My cat keeps damaging my furniture, what can I do?

Owning a cat might be something you’ve been planning for some time now but are you sure you are prepared to accept the challenges that come with it? Cat lovers and owners know how important it is to keep their feline friend taken care of in order to have a good relationship with it but what if your cute kitty cat is already destroying your furniture due to clawing? Will you still love your little ball of fluff?

It is quite normal for cats to scratch but when they start scratching your furniture, you are sure to feel a headache coming on. This is one of the reasons why cats are given away by their owners to shelters because they have been destroying their furniture causing them additional expenses.

Cats scratch not only to sharpen their claws but it also helps them loosen up their muscles and tendons on their legs and shoulders. They also scratch to mark their territory using the glands that are found on their paws. When they scratch, they leave their scent on the item which tells other cats that it is owned already. However, this won’t do if your furniture will be used as a scratching post.

Although it can’t be helped for cats to scratch, you can direct their scratching to designated areas instead.

Scratching boards and posts do come in handy if you have a cat. Simply place them near your sofa or chairs and direct your cat to scratch them instead of the furniture. You won’t have a hard time finding scratching posts because they come in different sizes and shapes. The posts are covered either by Sisal or carpet.

Trimming your cat’s nails can also help lessen the damage to your furniture as well as using a water spray to deter it from sinking its claws on your prized seat. However, the water spray only works while you are there. Your cat will most likely claw on your furniture when you are not around. The most effective way to stop your cat from damaging your furniture is to train it to use the scratching post.