After our recent survey revealed that over half of cat owners have returned home to find their sofa shredded by their beloved pet, we’ve pulled together the top reasons why cats scratch and what you, as a pet parent, can do about it.
It’s important to remember that scratching is completely natural feline behaviour. In fact, one of the main reasons cats scratch is actually quite simple...it’s good for their claws! Scratching removes the outer dead sheath of the nail which allows a new, healthier nail to grow underneath. Plus, it also acts as a form of exercise for your cat.
On top of this, the marks created by scratching serve a very important purpose for your cat, as they’re a visual sign to show approaching cats that your moggy has been here. In other words, they’re marking their territory. Your cat will also not only leave their mark here, but they will release pheromones (scents) through the glands in their paws after scratching, which again acts as a turf warning to other felines!
Your pet clawing at something (whether that be furniture, a tree or a post) helps to release emotions, meaning that it’s good for both your cat's physical and mental health. So, when your cat is happy, excited or frustrated they express these feelings through scratching!
Now, whilst scratching is a great stress relief for cats, it’s likely a cause of stress for their human counterparts. To help to keep your cat away from your furniture, it’s important to give them an alternative object to scratch - but not just any post will do! To make a scratching post more appealing than your furniture, it must be the right height for your cat to fully stretch. Our Catwalk Collection Bay Post has four carpeted levels and comes complete with jute scratching stations and a feather teaser - paw-fect for your cat’s clawing needs!
Our Catwalk Collection also features our Caraway and Tumeric cat posts, which are ideal alternatives to your sofa! But remember when introducing your pet to a new post in needs to be in the right location - make sure you keep it where your cat usually spends most of its time because when your cat needs to scratch they will go for the object closest to them.
And if your kitty has already got their claws into a cat scratcher, why not try a toy from our Silvervine Cat Toy range, all of which contain silvervine which is a more intense alternative to catnip originating from Japan. Our Silvervine Teasin’ Tail is enhanced with silvervine and is bound to encourage plenty of playful fun between you and your cat!
For more tips on keeping felines away from your furniture, check out our recent blog on ‘cat-proofing’ your home. After our recent survey revealed that over half of cat owners have returned home to find their sofa shredded by their beloved pet, we’ve pulled together the top reasons why cats scratch and what you, as a pet parent, can do about it.
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