As a Pet Owner, you love, respect, and cherish your cat. Unfortunately, your cat doesn’t always feel the same way about your furniture. From their point of view, that brand new leather sofa is their scratching post, not the pride of the living room.
However, before you give up on having nice things, there are a few tricks worth trying that can keep your cat happy and your sofa scratch-free. Check them out below!
Keep them busy
We know you don’t need another reason to play with your cat, but if you keep your feline busy, you’ll deplete them of the energy they otherwise would have channeled into your cushions. Chasing string, pouncing on a crumpled ball of paper, or swiping at their favourite toys will not only divert their wrath away from your furniture – it will also strengthen your bond with your kitty.
To keep your cat occupied when you’re at work, consider hiring a cat-friendly Pet Sitter.
Citrus spray keeps the claws away
If your cat has set its sights on a particular item of furniture, a citrus-scented spray could spare it from further damage. Cats are naturally averse to citrus odours, and will mostly avoid anything that bears its scent. Just be prepared to catch a whiff of lemon every time you collapse onto your sofa!
Scratching posts are a cat’s best friend
Cats don’t just scratch your furniture because they want to ruin your things. In fact, scratching serves a number of crucial purposes for a cat, including stress relief, exercise, claw maintenance, and self-esteem building.
Before you fear that you’ll need to choose between your furniture and your cat’s welfare, think of buying a scratching post. They’re custom-built to withstand the damage, and will provide your cat with a much more satisfying scratching experience. In short, they’re better for your furniture, and better for your cat.
At first, your cat might be reluctant to transition from the lounge to the scratching post. In this case, a squirt from a water spray bottle will convince them to leave the lounge alone, and a game of “chase the string” should lead them to their new scratching post.
