Why cats scratch furniture (and how to stop it!)

 
stop cat scratching furniture

Cat lovers, you will be relieved to learn that your feline friend isn’t acting out or seeking revenge whenever they claw the couch. In fact, as annoying as it might be, scratching furniture can’t be called misbehavior at all—because it’s actually very normal cat behavior.

Cats scratch to mark their territory. The visual claw marks and the scent left behind by their foot pads tell other cats that this is their turf. Scratching also serves to shorten and condition their claws.

 

Since scratching is such a natural cat activity, it may be unrealistic to expect cats to stop. But that doesn’t mean that you must resign yourself to forever owning frayed furniture! By understanding the territorial reason behind the scratching, you can redirect the behavior to appropriate outlets, like scratching posts.

Increase your likelihood of success at diverting your cat away from your favorite sofa by keeping these scratching post tips in mind:

  • Begin by blocking your cat’s access to the scratched furniture with the post itself. Place the scratching post right up against those past claw marks. Once your cat is used to scratching the post, gradually start inching it away to where it will stay in the future.
     
  • Keep it in a central location. Your cat doesn’t want to mark some unused corner of the house as their territory—they want to proudly scratch where their family spends the most time.
     
  • Make the scratching area extra fun. Hiding spots, toys, elevated perches—the more desirable the area around the scratching post, the more likely your cat is to want to mark it as their own.
     
  • Offer variety. If you’ve tried a scratching post in the past and your cat snubbed it, that may just mean that you haven’t found their preferred scratching setup yet. Try different textures, shapes and orientations (vertical vs. horizontal) of posts. (Hint: vertical posts should be tall enough for your cat to get a good stretch while scratching.) Save money during your experimentation by repurposing materials like cardboard, fabric and even wood planks into scratching posts.

Marking territory is a very reassuring and soothing activity for cats, which is why cats who are anxious or afraid may scratch furniture more often. Be sure to consult your veterinarian if you’re struggling to get your cat’s scratching under control.

Help ease your cat’s anxiety with veterinarian-approved calming pheromones. >>