"Cats scratching up your furniture can make a pet owner very frustrated and miffed at their cat. They scratch to shed the old layers of their nails, and not to keep their nails sharp. They also keep their muscles toned by stretching when they reach to scratch an object.
Since it is in a cat's nature to scratch, do not discipline him. He will not understand what he is being punished for. Instead take steps to correct the problem by giving him alternatives to scratch. Of course, the best alternative is a scratching post. You may need more than one as this varies on how many walls or pieces of furniture he is scratching. There are many different brands of scratching posts from a variety of places. Shopping around can always bring you the best value for the price. Things to look for when shopping for a scratching post would be that the post is tall enough for your cat to make sure he gets a good stretch. Always situate your post in front of the piece of furniture that is being shredded. If your cat is hesitant on using his new post you can rub catnip on it to make it more enticing and string some toys around it.
It may take a little time for your cat to realize that he is supposed to scratch this post, especially if he has been disciplined for scratching other inappropriate furniture and walls. You can help the process along by watching your cat and when he goes to scratch your funiture or walls then place him in front of his new scratching post. Praise him and give encouragement. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day, it may take awhile for your cat to adjust to his new post.
If your cat still persists in scratching your furniture you can make the experience as unpleasant as possible by covering it with aluminum foil, plastic carpet runner with pointy side out, or sandpaper. Anything your cat will find abrasive will work for this.
If it is your walls or doors that your cat has developed a liking for then you can purchase a scratching board. You can hang these and your cat can be trained to use them in much the same way as their post. Cats do not like citrusy smells.
If it is your carpet or wood floors your cat likes to shred then you can use rush matting. Remember to put a little catnip spread on it to make it enticing and tape it down to the floor so it won't bunch up on your cat when he scratches.
If you're really adventurous you can keep your cat's claws trimmed. This might be tricky to begin with as cats are not know for their patience or tolerance. Starting when your cat is young will always make this task easier. Ease into this by playing with your cats paws to get him use to it.
If all these methods fail, there are products which will cover the tips of your cat's claws. These are sold everywhere for varying prices and come in a lot of pretty colors. The downside to these products is kitty may not want them on. Also these products are made to fall off as your cat's claws grow, so be prepared to replace them about every six weeks."
~article by Glenda Smith
At our shelter, we sell "Soft Paws". They're easy to put on, and easy to maintain. And, they come in cool colors! I recommend that you have someone show you how to put them on, and take care of them. Also, if you're uncomfortable in doing this, often you can pay a small fee to an Animal Shelter that sells the product, or even your local Vet office.
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