Why Cats Scratch And What You Can Do About It

Why Cats Scratch And What You Can Do About It

Cats scratch, that's the long and the short of it. It's unrealistic to think you can completely cure your cat from scratching objects around your home, but you can modify that cats scratch fever into something you find acceptable.

Cats scratch for a number of reasons. First, cats are highly territorial, and they like to advertise their borders. Cats scratch to leave a visible sign of ownership, but because there are also scent glands in their paws, cats scratch to leave a scent marker as well. This effectively tells any other cats that might approach that this area is taken!

Cats scratch to keep their claws in condition also. As cats scratch, they remove the top layer of dead keratin on their claws. This helps to keep the nails sharp and short.

It's natural that cats scratch, but it's a problem if they're scratching up your furniture and wood work, so what can you do about it? Well the answer is to substitute an acceptable item for them to scratch on.

For example, The Paws Shop's own Big Mama Double Wide Scratchy Mat offers a very attractive place for your cat to scratch. Begin by hanging the mat in your cat's favorite scratching spot. You can even rub a little extra catnip on it to make it more attractive. Once your cat transfers her scratching behavior to the mat, you can move it a little further away from the undesirable scratching area each day.

Cats scratch, and dealing with it is simply a part of cat ownership, but with a little ingenuity and a terrific substitute, you can save your furniture and your relationship with your pet.
 by www.pawshop.com - Your pet gift headquarters