New furniture already destroyed by your cat? If this
scenario sounds familiar, there are things you can do to limit the damage.
Consistent Training
First, even if your cat is an adult when it joins your home,
you can still train it not to destroy your best furniture. The key is to start
training from day one and be consistent. Discouraging the cat sometimes and
turning a blind eye at other times only teaches the cat to keep clawing until
you cause a fuss.
Understand that cats need to scratch to keep their claws
from growing too long. You cannot discourage this impulse completely, but
keeping claws trimmed will reduce the need. Buy a claw clipper at the pet shop
and make sure you don’t cut close to the quick.
Your cat may not let you do a whole paw at once, so keep
the clippers in your pocket and get a nail or two at a time, and be sure to
reward your cat with praise and petting afterwards. If your cat likes to be
brushed, follow claw clipping with a good brushing as a reward.
They need to do it
Cats also claw furniture because the stretching, flexing
and resistance involved feel good. Since most of our homes don’t have mice to
chase, domesticated cats have few opportunities to get natural exercise. Playing
with your cat is the only way to ensure it gets the activity it needs. A daily
play session or two will keep it from clawing out of boredom.
Because the need to scratch cannot be completely
suppressed, you must provide the cat with something it enjoys scratching. This,
as most cat owners learn, is seldom the expensive three-tiered gym that takes
up most of a room. It is your job to keep trying items until you find something
to the cat’s liking.
The inexpensive scratching box of corrugated cardboard is appealing
to most cats, but preferred items also include a split log with the bark on and
facing up, an old wicker basket, a coir doormat, a discarded leather purse or
an old running shoe. Rubbing catnip on the item increases its appeal.
Chairs & Such
For living room chairs, opt for upholstered swivel rockers.
Cats don’t like sharpening their claws on things that don’t provide resistance
for them to pull against.
To safeguard the couch and other good furniture, invest in
attractive, good quality throws and drape them over favorite scratching spots.
The cat won’t scratch the throw because it isn’t anchored down, and throws can
be quickly whisked aside when company comes.
Make sure your cat has a comfortable place to sleep. Cats
often take over furniture because they have no spot of their own. Once a cat
adds a piece of furniture to its territory, clawing is likely to follow.
Finally, don’t overlook the power of scent. Cats have a
keen sense of smell, and mark furniture with their scent to let others know it’s
theirs. You can win the battle for territory by misting your furniture with a
fabric-freshening spray or buying a cat-repelling product at a pet store.
Smells cats particularly dislike include citrus, mint and pine.
