Stop Your Cat From Scratching Furniture With These Science-Based Strategies

Scientists are working hard to solve one of life’s biggest problems: a house cat with a nasty habit of tearing up furniture.

In a new study out Wednesday, researchers identified several key factors that appear to predict unwanted cat scratching. These include whether there are young children in the home, the type of playtime they get and their overall stress levels. At least some of these aspects can be modified to control your cat’s scratching, the scientists say.

The study was conducted by Turkish, Portuguese and French veterinarians, and funded by French animal health company Ceva Santé Animale. The team asked more than 1,200 cat owners in France to complete an online survey, which included questions about their cat’s home environment, daily routine and scratching behaviors.

Overall, the team found that some cats were naturally more likely to scratch, such as felines described as “aggressive” or “disruptive” by their owners. But other external factors were linked to unwanted cat scratching, including having children in the home, playing with the cat for long periods of time, and generally being more active at night.

“This highlights the multifaceted nature of unwanted scratching behavior and underscores the importance of comprehensively understanding the individual characteristics of the cat and its environment to effectively treat this behavior,” the researchers wrote of their findings. published Wednesday at The Frontiers of Veterinary Science.

Of course, having young children or a grumpy cat aren’t factors that owners can change on a whim. But some factors the team identified point to stress as a major external factor that contributes to cat scratching and can be better managed. For example, too much playtime at once can become overstimulating for a cat. The added stress could also explain why the presence of children is also linked to cat scratching, though the scientists say more research is needed to be sure.

So, finding ways to reduce your cat’s stress should help you reduce unwanted scratching, they say. That can include making sure your cat has plenty of nooks and crannies to relax in undisturbed, as well as high spots from which she can perch and survey her kingdom. You can also space out playtime into short bursts of activity that more closely mimic natural hunting behavior. And based on the survey data, the team found that leaving scratching posts in places cats frequently visit seemed to keep them from scratching other, more valuable pieces of furniture.

“Our findings can help caregivers manage and redirect scratching to appropriate materials, which could help foster a more harmonious living environment for cats and their caregivers,” lead author Yasemin Salgirli Demi̇rbas, a veterinary researcher at Ankara University, said in a statement. statement from Frontiers, publisher of the journal.

Putting these findings into practice could protect your favorite things. But don’t let your cat catch you reading this, unless you’re prepared to explain why his favorite couch is suddenly off-limits.