Is your couch ruined by your cat’s scratching? Does she seem to want to annoy you further by shredding the upholstery to ribbons?Believe it or not, she's not trying to drive you crazy: She's just doing what all cats naturally do. So the solution isn't getting your cat to stop scratching. The solution is to encourage her to use an acceptable alternative-- something that isn't your furniture!Keep reading to learn how you can train your cat to use a scratching post.Why Do Cats Scratch? Cats like to scratch for many reasons. One reason is that cats like to keep their claws sharp. Scratching also helps cats remove the old worn-out sheaths growing over their claws.When cats scratch, it helps tone their muscles. Scratching gives them a bit of exercise.Cats also feel a need to mark their territories, and scratching is a great way to do that.As you can see, no matter how much you try to train her out of scratching, it’s simply not going to work, it goes against her nature.The answer is to give your cat an acceptable substitute.Getting your Cat a Scratching PostA good cat scratching post must stand rock solid. Don't cheap out and buy those flimsy little things from the pet store. Your cat isn't going to like a scratching post that falls over each time she tries to use it.Cats also like to stretch full length whilst scratching, so make sure the post you choose is tall enough to allow for her.Make sure the cat post is covered in the right materials, there are a lot of posts currently on the market covered in extra soft fur fabrics. These tear easily and are not ideal, a post covered in sisal rope and tough carpet is a good option.Sounds kinda like a tree doesn’t it? It should, big cats in the wild love to scratch on trees, they are tall, rock solid and fun to shred.Training Your Cat to Use a PostIt’s not always enough to simply buy a cat scratching post and hope she starts using it. You need to make it as attractive as possible.Location matters! Place it close to your couch or wherever your cat loves to scratch. Don't work against your cat's routine. If the scratching post is tucked away in some corner of your house your cat never uses, why would she bother with this thing?You can make the post more attractive with catnip and feather toys. You might want to start off by playing with your cat around the scratching post. When she digs her claws into it, praise her. Give her a treat. You want her to associate this new toy with fun and good experiences.What Not to Do When Your Cat Scratches Your Furniture Even if your cat likes the scratching post, that's no guarantee she'll automatically stop scratching up your furniture. She's used to her old scratching spots, and besides, they carry her scent.When your cat scratches your furniture:Don’t hit or yell at your cat, unlike dogs, cats aren’t as susceptible to this kind of training. They won’t connect their behavior with scratching the furniture. Cats are more likely to get confused and frightened. If you do it too much she will come to think of you as someone to avoid.Don't drag your cat away from the furniture. While many cat owners may tell you to calmly remove your cat and drag her to the scratching post, this may not always be the best strategy. It's better if the cat thinks the scratching post is her idea. This action might actually offend her.Instead, try to divert your cat's attention. Call her name, distract her with a toy. Casually draw her attention to the scratching post by playing with her.Making Your Funtiure less Desirable for ScratchingCurrently your couch is the epitome of a good place to scratch, the material is fun to shred, it’s tall enough to stretch on and like a tree, it’s sturdy. Best of all it smells like her now.There are lots of things you can do to discourage your cat from scratching your furniture:Use double-sided tape. Covering your cat's favorite scratching spot with sticky stuff like this will probably repel her.Clean your couch. This removes your cat's scent, making it less attractive. Use the same kind of cleanser you would use to remove all traces of urine. Be sure to test on a small area to make sure it won't damage the upholstery.Move the couch. This may be as simple as repositioning the couch so that your cat's favorite scratching spot is inaccessible. If that's not possible, you might want to temporarily move it to a place where she can't reach it.Spray the couch with scent, a citrus smell is good as cats generally hate the small. Make when you spray it, it doesn’t go near the scratching post though.
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Is your couch ruined by your cat’s scratching? Does she seem to want to annoy you further by shredding the upholstery to ribbons? Believe it or not, she's not trying to drive you crazy: She's just doing what all cats naturally do. So the solution isn't getting your cat to stop scratching. The solu
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