How to Keep Your Cat From Scratching Your Furniture

Many Modernistic team members and customers share their homes with beloved pets. We love their companionship, but sometimes they do things we can't stand! For a variety of reasons, cats love to scratch, but how can we keep them off of our furniture? Does your cat get enough exercise, entertainment, playtime, attention? Cats have a pretty small world they live in everyday. Without your attention, plenty of toys, and scratching surfaces, they will look for other way to get their energy out. Are you taking care of your cat's nails? In the wild, cats would be climbing trees, walking on the rough ground, and scratching many surfaces that would help keep their nails trim and in good shape. Living in a cozy human home means they don't have these natural opportunities to scratch, meaning they will be looking for your best tree and ground like surfaces. Do you have surfaces specifically meant for your cat to scratch? Cats have a primal instinct to scratch, so you won't be able to stop them. You can, however, make sure they are scratching appropriate "cat" objects. Your furniture is usually out in the open, what about the cat posts? Cats like to leave their visual and scent markers in a spot where everyone can see and smell them - What use is marking your territory if no one notices? Putting a scratching post in a back corner is a good way to hide it out of sight of company, but it is also making it less attractive to your cat. So, what steps can you take to stop a cat from scratching your furniture? Make sure you provide a variety of scratching substitutes, such as cardboard, rope-wrapped posts, and carpet. Don't hide the scratchers away, put them right out in the open. Place a new scratching post right by the piece of furniture your cat likes to scratch. Give treats for scratching the new post. If your cat responds well of catnip, add some to the new post. There are deterrent sprays and sticky pads you can add to your furniture. Keep in mind, if you only add the deterrent, but don't have enough appropriate scratching objects, your cat will keep scratching your furniture. Spend some quality time playing with your cat, trim her nails, and she should be content scratching the new scratching objects. If, after all this, your cat is still more interested in your furniture than her posts, speak with your vet for professional advice. Since 1973, Modernistic has been cleaning up after Michigan’s pets on carpet, upholstery, tile and grout, and hardwood! Call or click today to see how we can help you with your pet messes.