The Real Reason Cats Scratch Furniture – and How to Stop It

Have you ever wondered why your adorable feline friend turns into a tiny shredding machine the moment you look away?

Cats scratching furniture is a common complaint, but it’s also an innate behavior. So while stopping these scratching actions is often in our own best interest, it’s also important to ensure that these interventions are cat-friendly.

Fortunately, a new study published in the journal The Frontiers of Veterinary Science Researchers may have finally unlocked the secrets of scratching, suggesting that by tailoring play sessions and strategically placing scratching posts, the behavior can be managed more effectively.

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“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,” said Professor Yasemin Salgirli Demi̇rbas, a veterinary researcher at Ankara University and first author of the study.

The study involved questioning more than 1,200 cat owners in France about their cats’ daily lives, their characteristics and their scratching behavior.

Researchers found significant links between scratching behavior and factors such as the presence of children, the cats’ personality traits and their activity level.

“We see a clear link between certain environmental and behavioral factors and increased scratching behavior in cats,” says Salgirli Demi̇rbas.

“Specifically, the presence of children in the household as well as high levels of play and nighttime activity significantly contributed to increased scratching. Cats described as aggressive or disruptive also had higher levels of scratching.”

The study results indicate that stress is one of the main causes of unwanted scratching. The presence of children, especially young ones, for example, can increase cats’ stress levels, which encourages them to scratch more.

Additionally, high levels of play and nighttime activity provide uninterrupted stimulation that can increase stress.

Unsurprisingly, the authors don’t recommend getting rid of your children to stop your cat from scratching furniture, but there are interventions you can implement to help reduce this behavior.

Placing scratching posts in areas frequently used by cats or near favorite resting spots can reduce damage to furniture. Using pheromones, which provide safe hiding places, elevated vantage points, and plenty of play opportunities, can also relieve stress and encourage cats to engage in more constructive activities.

According to Salgirli Demi̇rbas and her team, the key to scratch-free play is to establish several short play sessions that mimic successful hunting scenarios. These sessions are more likely to maintain your cat’s attention and reduce stress.

Such techniques can even help create a better bond between you and the cat, they said.

Questions remain. For example, the exact link between the presence of children and increased scratching is not fully understood. The team hopes that future work will help develop more effective strategies to manage this less-than-ideal habit in our feline companions.

About the expert

Yasemin Salgirli Half-bas is an associate professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University. Her work has been published in journals such as Journal of Veterinary Behavior And Scientific reports.

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