Cats are fun, furry creatures with grit, zest and zany antics. As cute as they may be, they’re also equipped with sharp claws, which they tend to use to destroy couches and wooden fixtures. This age-old trait begs us to understand how to stop cats from scratching furniture.
Unfortunately, there is no surefire way to guarantee your cat won’t scratch your furniture. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. It is possible to get them to choose something else to scratch instead — at least most of the time.
Cat owners are commonly torn between wanting to nurture their kitty’s innate need to scratch and protecting their furniture. Thankfully, there are safe and encouraging outlets for scratching, like providing scratching posts, proper healthcare, playtime and gentle reprimands, all of which can keep your cat from clawing up your furniture.
Keep reading for our tips on this all-too-relatable topic.
Why do cats scratch furniture?
Often, when a cat scratches furniture, it is not necessarily their intent to do so. In fact, furniture tends to be simply a last resort when cats’ humans aren’t providing them with anything better to scratch.
In general, cats scratch in order to:
- Peel off old claw sheaths.
- Stretch out while anchoring themselves against the tallest and sturdiest thing they can find.
- Communicate via the scent glands in their paws to leave behind their scent and mark their territory.
- Release excess playtime energy and, when stressed, expel nervous energy.
That said, there is no way to stop a cat from scratching entirely. For them, it’s normal, natural and necessary.
Providing alternatives when cats scratch furniture
Owners of felines who are habitual furniture scratchers should consider providing scratching posts, creating and setting boundaries and making time for play as suitable alternatives.
Scratching posts and pads
Having a variety of scratchable items can offer kitty a wider array of healthy scratching opportunities. You can choose between standing posts and horizontal scratch pads, either of which a cat might gravitate to, instead of sacrificing your furniture as a clawing casualty.
However, scratching posts only work if you put them somewhere your cat likes to be. Although one scratcher is often enough, owners in larger homes might consider having a few more, especially if your cat likes to linger in different parts of your home.
And recognizing precisely where your cat likes to scratch is key to determining how many scratching posts or pads you should have and where to place them. Setting one up near pieces of furniture that they seem to enjoy vandalizing can draw their attention to the scratching post instead.
Creating boundaries
Creating boundaries can be a successful way to stop your cats scratching furniture. It’s easier to set these boundaries when your cats are adopted as kittens, but it’s not impossible with older cats, either, especially when introducing them to a new home.
How does this work? Getting cats to understand a stern “no” is possible. Once you call them out, you can then redirect them to another activity. Cats just aren’t as obedient as dogs, but they do learn. You can try changing your tone, ushering them away from the scene of potential destruction or putting their paw on the thing they’re allowed to do instead.
Playtime
Providing your cats with enrichment activities is another alternative. You can let your cats play in the back yard where they can scratch trees and run up and down the limbs, or provide them with indoor cat trees and scratch toys.
Whether your cat is an indoor or outdoor feline, it’s important to make time for play and bonding every day. You might have them chase a laser or play with their favourite toy to get their energy out.
Another thing owners can do is incorporate the scratching post into their cats’ playtime routine, for example, by having them chase a feather or laser pointer up and down it. This will get them used to using it and teach them that it’s a fun place where they get a reward — unlike to your furniture.
Note that while older cats probably don’t need as much playtime — maybe just five or 10 minutes — a younger cat might need or even demand more time.
How to create a friendly environment to stop cats from scratching furniture
You can explore using specific furniture covers, deterrent sprays and even a certain tone of voice to prevent your cat from scratching your furniture.
While not especially aesthetically pleasing, plastic furniture covers are the most helpful modifications that can be made. If you prefer a deterrent spray, you should consult your veterinarian before using one, even one found in a pet shop, as some may be unsafe. Other unsafe measures include homemade cayenne pepper sprays, aerosol cans and vinegar, all of which can bring physical and emotional harm to cats. And even if a deterrent is just plain water, you ideally want to avoid relying on negative reinforcement to get your cat to do what you want.
Another form of negative reinforcement is shouting, which is generally ineffective. While it may scare your cat and get them to stop for the time being, they tend not to make the connection between you raising your voice and their behaviour.
However, while cats might not understand your words, they do recognize the different tones we use, which allows them to know what’s permissible versus what is not. Raising your voice to a higher pitch, just like we instinctively do with babies, to encourage good behaviour, or lowering your voice and adding some sternness when your cats are being naughty can sometimes help them distinguish between which behaviours are OK and which ones aren’t.
Training techniques to prevent your cat from scratching
Regarding behaviour tactics, here is a robust set of dos and don’ts to deter your cat from scratching furniture.
Do
- Add catnip or Feliway spray to make appropriate scratching items, like posts and pads, appealing to your cat.
- Reward and praise your cat for scratching appropriately.
- Consider buying a used scratching post — your cat won’t be able to resist scratching on top of another cat’s scent.
- Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard. It may take removing the cat’s access to the furniture to break the habit. Cats will always be tempted to go back and refresh their old scents if they already exist. When you get new furniture, it’s a great opportunity to start working on this habit.
Childproofing, like barriers or bumpers on the bottom of your couch, works well with cats. You can also try giving them a scratching post that sits right next to the piece of furniture you’re trying to protect.
Don’t
- Use punishment. Your cat cannot make the connection that they are being squirted with water for scratching the furniture. Squirt bottles, yelling or spanking will only damage your relationship and may just encourage the cat to do their scratching when you’re not around.
- Use double-sided tape. It can be unpleasant for cats. Plastic or sisal couch protectors are a better option, and you may be able to remove them in time after your cat has begun to use the other options reliably.
- Expect your cat to stop scratching the furniture without providing them with something equally or more appealing than the couch to scratch.
- Declaw your cat. This is not only inhumane but could also further behavioural issues. It is also illegal now in almost all Canadian provinces.
Underlying issues related to scratching furniture
While deterring your cat from scratching furniture persistently can be an annoying task, kitty scratching is perfectly normal. So, if your feline pal is not scratching, it could mean underlying health or behavioural problems.
Health concerns
If your cat isn’t using their scratching posts or pads, they might have something wrong with their claws, paws or limbs in general. For example, they might be suffering from ingrown nails, which can lead to infection because the nail grows underneath the paw. This can then cause limping and bleeding.
Trimming your cat’s nails avoids both scratching and nail-related health concerns. Whether you take them to the vet to get them cut or trim them yourself, it’s good to keep their claws short.
Doing weekly wellness checks is key. And keep in mind that letting them use a scratching post actually makes their claws sharper.
At-home wellness checks should also include checking their teeth and mouths. If they don’t let you open their mouth, you can pet them along their jawline and see how they react. You should, of course, make sure they’re eating their food — and, if not, you might ask your vet about dental disease.
Owners also want to ensure cats have normal stools and urination and check their coats for fleas, ticks or rashes.
Behaviour challenges
Sometimes, your cat is trying to get your attention to let you know something is bothering them, like changes to the home, including a new pet or baby. Scratching furniture can be one of the tactics they use to show their displeasure with the changing environment.
The most common behavioural problems include going to the washroom outside the litter box, aggression towards people or other animals, and behaviours like scratching furniture, meowing excessively and waking you up at night. It’s good to look out for attention-seeking or nuisance behaviours as they are key to understanding whether or not your cat is suffering from a problem that needs special attention.
How to troubleshoot challenges that arise
Once you’ve gotten your cat situated with lots of scratching options, found your perfect deterrent tactic and begun monitoring their behaviour, you might find that the situation improves — or not. It’s important to understand that these are all troubleshooting approaches, so if they’re not working after six months, you’ll do well to seek professional help.
Giving each measure one month could be helpful, but it all depends on each owner’s personal tolerance level. Six months is a realistic period of time to try out a few different approaches one at a time, with a month or two each to see how your cat responds.
Cat owners should think about seeing a behaviourist or behaviour consultant sooner rather than later. There’s no sense in waiting until you’re at your wits’ end. If you’re having little success on your own, a professional’s help can make all the difference.
Regular check-ups at your cat’s veterinarian can also be beneficial to recognizing health issues that could be underlying problematic behaviours like scratching furniture.
And in general, cats need to go to the vet regularly. Some pet owners tend to be less pre-emptive with healthcare for cats than they are for dogs, forgetting that cats can develop health problems too and should be up to date on their vaccines. Especially as they age, yearly exams — rather than waiting until your cat is very ill — can catch a lot of issues at an early stage.
The bottom line on cats scratching furniture
Cats scratch. It’s healthy and natural, and you should support their need to do so by encouraging them to scratch objects that belong to them instead of furniture that belongs to you. Providing your cat with safe and enriching alternatives is key to deterring them, while monitoring their behaviour and healthcare is essential to understanding who they are as your furry housemates.
Patience, consistency, respect and knowing when to seek help are major factors in addressing potential concerns. But remember, deterring cats from scratching furniture requires being mindful of how they operate. You have to work with them, getting them to do things that lead to the result you want, rather than simply doing what’s most convenient for you.