Peak Veterinary Referral Center
  • Phone: 802-878-2022
  • Our Services
    • Behavior
    • Diagnostic Imaging
    • Internal Medicine
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Surgery
    • Urgent Pet Care
  • For Your Pet
    • Client Registration Form
    • Appointments + Urgent Care
    • Client Portal
    • When Your Pet is a Patient
    • Clinical Studies
    • Pet Insurance
    • Grief Resources
  • For Veterinary Teams
    • Our Referral Process
    • Referral Forms and Portal
    • At a Glance
    • Ethos Materials for Clinics
    • Continuing Education
    • VetBloom CE
    • Clinical Studies
  • About Us
    • Our Hospital
    • Our Team
    • Why Ethos
    • Ethos Discovery
    • Contact Us
  • Blogs & Videos
    • Our Blogs
    • PAWEDcasts
  • We’re Hiring!
    • Apply Today
    • Benefits and Perks
    • Veterinary Training Programs
Peak Veterinary Referral Center
  • Our Services
    • Behavior
    • Diagnostic Imaging
    • Internal Medicine
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Surgery
    • Urgent Pet Care
  • For Your Pet
    • Client Registration Form
    • Appointments + Urgent Care
    • Client Portal
    • When Your Pet is a Patient
    • Clinical Studies
    • Pet Insurance
    • Grief Resources
  • For Veterinary Teams
    • Our Referral Process
    • Referral Forms and Portal
    • At a Glance
    • Ethos Materials for Clinics
    • Continuing Education
    • VetBloom CE
    • Clinical Studies
  • About Us
    • Our Hospital
    • Our Team
    • Why Ethos
    • Ethos Discovery
    • Contact Us
  • Blogs & Videos
    • Our Blogs
    • PAWEDcasts
  • We’re Hiring!
    • Apply Today
    • Benefits and Perks
    • Veterinary Training Programs
  • Phone: 802-878-2022
802-878-2022     |     158 Hurricane Lane, Williston, VT 05495

Our Blogs

Scratching Behavior in Cats

January 15, 2021
Orange Cat on Scratching Post with Cat Toy

Cats scratch to mark their territory, to sharpen their claws, in grooming themselves and for pleasure. With a little effort and an understanding of feline behavior, it is possible to preserve your home and your skin.

Scratching is a natural feline behavior, there’s no value in trying to eliminate it, instead, positive reinforcement methods and approved scratching areas or posts can make all the difference.

Give your indoor cats a sturdy scratching post, or an area specifically designated for scratching. Make this area as appealing as possible by ensuring that it has a good scratching surface and is sturdy enough to lean against and jump up on. Different cats are attracted to different scratching surfaces and multiple posts may be necessary; provide both horizontal and vertical surfaces. If necessary sprinkle these posts with catnip to further entice your cat away from the area they are currently scratching.

Use some of these positive disciplinary methods  for stopping your cat if she is scratching something inappropriate, and consider cat proofing these areas while you are away. Use positive reinforcement when she is “caught” scratching her post. Redirect negative behaviors, and be kind. She isn’t targetting your expensive couch – she just likes what it feels like when she scratches it.

Keep her nails trimmed. Ask your veterinarian for tips if necessary. Be gentle, loving and respectful while trimming her nails and she’ll learn to trust you and the process.

If you find you are unable to control your cat’s destructive behavior, or if there are children or elderly people in your home who are at risk, talk to your veterinarian. Scratching is a natural feline behavior. Your goal should not be to stop it, only to redirect it. Cats can learn that furniture and humans are not acceptable scratching posts and you can peacefully co-exist with your sweet cat, your pretty furniture and your beautiful skin intact, with just a little patience and some good alternative scratching surfaces.

Share

Related Posts

  • Cat Toys: Which Ones Are Safest?
    Read Article
  • How to Train a Cat: Clicker Training
    Read Article
  • Where Did Black Cats Get Their Bad Reputation?
    Read Article
  • Feline Vaccines
    Read Article
  • Intestinal Parasites – Worms – in Kittens
    Read Article
  • A Day in the Life: General Practice Veterinarian
    Read Article
  • Why you should buy pet insurance- even for your young, healthy pet
    Read Article
Peak Veterinary Referral Center
802-878-2022 | 158 Hurricane Ln, Williston, VT 05495
  • Phone: 802-878-2022
  • Our Services
    • Behavior
    • Diagnostic Imaging
    • Internal Medicine
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Surgery
    • Urgent Pet Care
  • For Your Pet
    • Client Registration Form
    • Appointments + Urgent Care
    • Client Portal
    • When Your Pet is a Patient
    • Clinical Studies
    • Pet Insurance
    • Grief Resources
  • For Veterinary Teams
    • Our Referral Process
    • Referral Forms and Portal
    • At a Glance
    • Ethos Materials for Clinics
    • Continuing Education
    • VetBloom CE
    • Clinical Studies
  • About Us
    • Our Hospital
    • Our Team
    • Why Ethos
    • Ethos Discovery
    • Contact Us
  • Blogs & Videos
    • Our Blogs
    • PAWEDcasts
  • We’re Hiring!
    • Apply Today
    • Benefits and Perks
    • Veterinary Training Programs
© 2022 Peak Veterinary Referral Center
Website Design by Jackrabbit