by Amanda Henry, CVT - Janesville Animal Medical Center
608.868.1761

Why cats scratch and what you can do about it!

Scratching is a major concern for cat owners. The majority of people have their cats declawed, because “that is what you do when you get a cat”. Many people don’t realize that there is a reason why cats scratch, and there are other things that can be done besides declawing your cat.

When trying to teach a cat to scratch on appropriate materials, it is very important to start young. It can be difficult training a cat to go to a desired material, so consistency and persistence is vital. Finding the material that your cat prefers to scratch on is imperative. Offer a number of different materials and observe which one is used the most. Materials that are most commonly used are carpet, sisal rope, fabric, bark, and fire logs. Next it is important to figure out if your cat prefers scratching on horizontal or vertical surfaces. Some cats do prefer both, so it would be necessary to have posts of both varieties available. Location is also a factor. Some cats like privacy, while others prefer social areas.

Anytime your cat scratches in the appropriate place, you must reward it. Rewards can be praise and/or treats. Kittens generally respond very well to praise. When you notice your cat scratching in an inappropriate place, you need to startle (not frighten) your cat and redirect them to the correct area. Sometimes attaching a break away collar with a bell on it will help you know if it’s scratching in any undesired locations. It is important the cat doesn’t see you when you startle it. A squirt bottle or shaker can are examples of things you can use as startling aids. Make sure it doesn’t scare your cat. You just want to do enough to make them stop scratching.

For those stubborn cats, catnip may be used on the posts to lure them to it. Also, sometimes it is necessary to place the posts in not so ideal locations initially. For example, if your cat likes to scratch the side of the couch, you will need to put a vertical post right over that location. Once it is being used on a regular basis, you should be able to slowly move it to a more ideal place. Aversives can also be used to discourage your cat from scratching in undesired locations. Placing things like double sided sticky tape, motion detectors, and upside down mouse traps on those areas help keep them away.

When keeping your cat’s nails intact, it is necessary to get them used to nail trims. When the nails are kept short they can’t cause as much damage to you or your furniture. Starting when your cat is a kitten is ideal, but older cats can be trained to have their nails trimmed, too. Make sure your cat is calm and give plenty of praise when handling the feet. Your veterinarian can show you how to trim your cats nails if you feel uncomfortable doing it.

If scratching posts are not your cat’s thing, then there is a product called soft paws that can be applied to your cat’s nails. These are plastic nail sheaths that are glued over your cat’s nails. These do need to be replaced every 6-12 weeks depending on how fast the nails grow. A very small number of cats do react to the adhesive. With the soft paws they can still scratch, but they are unable to cause damage. There are many designer colors available.

If all else fails, declawing may be your only option. Declawing, or onychectomy, is the surgical removal of the entire first joint of every digit. To put it into perspective, it is like removing the top joint of all of your fingers. Many people don’t realize what the procedure entails. I believe if more people realize what is actually being done, they may be more willing to try scratching posts or soft paws. Obviously, if it comes down to either declawing or euthanizing your pet, we would much rather declaw.

Scratching is a behavior that can not be eliminated from your cat’s life, but with some training and determination it can become an acceptable behavior. There are many options available to you to help manage your cat’s innate desire.