Cat Health & Safety

Your cat’s gotta scratch — it’s a normal (and important) part of being a cat. Scratching lets them “manicure” their nails, stretch their muscles, communicate, and self-soothe. The good news is, you can keep your cat from scratching your furniture and carpets by providing something more appropriate and enticing: scratching posts and pads. To get them interested in using their approved scratching spots, put these posts and pads in places your cat loves to hang out, have multiple types, make sure they’re super stable, and get your cat engaged with toys, catnip, and pheromones (see Tip #39). To get them uninterested in your furniture and carpets, temporarily cover these surfaces with plastic, aluminum foil, or double-stick tape, and then put a scratching post next to it. Reward when they use the appropriate options.