Cat Scratch! How to Cope with a Destructive Cat
By Claire Goyer BA(Hons.), HND. The Haslemere Pet Company
The most common question we are asked regarding Cat behaviour is how to cope with out of control scratching. While it is important to understand that scratching is a natural behaviour, it is hard to deal with a cat that routinely destroys carpets, sofas and other household items.
Why Do Cat’s Scratch?
Scratching serves several functions. They keep a cat's hunting weapons sharp, allow them to scent mark their territory, provide exercise, enjoyment, and are a means of expressing natural curiosity.
But some cats scratch out of habit or to relieve boredom but also to relieve stress, and these reasons may lead to destructive tendencies
So What Can I do About it?
First of all - Don't blame the cat ! Please understand that the cat is not doing this out of spite or in an attempt to cause destruction on purpose.
Provide a scratching post
It is important to provide an outlet for claw sharpening in the form of a scratch post if your cat is an indoor cat or has got into the habit of sharpening its claws inside the house. To encourage you cat to use it, place the post in front of the damaged area, and sprinkle or spray a bit of Catnip on the post. If you catch your cat in the act of scratching elsewhere, carry it to the post and encourage it to scratch there instead.
Make sure that the post your select is the right size and shape for your cat. There is no point in buying a small post if you have a large cat, or buying a cheaply made post that your cat may destroy in seconds. Your cat should be able to stretch the full length of the post but not be able to reach the top. Look for posts made of Sisal – a hard wearing, rope like material.
Play more with your Cat
If curiosity or the satisfaction of clawing soft furnishings is encouraging the cat to use that area you will need to give it another outlet. Try playing with your cat more often, and provide toys which offer an outlet for its hunting abilities. Tail Ticklers (Long feather like toys attached to a stick) are very popular as are any toys with feathers or bells. Lots of cats enjoy chasing balls, but make sure that the balls are the right size to avoid choking.
Make Your Cat Feel More Secure
Destructive behaviors may be a sign that the cat may be feeling insecure. Possible causes could be other cats coming into the house, conflict between resident cats, changes within the household, or fear of something outside. You may be able to help your cat feel more confident by:
- Closing the cat flap and letting the cat in and out yourself or fitting a type which keeps strange cats out.
- Looking carefully at relationships between multiple cats and provide some resting places high up to let the cat relax while still being able to watch what is going on.
- Never punish the cat. This will make it feel even more insecure. You should be viewed as a source of security by your cat, rather than as an additional threat.
Clean Scratched Areas
If the cat is using scratching as a form of marking its territory then it will be attracted back to the spot as the scent wears off. If this is an area where you want to stop the cat scratching and the surface is cleanable, then it can be useful to try and remove the smell as much as possible. This can be done using a product such as Simple Solution for Cats which removes cat scent marks.
