Why Do Cats Scratch? If you are a cat owner and you cat is constantly scratching at your furniture and clawing your carpets you are likely to find this annoying to say the very least.
You cat may be a great companion but nobody likes having their home trashed! Cat scratching is not simply a destructive habit or bad behavior.
It is actually perfectly normal feline behavior and is very important to your cat.
So why do they do it? To Mark Their Territory.
Cats are very territorial creatures as you will no doubt have observed.
Scratching is one of the ways in which the mark out their territory using the scent glands which are located in their paws.
Also scratching can leave a visible mark which other cats can see and may be deterred by.
Cats also scratch to keep their claws in good condition.
Scratching helps to remove the old claw sheath allowing the new growth to come through.
You may find these where your cat has been scratching.
Sharpening claws is another reason cats will scratch.
They like to keep them in tip top condition and ready to see off any attacker.
Claws are a cats first line of defense and therefore it is instinctive to them to keep them sharp at all times.
Can you stop you cat scratching? The answer to this is no and nor should you ever attempt to.
If your cat is damaging your furniture there is a simple solution.
Either live with the destruction or get him something to scratch on which is of more interest to him.