Dr Anne Fawcett explains why cats scratch furniture and how you can minimise the damage

DOES your cat have a different aesthetic on how furniture should look to you? There is a reason your cat scratches the furniture and there are ways to minimise the damage.

In nature cats would use trees and other wood-based structures to mark or shed their outer claws.

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CATS and humans both want furniture to look its best — they just have different ideas about what that means.

We like furniture to look brand new for as long as possible. Cats sometimes use their claws to change the appearance of furniture.

This is not a deliberate attempt to destroy property. This is normal feline behaviour.

In the wild, cats perform this behaviour on trees to leave a visual sign of their territory.

In the home, they claw furniture because it provides a convenient vertical surface.

In the wild, cats perform this behaviour on trees to leave a visual sign of their territory.

Providing a scratcher can tempt your cats away from the furniture.

Scratching is also the way that cats remove the dead outer claw sheath, and it’s a great way to stretch those long feline limbs.

In some countries, owners are allowed to de-claw cats. This is a painful procedure which reduces their ability to perform normal behaviour.

It is not performed in Australia for animal welfare reasons. There are more acceptable ways of reducing damage to your couch.

Cat scratchers come in a variety of shapes.

Providing an alternative, such as a vertical scratching post or corrugated cardboard scratcher, can redirect the behaviour away from the couch.

You can trim your cat’s claws regularly, or ask your vet to do so. The strategic use of throw rugs to prize furniture adds a layer of protection.

Dr Anne Fawcett is a lecturer in veterinary science at the University of Sydney and a vet at Sydney Animal Hospitals Inner West.

Read her blog smallanimaltalk.com

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