Mary Allen
House tigers sharpening their claws on furniture are not uncommon. But what can you actually do about it? A video tutorial addresses this question and shows four practical and simple tips with which you can gently break the unwanted behavior of your beloved cat.
Tip 1
The first tip is very simple: A scratching board should distract the cat from the much-coveted furniture and give it other thoughts. To get the cat used to it, you can first sprinkle the popular toy with catnip. One or two of these toys, set up in the living room or in other “problem areas”, should quickly show their positive effect.
Tip 2
Simple but effective: “No!” say. And every time your playful house cat tampers with the furniture. The command is followed by action: Take your cat immediately to the scratching board or, alternatively, to a scratching post, because there she can let off steam with her sweet paws to her heart’s content and should quickly notice where the right place to sharpen her claws is.
Tip 3
Each cat should have its own place to sharpen its claws. Whether it’s a particularly attractive chair or a scratching post if she’s not allowed to scratch anywhere and always gets a “no,” your cat will almost certainly ignore you and do the opposite of your desired behavior.
Avoid scratching posts that are too small and wobbly. Invest in a strong, durable, and confidence-inspiring scratching post for your house tiger so that he uses it often and enjoys it.
Tip 4
Simple but important: treat your cat well. Cats are complex and very sensitive animals, explains the owner of two cats in the video. When they feel insecure and anxious, they tend to behave disobediently and ignore your commands. Treat your cat with love and respect to make them more receptive to your training methods.
And above all, a ban should never be enforced by force, the maker of the video points out at the end. But that goes without saying for cat lovers.