Cats love a good scratch. Not only is it a good form of exercise but they get to sharpen their claws. Scratching also helps them to leave scent markers or a “calling card.”

Unfortunately, some cats choose to sharpen their claws on furniture and think that the back of the sofa is just one giant scratching post. Obviously, their interior decorating is not always desirable!

What to do if your cat is damaging furniture:

• Place a scratching post right next to the furniture the cat is currently scratching
• Praise and offer food rewards whenever your cat scratches her scratching post
• Try offering a variety of scratching substrates; don’t offer just one carpeted scratching post – think cardboard, logs of wood
• Deter the cat from scratching furniture by placing double-sided sticky tape on it. Many cats find the stickiness of the tape unpleasant

If you’ve tried all these recommendations and your cat is still “redecorating”, ask us for help.