How to Stop Your Cat From Scratching Furniture (10 Methods)

0:05 hey cat lovers welcome back to another video as much as we love our feline friends we also want to keep our decor intact after researching expert advice we found 10 easy methods to stop your cat from scratching the furniture which we'll be sharing in this video by the way if you enjoy learning about cats

0:21 consider subscribing to our channel so you never miss another cat video if you feel frustrated just know that you aren't alone my wife and i went through the scratching phase with maggie thankfully it only took a combination of two methods to make her lose interest in scratching our couch and chairs today

0:36 only one technique is needed to maintain success yes really now first let's talk about why cats scratch things so why do cats scratch things scratching is a natural act for a cat and is completely necessary for their well-being according to jackson galaxy cat behaviorist and dr gene hoffy

0:57 holistic veterinarian here are the reasons your cat scratches first is to keep claws healthy it helps remove the dead outer nail husk keeping the nail healthy and sharp second is to stretch it allows the cat to stretch which is necessary to strengthen their upper body stretching also allows them to exercise their

1:15 muscles third is to mark it lets cats mark their territory visually their paws contain scent glands which release odors when he or she scratches things which causes the cat's signature to be left behind and fourth is to feel good not only does scratching feel great to cats but it

1:31 also relieves stress this means that when a cat scratches things there is a lesser chance they will develop other unwanted behaviors now that you know why cats need to scratch it's important to learn what not to do before trying any methods so what should you never do to prevent scratching

1:48 [Music] contrary to popular belief cats are not spiteful animals this means that if a cat scratches your chair they aren't out to get you instead the cat is simply scratching for the reasons mentioned earlier i get it in the heat of the moment especially if your 2 000 sofa just got

2:06 ruined it can be easy to lose patience with your cat however punishing your cat will never solve the problem instead punishment will lead to worse problems down the road first we can't stress enough how important it is to never yell or physically punish your cat if they scratch something that's off limits not

2:24 only is scalding or hitting completely ineffective but doing either will also make them fear you yelling and smacking will also cause the cat to feel stressed and anxious which can lead to additional unwanted behaviors plus a cat would never understand the reason for these punishments anyway

2:39 second we urge you to never declaw your cat to prevent or resolve destructive scratching despite the name declawing is much more than removing a cat's claws in order to make sure the claws don't grow back the end bone of each toe must be amputated which is one-third of a cat's paw this

2:56 is equivalent to cutting a human's finger off at the first knuckle this procedure is considered very inhumane because it causes unnecessary pain and suffering ironically many declawed cats develop behavioral problems that are more serious than scratching now that you know what not to do let's talk about

3:12 which methods can stop your cat from scratching the furniture method number one scratching posts shortly after we brought maggie home we learned she loved to scratch our living room chair to save the chair we placed a scratching post in front of the part she scratched the most instead of scratching

3:31 the chairs she went to town on the scratching post like a happy girl this method really is a win-win because it allows your cat to fulfill their need to scratch while also saving the off-limits surface plus it's easy to implement before the chair fiasco we already had scratching posts however they were not

3:46 strategically placed around the house that's why the key to this method is placing the scratching posts in front of things you want to protect note that if your cat isn't immediately interested in the scratching post like maggie was you can lure them over with treats another option is to sprinkle catnip or spray

4:01 honeysuckle on it which are both things cats love there are different types of scratching posts that meet various feline preferences for example horizontal cardboard scratchers for carpet lovers wedge-shaped cardboard ramps for cats who scratch low on furniture and upright posts for a cat who likes to stretch

4:17 while scratching since there are several options it's recommended to get a variety of different scratching posts to find out which type your cat prefers if you shop around you can easily find inexpensive scratching posts aside from the type of scratching posts the material that the

4:31 post is made of is also important according to jackson galaxy and dr hoffy natural wood is a good option because it closely mimics a tree something cats love to scratch in nature many cats also like the feel of a sissyl rope-wound post others may like redwood or cedar planks method number two

4:51 citrus sprays another method that helped us out tremendously was using citrus sprays scratching post and citrus sprays are the only two methods maggie ever needed all you have to do is spray the fabric surface you want to protect these sprays work because cats have a natural aversion to citrus odors to maintain its

5:10 effect you simply have to reapply as needed since citrus sprays are natural deterrence for cats it's important that you never spray the product directly on the cat these products are only meant to be sprayed on fabric surfaces if you are spraying a couch or chair we recommend doing so before bedtime this way it'll

5:26 be fully dry the next time you sit on it and no product will rub off we'll have the spray we used and other mentioned products linked in the description below method number three feel away spray feel away spray works by giving the cat the impression that the area has already been marked which makes them think there

5:47 is no need to scratch as an added bonus it has a calming effect on the cats just like the last spray feel away spray is only meant to be sprayed on the problem areas not directly on the cat method number four covering the item many first-time cat parents don't think to cover the items that need protection

6:09 but this can easily be done by covering the targeted piece with a sheet or another option is to buy a furniture protector that is specifically designed to protect against cat scratches even if you don't want to cover that beautiful sofa long term it's a great place to start if you are waiting to get supplies

6:24 from one of the other methods method number five double sided tape another technique is to place double-sided tape on the area you want to protect this product works because the tape has a tactile feel which cats avoid sticky paws is a popular choice because it comes in different sizes and

6:44 versions designed specifically for furniture or plants it's also easy to apply method number six motion activated spray like the name sounds a motion activated sprayer works automatically when the sprayer detects your cat entering in off-limits area it emits a harmless and odorless spray to deter them from

7:06 continuing this is also a way to keep cats off countertops and tables if you frequently walk past the sprayer's spot you could always save this method for when you're out of the house method number seven trimming nails although this might sound like an obvious one i didn't want to leave it

7:25 out because some cat parents don't think trimming nails will solve the problem while trim nails themselves won't stop them from scratching they will reduce the amount of damage done to anything your cat does scratch if you are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with cutting your cat's nails ask your

7:39 vet to show you also if you want us to do a video explaining how to trim a cat's nails let us know in the comments method number eight nail caps nail cats are like a woman's equivalent to acrylic nails the caps cover each nail so that the scratching causes little to no damage nail caps usually

8:00 fall off after four to six weeks at which time new ones need to be applied these caps are said to be a humane alternative to declawing the material is non-toxic and the caps still allow the full retraction and extension of claws which means your cat won't be stopped from stretching their muscles

8:16 in order for nail caps to properly work it is crucial that they are applied correctly so if you decide to do this make sure you follow the directions closely method number nine vinyl carpet runners this method involves setting up a vinyl carpet runner with the spike side up in front of the spot where your cat loves

8:36 to scratch the prickly feeling will soon teach the cat not to go near the runner although vinyl carpet runners can be effective this is one of those methods that should be saved as a last resort however the option is there for extra stubborn cats method number 10 a squirt bottle finally you can resort to squirting the

8:58 cat with water when they are caught scratching as mentioned earlier you should never scold the cat so if you do squirt them simply say in a firm but calm voice the word no while doing so according to the aspca squirting should be saved as a last resort because the startling act can cause your cat to fear

9:15 you which is something you never want for this reason we urge you to try all other methods before this one at the end of the day all cats are different which is why it's best to experiment to see which of these methods works best for your cat it's also important to always consult with your

9:30 veterinarian if you are concerned about your cat's behavior also if this list is unsuccessful it's time to call your bet asap because there could be something going on with your cat if you have tried any of these methods let us know which ones work in the comments below also if you found this

9:46 video helpful please give it a thumbs up because it helps other cad lovers find our content thank you guys for watching and we'll see you next cater day for another video