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 Jumping on Counters and Tables

Posted by Jeanne on April 6, 2009

It is simply not safe for your curious little cat to be jumping up on counters and tables while in the kitchen. Not to mention that it is entirely unsanitary as well for them to go from doing their duty in their litter box and then walking around on the counters that you prepare your food on. In all, it is not a good idea for you or your cat. You really don’t want your cat to become accustomed to jumping up in the kitchen because eventually they are going to jump up onto a hot stove and seriously injure themselves.

There are different ways you can go about training your cat that the kitchen is an off-limits area for jumping and exploring. The first method is to simply pick them up whenever they jump onto a kitchen counter top or table and tell them “No!” in a firm voice and then put them back onto the floor. Another idea is to stack items that will make a loud noise near the edge of the counter so they will fall down and frighten your cat when he jumps up.

If neither of these ideas work, you can always resort to using the spray bottle of water. Try these ideas first before you resort to more drastic means. Just remember that you are looking out for both the safety and health of your cat as well as yourself.