Cats love to claw – and also need to be allowed to do so.
By creating good claw surfaces in the home, you can reduce the risk of your four-legged friend getting on the furniture.
Do you also have a broken sofa in the living room?
Most cat owners can testify that cats like to scratch our upholstered furniture – and it’s hard to get them to stop.
There are several reasons why cats itch.
They sharpen their claws, train and stretch their muscles and mark the scent with the help of small glands under their paws. The best way to get the cat to leave the furniture alone is to give it an alternative but equally good surface to scratch on.
Choose the right material
Many cats have definite opinions about what they like and do not like to scratch, and it is important to find the material that your cat likes best.
The most important thing is that the cat can let its claws sink into the material properly. Fabric, cardboard, cork, different types of rope and sisal are popular materials. See if you can find any material that is similar to the one the cat prefers to scratch at the moment or test yourself to find a favorite.
Place stably
Cats like to take a little when they scratch, so it is important that the furniture is stable and not wobbly. Like material preference, cats like different angles on the claw furniture. Some like a vertical angle, others prefer surfaces that are slightly sloping and still others like to claw horizontally.
Here the cat’s age can come into play – older cats can not claw as high up as younger and more alert cats.
Does the cat still not want to scratch on the new claw furniture? Try rubbing in or spraying the surface with catnip to make it more attractive. Remember to replace the claw furniture with a new one when it is worn and no longer provides as good resistance.
Cover furniture
Is your cat still insisting on scratching its furniture and other forbidden places?
Cover the surfaces with plastic or aluminum foil so that the surface becomes uncomfortable for the cat.
Keep the place or foil on for a few weeks and keep your fingers crossed that the cat is now madly in love with its new, fantastic claw furniture!