Destructive scratching: everything you need to know

By Dr Charlotte Francesca Stiles, DVM

Whether it be by accident during playtime or something you catch your furry friend doing on your favourite furniture, we all know that scratching is a normal part of feline behaviour. However, sometimes this behaviour can become destructive and could cause problems between you and your pet.

In this article we’ll explain the following:

Let’s get started and see what it takes to create the perfect cat-scratching post.

Why do cats destructively scratch?

It’s both physiological and normal for cats to scratch under a few circumstances, for example, to maintain healthy claws, mark their territory, and during play. It’s good to consider these needs as an important part of your cat’s care routine.

By providing your cat with an appropriate place to scratch, you reduce the chances of them taking matters into their paws, and becoming a destructive scratcher (the term we use when a cat starts scratching on items not intended for this purpose).

Scratching posts provide the perfect place for your cat to meet their needs, without causing harm to your possessions or injuring themselves. In the next section, we’ll talk more about other ways to reduce destructive behaviour in cats.

How do I stop my cat from being destructive

As we already mentioned, cats have a physiological need to scratch. To avoid your cat exercising this need on your furniture or belongings (destructive scratching), the best thing to do is provide them with the perfect scratching post.

We’ve listed some tips below, which will help you meet your cat’s needs in terms of a scratching post, and reduce the chances of your furniture becoming damaged (source).

Personal preference

Just like us, cats have preferences in how they perform particular behaviours. If you can, try to observe your cat whilst they’re scratching and think about the following points:

Height

When you’ve got to know your cat’s scratching preferences, then you can attempt to facilitate their needs on specially selected and positioned scratching posts. When it comes to height, you can do this using posts that mount on the door or wall (for those who like to scratch high) or on the floor (for those who prefer lower scratching).

In general, cats tend to prefer posts that enable them to fully stretch their bodies and that don’t move upon contact.

Material

It’s no surprise that different materials give different levels of satisfaction to your cat. As far as you can, try to use the same or very similar to their personal preference. Examples include shop-bought or homemade posts made from wood, carpet, or corrugated cardboard.

Location

If you’ve only ever seen your cat scratching in one particular location, then it’s best to put the scratching post in the same place if possible.

Introducing the scratching post to your cat

It’s important to introduce the scratching post in the most appropriate way to your cat to increase the chances of them actually using it. Therefore, after you’ve chosen the correct material, height, and location, the final step is to show it to your cat in the most positive way.

This largely depends on your cat’s character but could involve using positive reinforcement such as treats or catnip and incorporating the scratching post into playtime. Whatever you do, don’t attempt to physically ‘force’ your cat to use the post, as this can cause them to become stressed and decrease the likelihood of them using the scratching post.

Removing potential unintended scratching items

Alongside introducing the perfect scratching post to your cat, it’s also a good idea to discourage the scratching of unintended items. You can do this by:

It’s also good to be aware, that once your cat has (hopefully) started enjoying their scratching post, you should try and keep it as long as possible and only replace it if really necessary. It might be tempting to get a new scratching post, as soon as it starts to look a bit unsightly, however, the likelihood is that the ‘used’ condition of the post is more appealing to your cat than anything else.

What to do if you can’t stop your cat from scratching destructively (& what not to do)

If you’ve considered the points we’ve explained above, and you still can’t stop your cat from destructive scratching, don’t panic as there are a few other things you can try:

Whatever the circumstances, don’t be tempted to remove your cat’s claws. Feline claw removal is a very painful and unnecessary procedure that is not recommended by veterinarians. It involves the removal of the last bone in each finger (digit) and has many risks associated with post-operative care, pain, bleeding, and infection. You can read more about de-clawing on this page.

It’s also not recommended to forcefully persuade your cat to use the scratching post by holding them or moving their claws. These actions are more likely to deter your cat from using the post, may cause them harm and can negatively affect your relationship.

With our Lifetime Protection Membership Plus, you can access veterinary professionals anytime by phone, email, or live chat. So, if you’re worried about your cat’s behaviour, you can get the help you need from the comfort of your home.

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article, and it’s given you all the information you need to create the perfect scratching area for your cat and reduce the likelihood of them exhibiting destructive scratching behaviour.