Clawing of furniture and other household products is destructive behavior from your point of view. But, from your kitty’s point of view, it is a natural behavior, following a biological need in order to keep its claws in the top shape. Cats also provide a form of exercise to her shoulders, legs, and paws through stretching and retracting.
Another motive of clawing is that cats have scent glands in their paws, which is not a strong odor like a male cat's musk but distinct to the individual. The scratching spot shows cat's presence to other animals, declaring territory. Paradoxically, cats may claw your favorite furniture because she is marking you as her human. However, if you are annoyed with this behavior of your feline friend, some effective tips to stop this habit are as follows:
- For cats new to your home:
- You can place two to three scratching posts in the favorite sleeping and playing spots of your cat. You can buy a stylish post from the market or make one as long as it is made of a material kitty can shred.
- Cats are independent, so do not even try hand-forcing her paw to scratch the post.
- You should encourage scratching in the right place by hanging some toys near or on the post and scenting it with catnip. You can also be the example by scratching this post by yourself when your kitty is nearby, and reward your feline friend with some treats when she does what you want.
- For older cats with a scratching problem
- Try to cover the area where you feline friend has been scratching with thick plastic so that it feels less tempting.
- You can also put the scratching post next to the old scratching territory of your furry friend, and use a similar fabric on the post as her old scratching ground.
- You can also leave the posts in prominent areas of your home. You cat is unlikely to scratch a post buried in the back of your basement.
- You can also use a citrus oil to deter your cat. Some cats are repelled by the scent of citrus oil. You can mix equal parts, about a cap-full each of orange oil and eucalyptus oil, in a spray bottle of water. There may also be other fragrant oils that your feline friend does not like. So go ahead and experiment. You should shake the contents before each use because oil and water will separate after a short time. This method not only helps to deter your cat from destroying furniture, but also gives your house a pleasant odor.