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How to prevent your cat from scratching the furniture?

Back home, are you horrified to notice that your cat has scratched the brand new sofa you just bought? To prevent this situation from happening again, it will be necessary to find effective solutions so that it goes to scratch elsewhere. Here are a few.

Scratching:an innate need in cats

Why does my cat keep scratching everything? Before finding a solution, it is necessary to know the origin of the problem, which is therefore this:it is first of all an act of well-being. This effectively allows him to eliminate dead pieces of claws, but also to develop his musculature (to learn more about cats, see here or here).

How to prevent your cat from scratching the furniture?

Beyond that, it is also a question of territorial marking. Did you know that your cat's paws are full of pheromones? When scratching, it leaves this secretion on the surface to indicate to its congeners that this is its area. This odorous substance is not perceptible by humans. On the other hand, it is quickly recognizable by felines who know what to expect. The animal can also emit these pheromones at the time of a change of environment such as a move, if it has problems cohabiting with another animal or when it is stressed.

Install a scratching post

An effective solution to avoid the damage done by your little roommate is to install a scratching post. From an early age, you must teach him how to use this precious accessory. But for it to make good use of it, you still need to install it in a strategic place. We know that cats like to scratch when they wake up. So put one near where he sleeps. Also identify its passage areas and install scratching posts there. It is also advisable to put some near the tapestry, the sofa or other places he likes to attack.

Apart from the scratching post, be aware that cat trees also have sisal posts, a material that can be used for scratching. In the process, this accessory will allow your cat to climb everywhere and do its acrobatics without ransacking your furniture

How to prevent your cat from scratching the furniture?

Natural solutions to prevent cats from scratching furniture

There are a few home remedies that will prevent your pet from scratching everywhere if the scratching post technique hasn't worked properly. The first is to spray your furniture with pepper since cats can't stand its smell. Fill a spray bottle with pepper spray and apply it to the furniture most frequently attacked. You can use the same technique, but this time by combining eucalyptus oil and lemon essential oil. In a spray bottle, add 20 drops of the first oil and 10 drops of the second then pour ¼ liter of water. Spray all your furniture. This trick will even prevent the cat from investing your sofa where it would leave its hair. As soon as he smells the smell, he will run away very quickly.

If despite all these multiple tips, nothing works. Go to the vet to trim his claws. Once you know how, you can cut them yourself at home. But for the first time, it is better to go systematically to this specialized practitioner.