Cats Behavior : Dealing With Scratching

It is in your cat's nature to scratch. Cats evolved their razor-sharp claws to hunt and to defend themselves from prey. When humans domesticated them, their claws, and their instinct to use them by scratching, did not go away. For many people, scratching is such a nuisance that they end up getting their cats declawed. This kind of surgery and its aftermath can have many complications and be extremely painful and debilitating for most cats. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to getting a cat declawed.

The first and simplest solution to a habitual scratcher is to buy a few scratching posts and place them around the house. By using scratching posts cats can let out their need and desire to scratch in a way that is safe and doesn't cause his owner a headache. Scratching posts are generally made of something coarse, such as corrugated cardboard, burlap, or sisal. Not only does using a scratching posts satisfy the cat scratching instinct, it also aids in removing dead skin and nail from a cat's paws.

The costs of providing scratching posts range from approximately five to ten dollars for disposable cardboard scratchers to hundreds of dollars for luxurious carpeted cat furniture. Make sure to provide more than one scratching post per cat, since cats enjoy "marking" their territory by exercising their claws throughout the house. Cats behavior can be easily and inexpensively improved by simply using scratching posts.

Cats are tempted to scratch furniture and you can discourage this by using things they dislike or find unpleasant. For example, if you are having trouble stopping scratching, you can try two-sided sticky tape which annoys cats quite a bit, or you can cover the at risk surfaces completely with bubble wrap, which they also dislike. With these in place, the cat will usually stop the behavior in a fairly short time, usually around a week, so you won't have to keep things sticky or bubble wrapped forever!

Clipping your cat's claws can also help if you are having a hard time with a cats behavior of scratching. Special tools to do this are available at pet stores, but you can also use your own fingernail clippers to give your cat a trim. Firmly hold your cat and lightly squeeze its paw pads, which will make the claws pop out. Then cautiously clip off the end of the claw, making sure not to cut off too much. Cutting off too much can cause your cat a lot of pain.

If you haven't successfully altered your cats behavior by using scratching posts and covering the scratched surfaces, then you can try using claw covers. Claw covers are like artificial nails for your cat. They can be applied either at home or at your vet's office, and come in a variety of fun colors. A small amount of special glue makes them cling to each claw.

About the Author:
Cats are born to scratch. It's not possible to teach a cat not to scratch. Some people declaw their cats, but there are better ways to improve your cats behavior. The best idea is a scratching post. By using scratching posts cats can safely scratch .

Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com

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