Stopping cat from clawing furniture

declaw her front paws

Sharpening claws is a normal behavior for cats. They won't stop doing it, so the most important thing is to provide them with an appropriate place to do so. Sisal rope is very popular and since it is a different texture than your furniture, it can be easier to retrain the cat to it.

If the cat is clawing on the sides of the furniture, then your cat most likely prefers to stand up and claw. If it's the top of the back of the furniture, then your prefers to stretch out lengthwise. Knowing the preference and buying a cat tree that meets that need will help encourage the cat to use the cat tree. If the cat likes vertical, then get a tree that is tall. If the cat prefers horizontal then you can try those flat cardboard systems.

Place the cat tree in the room where the cat prefers to claw. This is usually the area where you spend the most time (e.g., family room, living room). Place it right in the open near the furniture that the cat is clawing. If you put the tree in a back room or a dark corner, the cat WILL ignore it.

On a temporary basic while you re-train the cat, you can attach tin foil to the areas of the furniture that the cat is clawing. It's ugly, but you can remove it as soon as the cat starts using the cat tree.

Also, use a spray bottle with water. When you catch the cat clawing where it shouldn't squirt it. When you catch the cat clawing the cat tree, give it a treat. You can use catnip and/or treats to encourage the cat to check out the cat tree also.

The last part is to regularly clip the cat's claws. When cats claw furniture, they are usually trying to remove the broken sheath over their nails. By regularly clipping their claws, you remove the sheaths for them, reducing their need to do so.

All the above done as a group can change your cat's habit.

Softpaws can work, but a lot of people have a hard time getting used to applying them - and if applied wrong, they will fall off quickly.

Declawing is not an easy fix. It should only be done in extreme cases where the alternative is the death of the cat.

Also, in regards to clipping the cat's nails, an easy way to accomplish it is as follows:

Pick up the cat and set it in your lap. Set it down as you would your baby - back legs sticking out over your thighs, cat's back against your stomach.

Start the first few times just holding the cat like that and simply grasping its front paws and giving a little squeeze and then pressing lightly to splay the claws. Talk to the cat the entire time, pet it (carefully avoiding the cat's sensitive areas). The idea is to get the cat used to sitting in your lap and having you touching its paws.

After a couple visits like that, have a pair of fingernail clippers handy. These work well because they keep you from cutting too far down the nail and are easily used with one hand. As you talk to your cat, handle one paw and lightly splay the claws. With your other hand, bring the clippers to one of the nails and quickly clip it. Immediately set the nails down and pet and comfort the cat and tell it how good it is. When the cat is calm, do again and clip a second nail. Continue until the cat doesn't easily calm down (don't push to the point of the cat fighting you). Do however many claws you can at one sitting. If you don't finish them all, go back to a couple sessions of just touching and talking to the cat. Then try again.

This works really well because the cat is in a comfortable position, you're not yanking their feet out, and you are able to pet and talk to the cat the whole time. And, for most cats, there is no need to ever wrap them in a towel.

I have used this technique for years and have been able to clip all but feral cats' claws.

Toedtoes gave great advice. One thing I would add is that we have found the double sided tape as a good deterrent. It is not as distracting looking as tin foil and our cats hate the feel of it. We put it wherever the cats like to scratch.

toedtoes wrote:
Also, in regards to clipping the cat's nails, an easy way to accomplish it is as follows:

Pick up the cat and set it in your lap. Set it down as you would your baby - back legs sticking out over your thighs, cat's back against your stomach.

Start the first few times just holding the cat like that and simply grasping its front paws and giving a little squeeze and then pressing lightly to splay the claws. Talk to the cat the entire time, pet it (carefully avoiding the cat's sensitive areas). The idea is to get the cat used to sitting in your lap and having you touching its paws.

After a couple visits like that, have a pair of fingernail clippers handy. These work well because they keep you from cutting too far down the nail and are easily used with one hand. As you talk to your cat, handle one paw and lightly splay the claws. With your other hand, bring the clippers to one of the nails and quickly clip it. Immediately set the nails down and pet and comfort the cat and tell it how good it is. When the cat is calm, do again and clip a second nail. Continue until the cat doesn't easily calm down (don't push to the point of the cat fighting you). Do however many claws you can at one sitting. If you don't finish them all, go back to a couple sessions of just touching and talking to the cat. Then try again.

This works really well because the cat is in a comfortable position, you're not yanking their feet out, and you are able to pet and talk to the cat the whole time. And, for most cats, there is no need to ever wrap them in a towel.

I have used this technique for years and have been able to clip all but feral cats' claws.

X10

If you cut them to get the sharp points down they don't scratch.And I just can not tolerate picking up a cat and having them dig those sharp nails into my clothing like velcro.

I have cut all the cats I have owned with toe nail clippers. Same way you do by putting put them on your lap.

And BTW interestingly the best place I found to do it is sitting on the toilet (lid closed of course:W) Don't know if it's doing it in room they are not used to or what but they just lay there real still while I clip away.

rockhillmanor wrote:
And BTW interestingly the best place I found to do it is sitting on the toilet (lid closed of course:W) Don't know if it's doing it in room they are not used to or what but they just lay there real still while I clip away.

I thought I was the only one. Perhaps they figure if we're on the toilet we can't shove them in a cat carrier and take them to the vet... :B

I use a spray bottle and shoot it at the cat or dog that is misbehaving. It works, however I also shake it now, and that normally stops their bad behavior.

My cat gave me a really dirty look when I shot her once, turned out that the wife had put in some cleaner, and was washing the table with my "Water only" bottle. So when I shake it, I check for soap bubbles now.

They are really responsible animals now, especially when the water bottle is out. Now I mainly use the water to keep myself cool!

Fred.

When I got our cat 7 years ago, she started on the wall paper, didn't want to have this one declawed, she is a fighter and don't want her to be at a disavantage in case she gets loose like before and was in a brawl!
So, at Wal-Mart they have these scratching pads made of cardboard, about 5"X 18"X 1 1/2" thick, got two and put them on the outside corner of the kitchen and she goes there, been doing it since I mounted them. In the motor home put one up and she goes there. Fine cat!

Very good advice from everyone. One addition, cats also scratch to mark territory, not just to sharpen or deal with nails. The paws have a concentration of glandular cells that emit pheromones and these are left on the places cats do the scratching behavior.

Cats that have been declawed will still do the scratching behavior.

NOTE: Declawing is a touchy subject form some, let's not get into a philosophical argument about that procedure but keep with ways to deal with the behavioral issue posed by the OP.
Doug, DVM