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How do I stop my cat from damaging my furniture?
Dr Kim Kendall
This is a desperate plea that we hear from cat owners every day. Really it stems from a misunderstanding of how cats view their world and how they leave messages for themselves and us!
Cats regard humans as being somewhat dim and clumsy cats. However, this does not prevent them from trying to communicate so the key to the problem is to learn Cat Language - and that doesn’t just mean Meow!
Why do cats scratch?
Cats evolved to live in a dangerous world, where the safest place to be is up a tree. They also lived in a very low density environment with hardly any other cats around in their desert habitat.
Consequently they developed a sort of email system by leaving a message on a tree till the next cat came by and picked it up. Cats leave visual information by scratching trees - which also sharpens their claws ready to climb it in a hurry. They also leave behind a subtle smell from glands in their paws and from their face to give an individual scent signature.
So when your cat is clawing your furniture - think of it as a message that she’s sure you are going to want. Jumping up high is your cat’s best way to guarantee its personal safety.
But what can I do?
I love my couch and I don’t want ALL my ornaments broken!
There are some really good ways to keep your cat happy and your furniture safe. It is much easier to reward a cat for doing the right thing than to keep pouncing on them for doing the wrong thing. Just think how hard it is to figure out what is bothering your cat if it only hisses or cries; you have to keep guessing! So treat your cat like a toddler - reward it when it does the right thing, then ignore the wrong thing!
The first is to get a really good scratching post. It needs to be at least one metre high (so your cat can have a good stretch on it), and be sturdy enough to withstand your cat pulling down on it. That is why your cat loves your couch - it doesn’t move when they dig their claws in!
(see article on Training Your Cat To Use A Scratching Post)
What about jumping on benches?
The same principle goes for stopping your cat from jumping on things - but here you have to be consistent. If you don’t want your cat on a bench top or whatever, you have to make it unpleasant every time your cat jumps. It is no use some members of the family thinking it is funny or OK to have a cat on the table, and others not - you will only confuse the cat.
So, squirt with a water pistol (with a touch of lemon juice or vinegar in it if there’s no reaction to plain water)or spray bottle whenever the cat jumps up. Whatever you do, don’t respond with noise or shouting because you want the cat to think the table has squirted it (or someone invisible). If you shout at the cat, they will then avoid the table - but only when you are there!
Another trick is to put contact paper on the surface (icky sticky feet again!) or a shallow tray of water just beyond the edge of the table, out of the cat’s sight.
For total repulsion there is a motion-activated pressure can that sprays citrus when the cat goes near it (SSScat). For around $160 it can keep your cat away from anything. However, remember once again - you have to let your cat do something - there is no point repelling it from everywhere as then it will just get completely confused and stressed.
Why does my cat scratch while I’m watching?
Cats who scratch while you are watching have probably figured out they can get your attention by hooking the cloth on your favourite chair. In this circumstance they are usually attention seeking and your ‘no’ is just what they are after.
This is much harder to stop - you can try squirting but you will find the cat is watching you anyway and will run before you get near it! Try distracting them with a game (something on a long line) and then pay attention to them when they sit near the toy rather than when they hook the couch!
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Dr Kim Kendall BVSc MACVSc (Feline Medicine) graduated from the University of Sydney in 1982 and established the East Chatswood Cat Clinic in 1994, a dedicated cat-only Veterinary Clinic. The practice does everything for cats and is a full service veterinary clinic.
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We will post more training tips from time to time so keep checking back.
Thank You!
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