Your cat wants to scratch, it was born in them, and their claws evolved over time as a means of hunting and defense. The process of domestication of today's cats did not remove their claws, nor their natural inclination to use them for scratching. Scratching is such a problem for some people that they put their cats through declawing, but this procedure can have complications for your cat, along with being quite painful. There are many alternatives to such drastic measures however, which is fortunate for you and your cat.



Scratching is in cats nature. Scratching posts are an easy way to help a cat with a scratching problem. Scratching posts are made of rough materials that satisfy the cat scratching instinct. Cardboard, burlap, or sisal are used because they help remove dead skin and nail from the claw area. While scratching posts cats are doing something enjoyable, following their instinct, and also keeping their claw area healthy.

You can easily alter your cat's inappropriate scratching behavior by buying him scratching posts. There are models to fit every budget from inexpensive cardboard scratching posts for sale at around five to ten dollars up to luxury cat condos that cost hundreds of dollars and serve basically the same purpose. Keep in mind that since cats are territorial and mark their territories by scratching, you must provide more than one scratching post per cat.

If you are still having trouble keeping your furniture from being scratched, you can purchase some bubble wrap or double-sided tape. Use these materials to completely cover the scratched surfaces. The next time your cat tries to scratch, he or she will find that it is uncomfortable and unpleasant, and soon give up the habit. Just keep the bubble wrap or tape on for a week or so, and your cat will soon learn his or her lesson.

If facing problems with your cats behavior you can try to clip it's claws. A normal fingernail clipper can be used or a proper grooming tool that is available in the pet stores. The cat should be held gently and the paw pads should be lightly squeeze. This will force the claw to come out. With help of clippers the claws can be clipped carefully. It is important to make sure that only a small amount at the ends is cut to avoid pain to the cat.

If scratching posts and covers have been unsuccessful at changing your cats behavior, then claw covers are another thing to try. Covers are like artificial cat nails, which can be applied by you or by your vet's office. They come in many different styles and are applied by a thin layer of special glue to the claw.