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Regularly trim your cat\u2019s nails is a humane alternative to declawing.<\/p><\/div>\n
Learning to regularly trim your cat\u2019s nails or using nail caps are humane alternatives to declawing.<\/p>\n
Keeping Your Cat from Scratching Furniture<\/h3>\n
But even if you regularly trim your cat\u2019s nails<\/a>, he may still be capable of destroying your furniture. Stopping your cat from scratching furniture is a priority for most cat owners and a very common struggle. So how do you keep your cat from scratching furniture?<\/p>\n The answer is positive reinforcement. Instead of thinking about what you don\u2019t want your cat to do, think about offering him an appropriate alternative and making that alternative way more fun and rewarding! The common mindset of thinking that we need to stop, rather than redirect an unwanted behavior leads many cat owners to use punishment-based techniques, like squirt bottles or yelling to stop their cat from scratching the couch.<\/p>\n Simply put, punishment doesn\u2019t work well for cats<\/a>, especially when it comes to scratching. Cats need to scratch. It\u2019s a normal, natural behavior. If you punish him for scratching your couch but don\u2019t show him that using the scratching post is okay, you\u2019ll accomplish one of two things. One, he will learn to just scratch the couch when you\u2019re not around. Or two, he\u2019ll move on to scratching something equally undesirable, like your carpet or another piece of furniture.<\/p>\n In order to understand what types of scratching items to offer your cat and how to make them appealing, we first need to understand why cats need to scratch.<\/p>\n Cats use scratching to fully stretch out their entire bodies.<\/p><\/div>\n Your cat is a unique individual, and as such, he has his own preferences as to what type of items he likes to scratch. It\u2019s important to offer him lots of choices and find out what he likes the best. Remember, what we are giving him must be more appealing to use than your couch!<\/p>\n What if you\u2019ve followed these tips and it isn\u2019t enough? There are many ways to make your scratching items look even more attractive and encourage your cat to use them.<\/p>\n Initiate play with your cat near the scratching post to encourage them to use it.<\/p><\/div>\n Play with your cat.<\/strong> We talked earlier about how cats love to scratch during play. So, initiate some play and bring that wand toy<\/a> close to the scratching post, that way when your cat jumps up to grab the toy, he sinks his claws into the post. He won\u2019t be able to resist scratching, then.<\/li>\n Channeling your cat\u2019s scratching habit to an appropriate outlet is simple if you know the right tips and tricks! Follow these steps and your cat should stop scratching furniture in no time.<\/p>\n \n Avoid Punishment<\/h5>\n
Why Do Cats Scratch?<\/h3>\n
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Scratching Posts Are Not One Size Fits All<\/h3>\n
What Should You Keep in Mind When Choosing a Scratching Post?<\/h5>\n
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How Can I Make My Scratching Posts More Appealing?<\/h5>\n
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