How to Keep Your Cat from Scratching Your Furniture

Posted by Jeanne on May 4, 2009

Any time that you decide to take a pet into your home, you are taking the chance of having them destroy many of your belongings, including your furniture. What you need to remember, no matter how hard it might be at the moment, is that cats do have a reason for what they do.

One option to prevent your cat from clawing up your furniture is to have him declawed. It is not always the best option for your cat or for you. You really need to think it through before you have your cat declawed. It is possible to help your cat transfer his urge to claw your furniture into clawing something else such as a scratching post.

Many years ago when it was a common practice I had my indoor Siamese cat declawed, and he never realized he didn’t have claws. He constantly tried to sharpen his claws on the furniture even though his claws were no longer there!

It is possible to train your cat to use a scratching post for his stretching and scratching needs. This can be done quite easily by making the scratching post seem enticing. Some people choose to rub scents such as catnip or dressing it up with a toy or two to make it more appealing. You also need to keep in mind that you need to strategically place your cat’s scratching post in an area where he can use it whenever he wants to.

One of the keys to getting a scratching post that your cat will like is to make sure it is tall enough and sturdy enough. The great thing is that there are a variety of scratching posts available to fit every cat’s preferences. Also, make sure that you discipline your cat whenever you catch him scratching your furniture, and praise him when he is using the scratching post. Your cat will soon catch on that he will be petted and praised when doing what he is supposed to be doing.

How to Keep Your Cat From Electrocuting Himself

Posted by Jeanne on April 27, 2009

Cats are curious and some love to chew on things, especially what they are not supposed to be chewing on. For this reason, it is very important to cat proof your house. Part of cat proofing involves keeping electrical cords out of reach of your cat because he will invariably end up chewing on them. If it is not possible to have your cords shortened, there is another method that you can.

Try coating the cord with some different mixtures such as cayenne pepper, hot sauce, nail biting polish, or orange peel. You can also try organizing your electrical cords into tubes such as wrapping paper is on. This will keep them out of reach from your cat and help keep them safe from any electrical jolts.