Anyone who has ever owned a cat knows how much damage a cat can do to furniture with those sharp claws. Contrary to popular belief, when your cat claws your furniture it is not just sharpening its claws. Cats have scent glands in the pads of their feet. This is why a cat will walk on its toes and not flat footed like a dog will. Scratching or clawing up the couch is an instinct that marks territory and tells mates that they are there by leaving a scent. It is also a way to say, this couch is mine. Here are a few ways to help prevent this from happening.

De-clawing is cruel
The Distraction
The Lockout
The Reward

Please Do Not De-Claw
Please do not de-claw your cat. It is cruel. The claws are not actually claws, they are part of the toe bone, and when you have them removed, you are crippling your cat. It will not be able to protect itself and the psychological damage may be permanent. They have to break the bones to get the claws, which is painful and debilitating. Some cats never learn how to walk again. There are sprays that you can use that repel cats but are odorless to humans. Try some of these for cat dissuasion.

Distract With A Scratching Post
Buy your pet a scratching post and put it near the couch. Sprinkle this post with catnip to attract your cat\’s attention and entice it to scratch the post and not the couch. Every couple of days, move the post a little further away from the couch until you eventually have it where you want it. This technique works 9 out of 10 times and is much better than the alternative.

Train Your Cat Out Of The Room
A cat can be trained not to enter a room. It takes patience and time but once the cat figures out that it is not wanted, it will avoid the room. It is infinitely harder to train a cat then it is a dog but it is possible. The best way to go about this is to use that spray that repels cats across the entrance of the room and in three feet increments thereafter. Scold the cat when it crosses and put it out of the room. Praise the cat when it does well. Cats love to love and it is in their nature. If your cat sits in your lap and slowing blinks its eyes at you, it is saying, \”I Love you!\”

Reward Good Behavior
Do not forget to reward your cat when it does well. Cats respond to positive reinforcement even better than dogs do but they cannot express it as a dog can. While it is much harder to read your cat\’s thoughts, studies have shown that when you reward a cat for certain behavior, he, or she will take that to heart and remember. Whenever your cat scratches the post instead of the couch, reward it with a treat or some love and affection, you will get much further with this than by throwing a shoe.

Your Loyal Friend
Cats are emotional animals that do not show emotion well, however, your cat is capable of loyalty, trust, and will not scratch your furniture once it understands that you do not want it to do so. The trick is conveying this information in a way that the cat will understand. Be patient, and your cat will respond.

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Category: Home Management
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