How to stop cats from scratching furniture, according to experts

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 sofas 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, according to Laura Cassiday, a certified cat behavior consultant. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. “We can drastically increase the likelihood that they’ll choose something else to scratch instead,” she says.

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 pawing up your furniture.

Keep reading for our expert-backed 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 most cases, cat owners aren’t providing their cats with something better than the furniture to scratch,” Cassiday says.

In general, according to Cassiday, 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, expelling nervous energy.

That said, Cassiday cautions cat owners that there is no way to stop a cat from scratching entirely. “It is a normal, natural and necessary behavior,” she says.

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 it somewhere your cat likes to be, points out Dr. LaVonne Gaffin, an emergency veterinarian. Although she says one scratcher is often enough, owners in larger homes might consider having a few more. “Having multiple ones, especially if [cats] like to hang out at different parts of the house, is the most appropriate thing,” she says. 

And recognizing precisely where your cats like to scratch is key to determining how many scratching posts or pads you should have and where to place them, adds Gaffin. “If you always notice that they are scratching by the door, then put the scratching post or box by that place,” she notes. “If they like to scratch particular pieces of furniture, having a scratching post close by would be ideal so that they’re more likely to scratch on the post than on your furniture.” 

“Yelling at cats or dogs just isn’t going to keep them from doing what they’re doing. Initially, it may scare them and stop them, but they don’t tend to [associate] you raising your voice with the behavior.”

— Dr. LaVonne Gaffin, an emergency veterinarian

Creating boundaries  

For cat owner Tarah Taylor, creating boundaries has been a successful alternative to her two cats scratching furniture. “My cats do not scratch my furniture,” Taylor, who rescued both cats as kittens, says. “When you get them as kittens, it’s easier to establish boundaries. My cats aren’t even allowed to sit on the furniture when [humans are] not sitting on it.”

How has she managed to do this? Taylor’s cats seem to understand “no,” so saying the word sternly — then redirecting her kitties to another activity — has served her well, she notes. “When they get on the couch or go anywhere they’re not supposed to, like the kitchen or the entertainment room, it’s ‘no!’” she explains. “And we keep reinforcing it until they learn.” 

Creating boundaries for kittens might be easier than working with an older cat, but Gaffin says it’s not impossible, especially when introducing the cat to a new home. “I don’t know if it’s always going to work,” she notes. “However, you can still try to set those same boundaries [you’d set with a kitten]. When they’re exploring your house and getting used to it, and you see them do a behavior you don’t want them to do, that’s the time to work on boundaries.” 

Gaffin agrees with Taylor that redirection can help. Cats just aren’t as obedient as dogs, but they do learn, she says. “You can change your tone, usher them away or put their paw on the thing that’s allowed,” explains Gaffin.

Playtime 

Providing your cats with enrichment activities is another alternative Taylor explores. She lets her cats play in her backyard where they scratch trees and run up and down the limbs. She also provides 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, says Gaffin. You might [have them] chase a laser or play with their favorite toy to get their energy out, she explains.

She also suggests owners incorporate the scratching post into the playtime routine. “Make it something that they get used to using,” Gaffin says. “If you put the laser or the feather or whatever toy you have them chasing on there, they can scratch on the post and realize, ‘Oh, this is a good thing to do,’ ‘I get a reward.’ ‘I find this place is fun,’ then they are more likely to keep using [the scratching post] versus 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 eye-catching, Gaffin says plastic furniture covers are the most helpful of modifications that can be made. 

Still, if you prefer a deterrent spray, she recommends that pet owners consult their veterinarian before using any sprays, even ones found in pet stores. “It might be safe for them, but it’s not always good for them,” Gaffin says. “So ask your regular vet, ‘Is this product going to be OK, and is that per cat or is that in general?’” 

Some of the more unsafe measures Gaffin references are homemade cayenne pepper sprays, aerosol cans and vinegar, all of which can bring physical and emotional harm to cats.

Gaffin cautions that even if a deterrent is just plain water, you want to avoid relying on negative reinforcement to get them to do what you want. 

Another form of negative reinforcement is yelling. “Yelling at cats or dogs just isn’t going to keep them from doing what they’re doing,” Gaffin says. “Initially, it may scare them and stop them, but they don’t tend to [associate] you raising your voice with the behavior.”

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. 

“We all do it unknowingly, even with babies, we raise our voices to a higher pitch – we associate good things with a higher pitch,” Gaffin says. “So, if we’re trying to get [cats] to understand that this is something we don’t want them to do, lowering your pitch or adding some sternness to the voice where it’s not necessarily yelling but just having a firmer tone, can sometimes help cats differentiate between OK behavior and not-OK behavior.” 

Training techniques to prevent your cat from scratching  

Regarding behavior tactics, Cassiday suggests 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 is a great time to start working on this habit.
  

“Childproofing works well with cats,” Gaffin adds. “You can use barriers and bumpers on the bottom of your couch, which could keep your cat from scratching that little bottom portion of the couch. In general, it’d be hard if it’s the only thing you have and they like it. The other idea is to give them a scratching post that sits right next to it.” 

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. According to Gaffin, this is not only humane but could also further behavioral issues. 

“[Declawing] creates other bad behaviors in cats because of defense mechanisms,” Gaffin says. “They can resort to biting because they don’t have their claws now to defend themselves. Sometimes, it’ll create behavioral issues where they’ll start spraying in the house.” 

“Childproofing works well with cats. You can use barriers and bumpers on the bottom of your couch, which could keep your cat from scratching that little bottom portion of the couch. In general, it’d be hard if it’s the only thing you have and they like it. The other idea is to give them a scratching post that sits right next to it.” 

— Dr. LaVonne Gaffin, an emergency veterinarian

Underlying issues related to scratching furniture

While deterring your cat from scratching furniture persistently can be annoying, kitty scratching is perfectly normal. So, if your feline pal is not scratching, it could mean underlying health or behavioral problems.

Health concerns 

“If you notice that they’re not using their scratching posts, that could indicate that there’s something wrong with their claws, paws and even just their limbs in general,” Gaffin says. For example, they might be suffering from ingrown nails, which can lead to infection because the nail, in that case, would be growing underneath the paw, leading to limping and bleeding.

Trimming your cat’s nails evades both scratching and nail-related health concerns. 

“Keep their nails short. Whether you take them to the vet to get them cut or if you feel comfortable cutting them at home, keeping them short makes it less likely that they’ll scratch your furniture,” Gaffin says.

Doing weekly wellness checks is key. “Make sure that you’re checking their nails regularly, especially if you’re letting them use a scratching post to keep them dull because that actually makes [them] sharper,” she says.

At-home wellness checks should also include checking their teeth and mouths. “Even if they don’t let you open them, just petting along their jawline and see how they react,” Gaffin says, adding that you’ll want to 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. 

Behavior 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.

“Some of the most common behavior issues are eliminating outside of the litter box, aggression towards people or other animals, behaviors like scratching furniture, meowing excessively and waking you up at night,” Cassiday says. 

She says you want to look out for “attention-seeking or nuisance behaviors” as they are key to understanding whether or not your cat is exhibiting concerning actions. 

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 behavior, 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. 

Gaffin says giving each measure one month could be helpful, but it all depends on each owner’s personal tolerance level. “As long as the pet is healthy otherwise, I would say six months or so would be feasible to try a couple of different things and give each one a month or two to see how the pet responds to it.” 

Cassiday says she encourages cat owners to see her sooner rather than later. “Often, people wait until they are at their wits’ end and are completely fed up with their cat,” she says. “If you have tried to resolve an issue on your own and are having limited or no success, a behaviorist or behavior consultant can help.” 

Regular check-ups at your cat’s veterinarian can be beneficial to recognizing health issues that could be underlying problematic behaviors like scratching furniture.

“As an emergency veterinarian, I [notice] cats often seem to get pushed by the wayside,” Gaffin says. “People are often not as preemptive in healthcare for cats [as they are with dogs]. They’re like, ‘Oh, they sit indoors all day, they eat.’ ‘They don’t need to be up to date on their vaccines.’ ‘They don’t need to go to the vet every year.’ But cats, especially as they age, get a lot of issues that could be easily diagnosed with yearly exams versus waiting until you see that they’re sick. It’s just being mindful as cat owners, even though they’re low-key and don’t do a ton, they can have secret illnesses you don’t notice until they’re really sick.”

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 behavior 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, one of the reasons we love cats is for their big personalities, so above all, understanding that they are who they are is vital.

Deterring cats from scratching furniture requires being mindful of how your cat operates, Gaffin says. “[You have to do] things that will get them to have the result you want them to have versus doing what’s most convenient for you,” she says.