Scratching Furniture

Download the PDF on Healthy Scratching

Scratching is a natural, healthy, and necessary activity for all cats. By understanding why your cat or kitten needs to scratch, and encouraging healthy and appropriate scratching habits, you can have a cat and a nice couch too!

Why do cats scratch?

Cats use their claws for a variety of reasons:

• To defend themselves
• To climb, exercise, and stretch. Stretching is essential for cats to maintain healthy back, chest, and leg muscles and to help keep their spine and hips properly aligned
• To mark territory with their scent
• For emotional release when they feel stressed or excited

Cats tend to scratch in social areas and places where your scent is the strongest – like your couch or your bed – because they are trying to mingle their scent with yours. Consider it a kitty compliment!

How can I promote positive behaviour?

Here are a few tips to help your cat develop healthy scratching habits:

1. Provide a good quality scratching post; a tall, sturdy, vertical one is best. You can train your cat to use it by, for example, having it chase a toy up the post. Some scratchers come with catnip to rub on the post as an incentive. A sturdy horizontal scratcher is a good alternative for cats that prefer to scratch carpet or other flat surfaces.
2. Put the post beside any piece of furniture that your cat seems to like to scratch; gently encourage them to the post when they get the urge to scratch, for example, using a feather wand toy, or rubbing cat nip on the post.
3. Cover any area or piece of furniture that your cat has chosen to scratch with a deterrent, such as double-sided tape. Once cats realize they don’t like the texture and they have a better alternative, they typically stop scratching that area.
4. Keep multiple scratchers around the house, placing them in your cat’s favourite spots.

Never punish a cat for scratching furniture. Instead, use positive reinforcement, like treats: reward the behaviour you want to see!