Problem Scratching And How To Stop It

Scratching Post Training

Once you provide your cat with the right post for her, you need to make sure that she uses the post and avoids your furniture. Kittens learn scratching behavior when they are several months old, so don't be surprised if your ten week old kitten still doesn't use the post. With time, Kitty will discover the joys of clawing and you need to make sure that she knows where is the best place for it.

Whether training a kitten or an adult cat, don't make the common mistake of trying to put the cat's paws on the scratching post for her. Cats don't like to be handled this way and you risk creating a negative association with the post.

Instead, get the cat interested in the post by playing interactive games around it. Make the cat chase a toy around and on the post. During the chase the cat will probably try to claw at the toy and will probably discover the pleasant surface. When she does she may actually begin to scratch the post as a way to relieve the pent-up excitement caused by the game. When this happens, give plenty of praise in a pleasant quiet tone. Be patient - this may take a few sessions and you want your cat to be relaxed and playful.

If your cat has already discovered the charms of your furniture, you need to make them less appealing; at least until you're sure that the cat is using only the scratching post. You can cover the furniture with aluminum foil or better still with Sticky Paws - a special transparent product that prevents the cat from scratching the covered surface. You can also try a using a special repellant spray on your furniture for the same purpose, but bear in mind that some cats are not affected by the spray.

Remember you can only use these preventive measures after you have provided your cat with an appropriate scratching post and made sure that she knows where it is and how to use it.

When Behavior Modification Doesn't Work

In the long run, it is better to take the time and follow the training program detailed above. If for some reason you cannot do this or you want a faster solution, consider using special plastic caps for your cat's claws, known as Soft Paws or Soft Claws.

These colorful plastic caps are glued on the cat's trimmed claws and take away their destructive edge. Your cat will still be able to retract the claws and use them as usual. She will go through the motions of scratching and enjoy the benefits of this behavior, but no damage will be caused to your furniture.

The caps need to be replaced every three months and the cat's claws need to be trimmed before application. Members of TheCatSite.com's forums who have used this product reported excellent results and ease of use.

Why You Should Never Declaw

Feline onchyectomy or Declawing is a radical procedure that involves amputating the cat's toes at the first knuckle. This is an extremely painful procedure than is nothing short of mutilating the cat. Many cat experts agree that robbing the cat of one of the most natural feline behaviors can lead to serious behavior problems later on. Declawed cats are probably more prone to become biters and some of them may develop litter box problems as well.

Unfortunately there are still many vets in the United States that offer declawing as a routine procedure, along with spaying or neutering. Declawing may be routine for the vet (and quite profitable as well), but it is an unnecessary and extremely painful and traumatic for your cat. In most western countries this procedure is actually illegal. Until the law changes in the US, it is up to us as caring cat owners to remain educated and save our cats from being declawed. For more information about declawing please check Stopdeclaw.com.

Training your cat to use a scratching post may take a little bit of time and effort, but with so many products available to help you, there is really no need to resort to declawing.

Anne Moss is the founder and owner of TheCatSite.com. She is a cat behaviorist and a member of the Cats Writers Association.