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 Cats need to scratch, but that doesn’t mean
they have to do it on your beautiful sofa.
You can train your cat to use a scratch post
instead.
Already tried that and failed? The reason
may be that you only took care of part of
the job. If you set up deterrents on or
around furniture, that just stops the
scratching at that particular location. The
natural need to scratch, which is part of
how a cat is hardwired, remains, so your cat
will either 1) go in search of another
location, or 2) become frustrated and
stressed because she can’t fulfill a natural
need. Here’s a better training plan:
1. Set up an effective deterrent.
Make the piece of furniture unappealing. In
most cases, the best way to do that is to
use Sticky Paws, a double-sided tape made
especially for this purpose. Place the
strips of tape over the areas the cat is
scratching. If kitty is scratching the
entire chair, cover it with a sheet, but
make sure you tuck it in all around and
secure it at the bottom with tape.
2. Provide an appealing alternative.
Get a rough-textured scratching post made
from sisal or rope, not a carpet-covered
post (most cats don’t like them), and make
sure the post is tall and sturdy so the cat
can get a full stretch. Smart Cat and TopCat
Products make great scratching posts.
Important: place the post right next to the
piece of furniture your cat is currently
scratching.
3. Spread the joy. Some cats scratch
horizontally, so you may also want to try
horizontal scratch pads made of corrugated
cardboard. Cats love them!
4. Reward good behavior. Offer your
cat a treat when she uses her scratching
post.
For more information refer to the book
Think Like a
Cat or
Starting from Scratch.
© 2009 Cat Behavior Associates, LLC
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