Problem Scratching Solved

Love your cat?  Love your furniture? Problem scratching can become a serious problem for you and your cat. Your cat may scratch furniture because she’s bored, anxious or afraid. As you take action to protect both the sofa and your relationship to your cat, remember you have to get back to the root cause of the scratching.

Photo: bigstock.com/Natalia Duryagina

First, make sure you have a scratcher that your cat wants to use (we had to go through a few before we met one that kitty liked).  Try a sisal or cardboard scratcher first, and place it conveniently for your feline friend. Two favourites:

• Frisco Wall Sisal Cat Scratcher

• SmartCat Ultimate 32-inch Sisal Cat Scratching Post

If you are fully equipped with scratching posts, pads and loungers, the problem may be psychological. Is your cat disturbed by home renovations, a move or another disruption? Commit to time with your cat. Ensure that you and kitty get some quality time, playing and snuggling. Scratching can be a territorial behaviour as cats seek to mark areas of the home as theirs. Many cat owners use a product like Feliway to discourage stress-based scratching.

If you’ve tried all these strategies without success, consider whether you’ve made your home truly cat friendly. If your cat doesn’t have an area to call home, often a cat tree or condo can help with territorial urges. Our cats are loving the K&H Pet Products EZ Mount Penthouse Cat Window Perch, which are great for cat lovers without a lot of space. You can find a solution to problem scratching, as long as you consider how your cat is feeling!

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