this primer on how to stop cats from scratching piece of furniture will function for some households , it may take weeks or month in others , so patience is key . Finally , no one have it off your cat better than you . If you think your cat-o'-nine-tails ’s scratching behaviors could be symptomatic of something more serious , consult your veterinarian directly .

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Two domestic shorthair cats play with a wand toy in a bright indoor setting.

Photo: Martin Deja via Getty Images

A young ragdoll cat sits and watches from in between a tall scratching post and a wood dresser.

Photo: Cyndi Monaghan via Getty Images Cyndi Monaghan

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