There’s an eternal struggle between cats and pet parents: how to keep cats from scratching furniture. Find out why cats scratch furniture and get tips to prevent it, including providing them with cat furniture of their own, keeping their nails trimmed, using natural cat-calming pheromones, and more.
Why do cats scratch furniture?
First and foremost, know that scratching is normal cat behavior. Scratching provides both an emotional release and physical benefits for your cat.
Physical benefits
- Scratching stretches specific muscles in a cat’s back and shoulder area that they cannot otherwise reach through normal stretching.
- Scratching sharpens claws.
Emotional benefits
- Scratching provides an emotional release for cats: whether it’s an expression of happiness and pleasure or irritation and stress, your cat will often resort to scratching as a means of releasing built-up emotions.
Cat communication
- Cats let other cats know where they’ve staked a claim by scratching their mark into a particular location.
- The act of scratching emits pheromones from glands in a cat’s paw pads, which serve to further communicate territorial messages.
Important: Do not declaw!
Paws need claws! Declawing isn’t simply “removing” your cat’s nails. It is an invasive, painful procedure that requires the claw, bone, tendons, and ligaments to be amputated to the first knuckle of each toe so that the claw will not regrow.
How to keep cats from scratching furniture: 6 tips
1. Trim their nails at least once a month
Veterinarians agree that the first thing you need to do to deter unwanted scratching is make sure your cat’s nails are regularly trimmed—at least once a month. Cats with certain medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism may need trimmings more often, as their nails will grow faster.
Make sure to use nail clippers with rounded edges. (Human toe clippers may cause the claw to split.)
Get tips on how to trim your cat’s nails from Dr. Justine Lee. If necessary, take your cat to a groomer or your veterinarian for nail trimmings.
2. Stop cats from scratching furniture – with cat furniture!
Wondering how to keep cats from scratching furniture? Give them furniture that they can scratch. It’s best to provide several places where your cat can demonstrate their natural drive to scratch:
- Scratching posts
- Cat trees
- Horizontal scratching boards (ideally near where they sleep)
Here are a couple tips for choosing cat furniture:
- Sisal fabric is the most recommended surface material for scratching. Cardboard, wood, and carpet will also do.
- Make sure the scratching post or cat tree is at least as tall as your cat is, with a sturdy base so it doesn’t fall over when they go to work on it.
Cat furniture also serves as environmental enrichment for when you’re away from home, including cat shelves, window perches, and puzzle feeders.
If you’re not thrilled about the idea of ugly cat furniture in your home, check out modern cat furniture that will look amazing instead. All of the following cat furniture pieces feature sisal scratching pads:
Cat Tower
Cat Pyramid
3. Reduce stress-related scratching
If you’ve noticed an increase in inappropriate scratching (i.e., outside of designated scratching posts), especially if combined with signs of aggression, then your cat may be expressing stress. Consider whether the following has recently occurred in your cat’s life:
- A change in routine – for example, you’ve returned to the office when you used to spend all day at home with your cat
- A new family member – baby, cat, dog, or otherwise
- A move to a new home
Try to ease your cat into any new routines or major life changes. If that isn’t possible, use these tips to help an anxious cat (including tips for separation anxiety).
Last but not least, take time to bond with your cat every day. That might be 15 minutes of playtime or a long cuddle session. The point is to reassure your cat with some one-on-one time.
4. Redirect your cat with natural calming pheromones
The veterinarian-recommended product Feliway mimics natural feline pheromones (“happy messages”) to help stop cats from scratching furniture, prevent urine spraying, or hiding in cats.
Use Feliway on furniture your cat is already scratching to send “happy messages” that provide reassurance and prevent your cat from scratching. Using this product is a friendly way to keep cats from scratching furniture while encouraging positive behavior.
5. Use sensory deterrents
Try to make your furniture “unpleasant” for your cat until they are regularly using their cat scratcher or appropriate cat furniture.
Add double-sided tape, aluminum foil, or specially designed scratch guard products to spots where you want to deter scratching.
Can’t stand the thought of sticking double-sided tape to your expensive couch? You can also spray the furniture with smells that cats hate, such as citrus, lavender, rosemary, mint, or pine. This is an effective way to get your cat to stop scratching your couch without damaging it either.
6. Apply vinyl nail caps
When all else fails, try applying vinyl nail caps like Soft Paws. These fit over and adhere to your cat’s claws with a bit of glue. While the caps don’t interfere with your cat’s normal scratching behavior, they do protect scratched surfaces from damage. They are non-toxic and generally easy to apply—if you can get your cat to sit still long enough.
Above all, do not punish your cat for demonstrating their natural drive to scratch. Instead, use these tips to give them better options to do so.
