How to stop a cat from scratching furniture

How can you keep your cat off your furniture to avoid destructive scratching? There are various ways on how to stop cat from scratching furniture. These include sticky paws, replacement, barring the cat from the furniture, covering up as well as using deterrent sprays. We get into the details below.

Cat Scratching Furniture

Scratching is a normal and natural part of a cat. It serves a number of functions as listed below:

• As they scratch and stretch, it serves as a form of exercise.
• In the process, any worn out and frayed claws are removed leaving new sharper ones exposed.
• Additionally, scratching serves as a way of marking their territory with the olfactory and sight senses.

While this behavior may be normal, your pet scratching on the wrong things can be frustrating to the owner. Cat scratching furniture can cause a lot of damage and financial losses in trying to fix damage done. Here is how to stop a cat scratching furniture.

How to Stop Cat from Scratching Furniture

Where the cause of scratching is as a result of their natural instincts, you can easily fix the problem at home. However, where the cause is psychological, you may have to consult specialists. Here are some easy ways on how to stop cat from scratching furniture.

Offer Scratching Alternatives

Instead of providing your cat with one scratching pole, offer a variety. Give them carpeted poles, cardboard scratching surfaces as well as sisal rope posts. Offer them safe natural scratching wooden logs too where possible. Ensure that the poles are safe for them and cannot tip off and harm your pet or individuals walking around.

At times, it may help to buy a fabric similar to that of the furniture the cat is scratching. Use this to make a scratching post and see if it helps. Once done, spray some deterrent on the furniture and leave the post next to it. To attract the cat to the scratching posts, you can use catnip. Once the cat moves to scratching the post, you can move it away from the furniture to your desired location.

Different cats prefer different posts posture. Some will like them horizontal, vertical or slanted. Try find out what your cats favorite posture is and adopt it. Ensure the scratching surfaces are sturdy to prevent harm on the cat and people around.

Video: How To Stop Your Cat From Scratching Furniture

Cat Scratching Furniture Tape

With this remedy, the furniture your cat is damaging is made unpleasant. You can make use of double sided tape which acts as an excellent deterrent. The reason why is works is because cat paws are highly sensitive. They are designed to sense even the slightest movement while out in nature. Having sticky paws is the last thing a cat wants.

Use double sided tape on the furniture they are damaging. Ensure the tape is removable not permanent double sided tape. This way you will be certain that the cat will only experience the stickiness for a while and that the tape will also come off furniture easily.

Trim Cat Claws to Stop Cat Scratching Furniture

To reduce damage incurred by a cat scratching furniture, dull the claws. One of the reasons cats scratch is to groom their claws. Use clippers to squeeze out and trim claws on each paw. If your cat is hard to handle, you can have a professional groomer do it for you.

Video: How to get your cat to stop scratching the furniture

Another way to tame a cat’s claws is by using nail caps for cats. These are easily glued on their claws and can last up to six weeks. They help to keep the edges of the claws hidden thus prevent damage from scratching.

CAUTION: Declawing as a way on how to stop cats from scratching furniture is highly discouraged. In fact, some countries have outlawed cats’ declawing. There are more disadvantages than advantages for declawing cats. The greatest one is that this surgical process robs your cat off its fast line of defense and should not be carried out on your pet.

Cat Scratching Leather Couch Fix – Cat Scratching Sofa Protection

In case the above remedies do not seem to work on your leather couch or sofa, there are additional cat scratching furniture solutions you could apply. To protect the back of your couch, leave a vinyl or plastic floor runner with the knob shapes facing out. Your cat will detest the feel of it on its paws and stop scratching.

Alternatively, you could leave balloons covered up on your sofa. This way they will pop when your cat attempts to scratch. This will cause an immediate scare that will last a long time. The cat will associate that area with the unpleasant experience and quite scratching it. Covering the seats with a plastic cover could also help as cats don’t like the feel of it.

You could also use cat scratch furniture guards. These are made to protect our sofa and are made of vinyl. Their purpose is prevention and keeping the cat from scratching the furniture fabric.

How to Stop a Cat from Scratching Furniture Spray

There are different types of deterrent sprays you can use on your cat to stop it from scratching furniture. One of these is a plain water spray deterrent.

When the cat tries to scratch furniture when you are around, put some water in a spray bottle. When the cat gets to scratching any furniture, spritz the water on him. This way they will associate the act with the unpleasant water.

Cat Scratching Furniture Prevention Homemade Spray

Another way on how to stop cat from scratching furniture is by using a homemade citrus oil spray mix to deter cats. This is easy to make and only requires two ingredients. Here is how:

1. Mix equal parts of orange oil and eucalyptus oil.
2. Add these to a water in a spray bottle.
3. Shake the bottle well and spray this on the furniture that your cat is damaging. This will erase the olfactory markers and act as a deterrent at the same time.

Vinegar Cat Scratch Repellent for Furniture

Vinegar as a cat deterrent is easy to use. To stop your cat from scratching any furniture, Just pput some vinegar in a spray bottle and spritz it on the area of concern. In addition to keep the cat’s claws off, it will also deodorize and eliminate and bad cat odors.

Additional Tips on How to Avoid Cat Scratching Furniture

Having to fix leather couches, your sofa, carper, table support and other furnishings can be expensive. Instead of having to deal with these, it is best to prevent the scratches from occurring. Here are some preventive measures you could put into place:

• At times, your cat may be scratching to seek attention. This ought to be discouraged by redirecting his attention. Try giving them a toy to play with and get them out of the place they are scratching.
• Limit access to the furniture. You can achieve this by locking them out of areas with the furniture they like scratching.
• Buy a motion detector attached to ultrasonic sound or spray to remotely avoid your cat’s scratching behavior.
• Where possible, allow your cat some time out to reduce his desire of scratching on furniture. While out, he is likely to identify appropriate surfaces to scratch on which will help avoid his scratching things in the house.
• Praise and offer treats to your dog whenever they scratch on their posts. This will help them keep at it and make them stay away from furniture.
• Put scratching posts in convenient locations. This could be next to the furniture they are scratching as well as close to their bed so as to take their mind off destructive scratching.
• Avoid scolding your cat when you get them scratching on off limits objects. Opt for other corrective measures.
• Never force your cat to use the scratching post by running their claws through it as this could scare them off. Instead, show them how to using your fingers.
• In case the problem is too much and none of the methods on how to stop cat from scratching furniture works, consult professional animal behaviorists. The cause of the behavior could be anxiety.

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