Cats love to scratch.
This is a well-known fact amongst cat owners and can be a source of headache for people who are tired of having their living room furniture destroyed.
But why do cats scratch and what can be done about it? Scratching is a natural and instinctive behavior for cats and it serves several purposes.
First, it helps to keep the claws in good condition as it helps to remove the dead, outer layer of the claw - think of it like exfoliation for cats.
Also, by digging its claws into something, this enables a cat to fully stretch it muscles (which is, apparently, very important after a long, hard day of lying around doing nothing!).
Cats also use scratching to communicate and as a way to mark territory.
Unfortunately for cat owners, carpets, chairs and couches are perfect for scratching - so how can people have cats in the house yet still protect their furniture? Declawing will prevent a kitty from scratching furniture, but this is an extremely cruel practice.
Some people mistakenly believe that claws serve no more purpose than a person's fingernails.
In reality, because a cat's claws are an integral part of their paw, removing them is similar to cutting off a person's fingers at the first knuckle! The best solution to this is to purchase a cat scratcher.
A cat scratcher is specifically built so that a cat will scratch the scratcher instead of your furniture.
Cat scratchers come in many different configurations - some are stand-alone posts while others hang from a ceiling or door frame.
You can even purchase a cat tower with a cat scratcher built in.
The scratching surface should be made from tightly wound Sisal rope which is good for your cat's claws.
To ensure your pet will actually use the scratcher, many contain scents that cats like which are released when scratched.
You can also put a little catnip or catnip scent on the scratcher which will encourage your cat to scratch it rather than your furniture.
With this, your kitty will be able to scratch happily to her heart's content and you won't have to worry about your new couch!
This is a well-known fact amongst cat owners and can be a source of headache for people who are tired of having their living room furniture destroyed.
But why do cats scratch and what can be done about it? Scratching is a natural and instinctive behavior for cats and it serves several purposes.
First, it helps to keep the claws in good condition as it helps to remove the dead, outer layer of the claw - think of it like exfoliation for cats.
Also, by digging its claws into something, this enables a cat to fully stretch it muscles (which is, apparently, very important after a long, hard day of lying around doing nothing!).
Cats also use scratching to communicate and as a way to mark territory.
Unfortunately for cat owners, carpets, chairs and couches are perfect for scratching - so how can people have cats in the house yet still protect their furniture? Declawing will prevent a kitty from scratching furniture, but this is an extremely cruel practice.
Some people mistakenly believe that claws serve no more purpose than a person's fingernails.
In reality, because a cat's claws are an integral part of their paw, removing them is similar to cutting off a person's fingers at the first knuckle! The best solution to this is to purchase a cat scratcher.
A cat scratcher is specifically built so that a cat will scratch the scratcher instead of your furniture.
Cat scratchers come in many different configurations - some are stand-alone posts while others hang from a ceiling or door frame.
You can even purchase a cat tower with a cat scratcher built in.
The scratching surface should be made from tightly wound Sisal rope which is good for your cat's claws.
To ensure your pet will actually use the scratcher, many contain scents that cats like which are released when scratched.
You can also put a little catnip or catnip scent on the scratcher which will encourage your cat to scratch it rather than your furniture.
With this, your kitty will be able to scratch happily to her heart's content and you won't have to worry about your new couch!
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