While you likely love your feline friend more than anything, one aspect of their behavior you might not be so keen on is their determination to scratch any surface they can sink their claws into — particularly the couch!
Trying to figure out how to keep cats from scratching furniture is a common question amongst pet parents, and the good news is, there is a solution.
According to the cat-crazy folk over at Tuft and Paw, scratching is a natural feline behavior. Not only does it help them keep their claws in tip-top condition, it's also used as a way to communicate with other cats via the pheromones they leave behind.
All well and good we hear you say, but must your couch get ruined in the process? Thankfully, the answer is absolutely not! Below, you'll find three genius tips from the crew at Tuft and Paw to put a stop to couch scratching once and for all.
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1. Choose the right scratching post: "Get a cat scratching post that replicates the experience of scratching the couch," recommends the team at Tuft and Paw. "So it should be vertical, it should be sturdy, and it should be tall enough that they can get a good stretch in."
2. Trim your cat's nails: "The other reason cats scratch is to remove the dull outer layer of their claws. Scratching is a natural instinct for cats so you want them to be doing it for the benefit of their health, and the best way to do that is to provide a dedicated setup for them to scratch. If you give them a bit of a manicure they won't have to scratch the couch so aggressively to get out the old claw sheets."
3. Experiment with deterrents: "If you've tried the other two tips and your cat is still scratching the couch, then try spraying it with a scent they don't like," the Tuft and Paw crew advises. "We recommend things like rosemary or thyme because they're unpleasant for cats but they're not actually harmful."
