Scratching is one of the most important and normal behaviours for a cat and they do it for a few reasons. To protect their furniture and important belongings from cat scratches, cat owners should supply their cats with cat scratching posts or outlets.

 

Why they do it

Cats don’t just scratch for the fun of it. They do it for specific reasons, which include any or all of these:

1.      It makes them feel comfortable to stretch and scratch at the same time. Cats sleep anywhere between 12 and 16 hours, meaning they need a good stretch when they get up. A good stretch goes with some scratching, especially against a vertical surface.

2.      Because scratching makes them feel comfortable, it helps them to relax.

3.      There are scent glands in cats’ paws and when they scratch, they deposit the pheromones onto the surface. When they smell their pheromones, it helps them to feel at home and secure.

4.      When cats scratch a vertical surface, they also stretch out their muscles and back.

5.      Another reason for scratching is to keep their nails healthy as they remove dead pieces of nails.

 

Quality scratching posts

Whatever you do, do NOT even consider declawing your cat. That will be inhumane and extremely unfair to your cat. If you feel that your cat is destroying your furniture, rather opt for scratching solutions for your cat, like a scratching post.

There is a huge range of solutions available in pet shops, from small cardboard-type scratching pads to a variety of cat ‘trees’ to choose from. Some of the posts also feature hammocks and spaces where they can hide. The more scratching solutions you have for your cat, the better.

Speak to the shop assistants at Imperial Pets to discuss your budget and your cat’s scratching needs.

 

Still scratching?

When you find that your cat is still scratching away at your furniture and curtains, you might want to consult your vet as there might be an underlying health issue. If she gets the all-clear from your vet, you might want to consult with a reputable behaviourist to help you teach your cat to make use of her scratching posts.