Cat Scratch Fever

Are you tired of having your kitty scratch her way through your carpet, blinds, and the back of your newly upholstered furniture? Well firstly, it is important that you provide your cat with a scratching post. Cats scratch either to mark their territory, sharpen their claws or to stretch their legs, therefore providing them with a suitable post on which to do this is important. It is suggested that you avoid making use of posts covered in carpeting as the cat cannot dissociate the scratching post with your Persian rug. However, posts covered in sisal rope or corrugated board should do the trick. You can also clip your cat’s nails if necessary (a human nail clipper will do) but do be sure not to cut the nail into the quick. You don’t want to hurt your kitty! If all else fails, and you catch your pet sharpen its claws on your blinds, fill a sprits bottle with some water. It should deter them from doing it again.

Cat Scratchers: get rid of those bad habits

All cats scratch, which is why it is so important that you make sure that you provide your kitty with a nice scratching post so that they don’t ruin your expensive furniture! Cats don’t distinguish between furniture and scratching posts initially, and will always go and scratch what feels best. It is not bad cat behaviour to scratch – you just need to direct your kitty to the right place to do it.

To improve cat behaviour it is highly recommended that you purchase a specialized scratching post, or find out how to make your own. Then you need to encourage your cat to play around the post until they discover how great the scratching post feels. If it is a good alternative to furniture, you might find that your cat starts to leave your furniture alone!

Something else you may wish to consider is attaching things to your existing furniture that cats generally don’t like. These items include anything that sticks to fur (like sticky tape, prestik or double sided tape) and metals like tin foil. Remove the attraction of your furniture and your kitty will learn good cat behavior in no time!

Cats are easy creatures to please, and they love to be attended to (and waited on) day and night. Making sure that your kitten always has plenty of love and attention will occupy their mind, and won’t leave them bored and frustrated which is the cause of most scratching. Keep your cat happy and they will exhibit good cat behavior. You might also want to clip your kitty’s nails on a regular basis so that they don’t drive him or her mad.