There’s no reason to be frustrated if your cat is scratching your furniture as there is almost always a way to get them to stop. The first step is to think about why they’re scratching. It could be marking their territory if you brought a new animal into your home, even having a young child interested in playing with your cat can cause the behavior.
Other times it's purely instinct, needing to release stress, or to remove an old sheath from their nails. Cats scratching furniture could even be a result of positive punishment and positive reinforcement, and in these situations positive enrichment may reduce the frequency of the behavior.
Scratching is a natural habit for cats, so much so that there are studies breaking out which type of scratcher is the best based on your cat's gender and if they're spayed or neutered. This study shows standing and vertical scratchers being the best for adult, neutered male cats and that placing the scratcher near the furniture being scratched may deter your cat from scratching your furniture.
If you’re not sure of the cause, don’t worry as you can still find a solution. We’ve put together this list of ideas to help stop cats from scratching furniture, including some we’ve tried with our own furry friends. Each one has the goal of preventing your cat from damaging your couches, beds, tables, banisters, and more.
Catnip Scratching Posts With Similar Textures
One tip that worked for one of our team members is to find a material similar to what your cat likes to scratch, and either buy a scratching post or toy with the same material. If you cannot find a cat tree, scratcher, or post with the material, attach the material it to an existing one.
His cat loved clawing up the carpets when he lived in an apartment, then in his condo with hardwood floors it was his couch. For the apartment he bought a tiny cat tree with carpeting in a similar color and same pile height, and a carpeting with a scratching pole instead of only wrapped twine on the poles. By scenting it with catnip and placing it by the area his cat scratched, his cat over took more interest in the tree than the carpet.
When there was no carpet to scratch and the couch became the next best item, he added a similar material on one of the cat tree's posts and placed a t-shirt on the bed portion of the tree so it mimicked the scent of the couch. The goal was mimicking the furniture or type of material his cat would scratch and helped to stop his cat from clawing the furniture.
Place a Scratching Post or Claw Toy Near the Stress Causer
If your cat ignores the scratching pole or toy, it could be the placement of it. If your cat claws by the front door after you leave for work, it could be them missing you. Look to see if the scratching toy is near the door or far away when your cat feels stress.
If not by the door, move it towards the door. Your cat may decide to claw the scratching post instead of the furniture as it is now accessible when and where they are feeling the stress and anxiety.
Bonus tip: If you see your cat sleeping by the door, at a cat bed nearby for it to rest safely. This way if you have a repair person or you come home early, you don’t accidentally bump them.
Add Scratching Toys Near Their Beds
Sometimes cats ignore the scratching toy or post if they’re placed near the furniture they prefer to scratch as they may want the furniture and not a post. This can be especially true if your cat scratches after waking up or stretching.
Watch your cat after they wake up, and if they go towards the furniture you don’t want them scratching, place the scratching toy or post near their bed. The goal with this strategy is to make a proper scratcher accessible when they’re more prone to use it.
Scent The Furniture
Cats supposedly have a sense of smell 14 times stronger than humans, so when referencing scenting the furniture, it doesn’t have to be something we would smell, only something they will. The goal here is to find a scent that your cat does not like, then find a matching spray that you can apply to that section of the furniture or near it.
Before you scent your furniture you will want to test the solution to make sure it doesn’t stain, discolor, or damage the furniture, and to make sure it is pet safe. Start with a small test area on the back of a standard couch or on the inner section of a sectional couch where nobody will see it.
The goal here is a way to make them not want to engage with that space. Common scents to start with include:
- Citrus (lemon, orange, line, grapefruit)
- Vinegar
- Peppermint, eucalyptus, and spearmint (which can be a deterrent to some types of bugs and pests)
Find Ways to Calm Anxiety
When your cat scratches furniture because of anxiety, pay attention to when they start and when they stop. The anxiety can be from you leaving the home, and it starts with a signal like you placing your backpack or work bag by the front door an hour before you leave, or hearing your keys jingle.
Begin carrying your keys around and associate it with positive things like play time, or placing your bag by the door when you’re not leaving. Next watch when they start scratching the furniture vs. their toys and try different enrichments that stop it.
If you can replicate these, whether they’re sounds, toys, or food items, you may be able to stop or reduce the frequency of the anxiety induced behavior. This includes when you’re not home thanks to smart devices.
Test the Type of Scratcher, Material, and Orientation
Sometimes the issue is the type of, alignment of, and the style of the scratcher. Here’s a few things to try out so you can find which variation meets your cat’s need to scratch, and hopefully reduce the destruction of your furniture.
- Materials could be the issue where some prefer rope and twine, others carpet, some cardboard, and others fabrics like a couch or comforters.
- Vertical scratchers can be good for some cats, while others prefer to scratch with the scratcher horizontal to the floor. Others like an arched or curved shape and they’ll use it as a stretcher.
- One thing that may help is the shape and size. Your cat may want to lay on the scratcher after, or prefer circles or rectangles. There’s no reason or rhyme, just their preference similar to how we have preferences on sizes and shapes.
- The height of the scratcher can also have an impact as some cats prefer to be closer to the ground, others standing up, and a few may want to do it raised on their cat tree with a built in scratching post.
Pro-tip: If your cat gets tired of the scratcher, try scenting it with something they love. This can reignite their interest and prolong their usage helping to save you money from having to replace it with a new scratcher.
Don't be afraid to mix and match the scratchers and change them out to keep everything new for your cat. You may also find one alignment or material works in one room better than another, so keep testing until you find the right mixes and rotations for your cat.
Place Materials They Don’t Like Nearby
Don’t place things that scare or stress your cat near the area as the additional stress is not good for them or nice to do. Instead think of materials they do not like which can include aluminum foil or sticky surfaces like tape. By placing these on or leading up to the scratching area, you create a natural deterrent for them and it may encourage them to use their scratching posts, pads, or toys.
Give Them Something Engaging
Sometimes a cat scratching furniture is a sign of boredom, and to stop it you need to keep them engaged. Try making hunt and pounce or chase toys available, especially when you’re not home.
There are options that can be set to go off with a timer or via an app on a smartphone or tablet. By having something to distract them from their boredom and entertain them, you may be able to stop them from destroying your furniture.
Trim Their Nails
If scratching your furniture is your cat's natural way to keep their nails in shape or remove the sheath, try trimming them on schedule. We’ve all been there and forgotten once or twice, so set a reminder based on their growing rate and check with your cat’s Veterinarian to make sure you know when they are too long and where to trim the nail too. They’ll also be able to share tips and tricks to make it easier on your cat (and yourself).
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to stop a catch from scratching furniture, and what works today may not work in a few weeks. Having different options and ideas available is how you can be proactive in protecting your furniture and keeping your cat content so it scratches its scratching posts and not your furniture.
