You must have seen cats scratching themselves or with the claws on the bark of trees. In fact the process is repeated oft and one can see the quite a heap of bark. Earlier it was thought that the cat was sharpening its claws. However this is only a secondary cause for scratching. The major reason being that the cat wants to demarcate an area exclusively as its own domain and warn other cats from intruding in it’s area of dominance.
The trouble starts when they start to pick household objects like bed posts, carpets, bed sheets etc. The scratch marks are visible and are often seen by other cats also. Research has shown that a major reason of this behavior is communication. It has been seen that his behavior is exhibited by both male and female cats. The cats must be leaving behind scent trails and therefore it has been observed that cats continue to scratch even after they have been declawed.
When claws scratch the walls and furniture’s, it can lead to considerable damage and often cause immense irritation to pet owners. However it must be understood that the cat is only behaving as per its instincts. The best option is to wean away your cat from scratching your sofa arms and instead scratch against a Cat Scratcher. A cat scratcher is quite easy to make and can be placed at strategic locations so that the cat is attracted to these posts and carry out its natural instincts.
Here are certain tips which will help in inculcating good scratching habits in small kittens and adult cats.
- Put cat scratchers in strategic locations like where the cat likes to sleep or rest and play.
- The cat scratcher can be purchased or you can make one yourself. Only remember that the post must be covered with fabric which can be easily shred by the cat. You can use any old fabric and once the fabric wears out you can wrap a new layer.
- Let the cat scratch the Cat Scratcher by its own will. Never force the cat to scratch the post against its will by pulling its claws on the post.
- You can dangle toys and food to attract the cat to scratch the scratching posts.
- For older cats that have a habit of scratching furniture, the post can be placed near the furniture so that it can be attracted to scratch the posts.
- Cover the furniture with covers to dissuade the cats from scratching them and instead scratch the posts.
- Place the posts in an area which is frequented by the cat. It is no use of keeping the scratching post in the attic or loft where the cat seldom visits.