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Cats love to scratch things. Carpets, stairs, and especially new lether couches seem to be their favorite items. While it is in a cat's nature to scratch, there are ways to deter them from destroying your prized possessions, and -- if necessary -- keep them from scratching altogether.
The first thing owners of cats must understand is that cats do not communicate in the same manner as humans. Despite the fact that most of us say we know this, we still spend an inordinate amount of time yelling at our cats when they do something wrong. Yelling is not the best approach with a cat. They will either ignore you or only stop doing the bad behavior when you're present.
There are several methods of keeping a cat from scratching particular objects, and many can be used simultaneously. One of the best ways is to cover the object with something cats have an aversion to. Spray the item with a product like Bitter Orange or use perfume. Either of these products has a strong odor that cats tend to avoid.
If the object is a couch, put strips of tin foil on it or cover it in plastic. Depending on the cat, you may need to leave this sort of cover in place for several days or weeks.
If you feel the need to punish your cat when you catch him or her in the act of scratching, use a squirt gun. The advantage of a squirt gun is that you can reach the cat from several feet away, your cat will not necessarily associate the punishment with you, and most cats hate water with a passion.
Now that the cat's preferred scratching post has been taken away, you need to offer him or her an alternative. Scratching posts are available in most department and pet stores as well as in online pet shops. The kind cats like best seem to be those made of rope as opposed to the ones covered in carpet. Place the post close to where your cat has been sharpening his or her claws. Over the course of one or two weeks, slowly move the post to the place in your house where you would like to keep it. Slowly moving it allows your cat to track where he or she should go to scratch.
Scratching is a way for cats to maintain their claws. This is something that you can assist them with by trimming their nails regularly. Some cats tend to claw people and objects most when their nails are long. Trimming the tips can alleviate this problem.
Scratching can also occur when a cat is playing with you. While not intended to hurt, even playful cat scratches can be painful and may potentially lead to infection. If you have a cat or kitten that loves to bite or scratch, NEVER play with him or her with your fingers or toes. Always get a toy if you want to play. If your cat persists in scratching, ignore him or her. There isn't much a cat hates worse than being ignored. Most will take the hint that their behavior was undesirable and they will learn not to scratch.
If your cat continues to scratch despite the above behavior modification techniques, there are still other options. Soft Paws are small plastic covers for a cat's claws, and can usually be found at your veterinarian's office. These covers are glued onto your cat's nails and stay in place for up to six weeks. Regular nail trimmings are still necessary.
As a last resort, your veterinarian can declaw your cat. This is a very painful procedure for your pet which is why it is only recommended as a last resort. To be declawed, your cat is put under anesthesia, and the first digit of each toe is removed. Any cat that has been declawed should be indoor-only. This procedure is strongly discouraged in older cats because they can have many problems after surgery associated with the pain. It is also very detrimental for cats to have all four feet declawed because they are then totally defenseless if they sneak outside. Make sure that you have exhausted all other options before committing to this surgery.
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