Every cat scratches. It is a normal behavior for a feline. However, I totally understand your pain if your kitty is choosing to scratch your furniture or clothing to shreds. Although there is no way to stop your cat from scratching, you can try and get your kitty to scratch things that you don’t cherish.
Cats scratch because they are marking their territory. Their paws have scent glands on them, so they are leaving their scent on these things. Scratching also provides your kitty with good exercise. The last reason a feline scratches, is simply because it feels good to them. Do not punish your kitty for scratching the wrong things. The cat will not understand what the punishment is for and will just not like you anymore.
You should buy (or make) your kitty a nice scratching post. If you buy one which a cat will love, then it will be really easy to get her to use that instead of your furniture. The kitty will like a rough post, one which has a nice rough texture for them to scratch into.
One of the best materials for a cat scratch post is sisal. This is a plant material that is often used for ropes. It is rough and cats find it a good material for scratching. They also like that it is natural. You will not want to buy sisal rope, but instead sisal fabric. This is better and more entertaining for the kitty. An alternative, in a pinch, is to flip an old rug upside down and let the kitty scratch the backing material.
Additionally, a good cat scratch post should be tall enough that the kitty can stretch out all the way and still be able to scratch. generally, this means about 28 inches high. It should also be very sturdy, with little chance to be knocked over.
You must also think about the placement of your new post. Although it is generally people’s instinct to hide it in the corner of the room, is actually best to place it prominently in the room. The first place you should put it is by whatever the kitty has been scratching. If the cat scratches the couch, put it by the couch. If the cat scratched the curtains, place it by the curtains.
Now you must make the post enticing to your kitty. Do this by feeding the kitty near the post, and playing with her near it. You can also rub catnip into the post if you like.
If your cat continues to scratch on her old places, you must deter this from happening, without punishing the kitty. Cats do not like citrus smells, so spraying the area with lemon juice may help. Additionally, you may wish to cover the area in aluminum foil or double sided tape, since kitties do not like to scratch these kinds of surfaces.
This is much easier to do with a young kitten than an adult cat, but it is entirely possible no matter what age, gender, or breed your catis.
