You want a cat, but you also want intact furniture. It’s a tale as old as time! Fortunately, you don’t need to choose between your cat and your furniture. There are plenty of options for pet parents who struggle with their cat scratching on furniture.

A Note on Declawing

Declawing can seem like a quick fix to destructive scratching and many people grew up with declawed cats so they don’t understand why someone would hesitate. However, we know so much more now than we did even five years ago. We now know that cats need their claws to stretch, scent mark, climb, and perform other essential behaviors. 

“Declawing is an amputation of the last bone of each toe on a cat’s paw.” It is not just a “permanent nail trim.” Studies have shown that declawed cats are more likely to bite, stop using the litter box, and develop early-onset arthritis. There are several methods for declawing, but one study showed that, no matter the method, declawed cats are at higher risk of unwanted behaviors and may increase risk for back pain. So, rather than paying for a pricey and risky surgery, it’s better to turn to physically and behaviorally safer and more humane alternatives.

Nail Caps 

If this is your first time with a cat with claws, or your first time with a cat who needs to be taught not to scratch furniture, there is an option to prevent panic any time your cat goes near the furniture. Nail caps are available (Soft Paws and Kitty Caps are two brands) to cover the nail, preventing any damage while still allowing the cat to scratch. The National Cat Groomers Initiative advocates nail caps, sharing that caps still allow cats to function normally and retract their claws. 

While early intervention is important to prevent your cat from learning to scratch your furniture, it can help to know where your cat prefers to scratch and how. One of many reasons why cats scratch is to release pheromones in their paws to mark their territory. If you consistently notice your cat scratching a vertical position on the corner of your couch, that tells you that your cat feels a need to scratch a tall object at that particular spot- this is important information as we teach them where we would like them to scratch. 

Strategically-placed Scratching Furniture

Once we know where our cat wants to scratch, we can redirect them to an appropriate scratching outlet. In the example of the cat who likes to scratch vertically on the corner of the couch, we can get a tall scratching post and place it right in front of the corner of the couch where the cat likes to scratch. Cats simply need to scratch and, given an equally appealing option nearby, they will opt for appropriate scratching furniture over your couch, if given the opportunity. You just need to learn your cat’s preferred scratching position (vertically, horizontally, diagonally) and surface (sisal rope is a favorite!)

Deterrents

Strategically placing scratching furniture is only half the solution. If your cat has had a lot of practice scratching your couch, you may need to make that couch less appealing so the nearby cat tree will become the new favorite spot. There are a few deterrents that can be helpful:

• Double-sided sticky tape- Trying to scratch a sticky surface isn’t fun or fulfilling for cats. After a few attempts, cats tend to realize that the surface isn’t worth scratching and they stop altogether on that spot.
• Tin foil- This functions much like double-sided sticky tape. Tin foil isn’t satisfying to scratch and can help cats learn that the spot isn’t a fun scratch spot.
• Citrus- Citrus is an aversive smell for cats, so it can be helpful to spray a little lemon juice on furniture you do not want your cat to come near. Practice caution here, since lemon is toxic for cats. To be safe, heavily dilute a few drops of lemon juice with water and to be sure your cat doesn’t try to lick the spot you sprayed. Test it on a washcloth first to be sure your cat doesn’t come near it. Or, to play it even safer, you can try a pet-safe lemon-scented spray.
• Air mister- A common yet outdated tool in training cats is to spray them with a squirt bottle. There are a few issues with this, but the main issue is that it’s horribly inconsistent. All it takes is you going to work or to the bathroom while your cat is near the couch and they’ve learned they just need to scratch that spot while you’re not there. Because of this, we do not recommend a squirt bottle. Instead, if all else has failed, it can help to get a motion-activated air mister that will let out a burst of air when a cat walks by. This is consistent, harmless, and will teach the cat that the couch is not a fun place to be. This is, however, a last resort tactic since it also teaches the cat not to go on the couch for anything- even cuddles! So use this as a last resort and only if your cat is going near a spot that you never want them to go- like on top of the stove or behind a couch where there are dangerous cords.

Train it!

Don’t forget about the power of positive reinforcement! This may sound familiar if you have a dog, but cats are also highly trainable. Any time your cat makes the right decision and scratches on cat scratching furniture, praise and give a treat! Cats will keep doing what works for them, so if they learn that scratching on the couch isn’t fun but scratching on the scratching post nearby is satisfying and get them some extra pets or treats, they’re going to be much more likely to only scratch the post.