By Dr. I Elizabeth Borgmann.
Kittens start early on to scratch furniture and this is one of the greatest complaints of owners. How many couches, chairs, stairs and curtains have been ruined by our furry companions? Understanding why these behaviours occur is the first step to redirecting the behaviour.

First of all, remember that this is normal cat behaviour. They scratch for several reasons. One of these is to stretch. We could all learn a bit from cats regarding this! If you stretched for just a few minutes several times a day, perhaps you too would have the agility of a cat. They need to be able to catch the furniture and stretch. That is why suede and leather is not a popular scratching surface whereas carpet is.

Not only does scratching stretch the muscles, it grooms the nail bed. The nail caps lift off and are often left behind. If you want to reduce the scratching, you need to help groom those nail beds by trimming the nails (ideally, weekly).

When cats scratch they are leaving a visual and scent mark behind (just like the large wild cats that scratch trees). This is why material that shreds and tears is preferred. Keep this in mind when choosing a cat scratch post.

Knowing this will help you choose cat scratch posts and where to put them. They need to be made of material that the claws will catch on to allow stretching, nail bed grooming, and shredding. Choose carpet like materials with either a horizontal or vertical texture. Expect these to get shredded. (In fact, choose ones that shred easily). They will not look pretty and are not meant to be part of your decor. They serve a purpose. If you dislike the appearance, be prepared to replace them often.

Place the cat scratch post in prominent places. Use the undesirable cat scratch behaviour as a clue to placement. Put your posts near the destructive behaviour you want to replace.
Offer rewards for using the post. Make it cat friendly. Place food or treats on or near the post. Try some cat nip too.

Trim your cats nails every week to help with nail bed grooming. This doesn’t take long – perhaps 10 minutes (how long did it take you to earn the money to buy that couch?). The easiest way to do this is on a counter, the table or on your lap. Place your cat’s rear end towards your chest (head facing outwards). Lean over your cat. Use your arms to prevent sideways escapes. Lift up a paw and gently squeeze each toe to expose the nail (remember that cats have retractable nails).

Using toe nail clippers or special cat nail clippers, trim the sharp points. You can see the ‘quick’ (the pink part) very well in cats. Trim about 2-3 mm beyond the pick part. If you cut into the pink part, the nail will bleed.

To discourage the unwanted scratching, cover the area with unsatisfactory material (as far as the cat is concerned!). Try using double-sided sticky tape, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap. Bitter tasting agents can be sprayed in the area. A cat pheromone (Feliway) may discourage scratching as well.

Try motion detectors that spray a deterrent (check out SSScat). These detectors are small canisters that are set off by motion. They let out a little bleep and then spray (usually a detergent based spray).

If the above does not work, try the soft nylon cat nail covers called Soft Paws. You glue these onto the nails. The cats can still scratch but don’t do any damage. They come in really great colours too..red, blue, pink, purple, clear.

Declawing should be a last resort option if all of the above fails. It should be used on strictly indoor cats only. If you are declawing for aggression issues, be aware that cats will sometimes start to bite. If you remove one weapon, they will turn to another. Declawing involves the surgical removal of the last portion of digit. This would be the equivalent of you having your fingers amputated at the first knuckle. If it must be done, be sure to have it done at a veterinary hospital that is very proactive in pain management. It does not matter if this procedure is done with a scalpel blade or a laser surgical unit…it is painful!!

While we are on the topic of destructive behaviours, let’s make a quick mention of chewing! If your cat is doing this keep electric cords unplugged unless in use or keep them out of reach. You can also run your cords through PVC piping readily available at hardware stores. Keep plants out of reach and offer suitable alternatives such as wheat grass, or even small rawhides.
Remember, the key to managing what we perceive to be destructive behaviours is to recognize they are normal behaviours and to figure out how to redirect the behaviours to suitable outlets. Be creative!!
Next time, we will discuss the litter box. Phew!

Dr. I Elizabeth Borgmann

Dr. Borgmann has been practicing in the Fraser Valley for over 8 years and can be reached at the Whatcom Road Veterinary Clinic