ALLEY CAT RESCUE
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Scratching and Other Destructive Behaviors

Left unchecked, indoor cats can cause significant household destruction. Some cats chew on houseplants and eat strange materials like dirt, leather, and wool – a condition known as pica. Others use furniture as scratching posts and turn curtains into a playground. Your cat’s destructive behavior can be managed by offering your cat more appealing options as well as making former choices less satisfying.

Managing Pica
When dealing with pica, the first step is to have your vet rule out any medical issues, such as metabolic imbalance. Once your cat has been given the all clear, try some of the following suggestions to protect your plants:
  • Hang tabletop plants or put them in an off-limits room
  • Spray leaves with an anti-chew spray for plants and put double-stick tape on the planters. Cats will avoid surfaces that are sticky to the touch.
  • Provide your cat with flats of catnip and wheatgrass to satisfy her craving for fresh vegetation.
When dealing with cats who eat or chew non-plant items, try to keep these objects in drawers, closets, or closed containers. Chewing inappropriate objects may be a signal of boredom and isolation, so be sure to provide your cat with plenty of her own toys to keep her distracted. Try to increase the amount of exercise she is receiving and rotate her toys every few days to keep her interested.

Problematic Scratching: Prevention and Solutions 
Scratching is a normal behavior for cats. They scratch to remove the dead outer layer of their claws, to mark their territory, to stretch their bodies and flex their feet and claws, to relieve stress, and to expend energy. Since scratching is a normal behavior, it is unrealistic to try to stop cats from scratching. Alternatively, resolving scratching problems should focus on redirecting the scratching onto appropriate objects.

Training
First, provide objects for scratching that are appealing to your cat and convenient for them use. You can figure out you whether your cat prefers scratching horizontally or vertically by observing the objects your cat is scratching. 

If your cat prefers vertical objects, provide her with a scratching post that has the following properties:
  • Is sisal covered or rope-wrapped
  • at least three feet tall
  • Sturdy, with a wide base. It must be heavy enough to withstand a cat leaning and pulling on it

Place the scratching post or pads near the inappropriate objects she is already scratching. Cover the inappropriate objects with materials that your cat will find unappealing, such as aluminum foil, sandpaper, or tape. You can also give the objects an unpleasant odor, but be careful to not to let the acceptable objects to take on the scent as well. 
​
Once your cat is consistently scratching the appropriate object, you can start to move it slowly to a more suitable location. Don’t move the object more than three inches each day, and it’s best to keep it as close to your cat’s preferred scratching locations as possible. Similarly, don’t remove the unappealing coverings or odors from the unacceptable objects until your cat is regularly scratching the acceptable objects for three to four weeks. When you do remove the coverings or odors, it should be done gradually.

Punishment?
Punishing your cat for scratching is only effective when it’s done while your cat is in the act of scratching the inappropriate object and you have provided her with an alternative, acceptable scratching object. Punishment after the fact won’t alter her behavior and may negatively affect your relationship. If you do catch her scratching unacceptable objects, using a remote form of punishment is best. Some examples of remote punishment are making loud noises or squirting her with water.

It is also important to remember to keep your cat’s nails trimmed. Regularly scheduled trimmings are important to preventing excess scratching.
 
References 

“Household Destruction.” Petfinder, www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-problems/cat-household-destruction/.

“PAWS - People Helping Animals.” Destructive Scratching - Prevention and Solutions » PAWS, www.paws.org/library/cats/behavior/destructive-scratching/.
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  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission
      • Our Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Financial Information
      • Email Sign-up
    • ACR in the Press
    • ACR Publications >
      • Newsletters
      • Blog
      • Press Releases
      • National Surveys
    • Adoptions >
      • Adoption Application
      • Cats available for adoption
      • New Cat Checklist
      • Introducing A New Cat
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Contact Us
    • Partners
  • Action Alerts
    • Spay Neuter Pledge
    • No Declaw Pledge
    • Campaigns >
      • TNR Support Letter
      • The Feral Fix
      • Working Cats Program >
        • Shelters with Working Cat Programs
      • End Deadly Eradication Methods
      • "Fix the Family"
  • Spay/Neuter
    • Early Age Spay/Neuter
    • Misconceptions About Spay/Neuter
    • State Low Cost Spay/Neuter
  • How to Help Community Cats
    • Find a Stray Cat?
    • What is a Feral Cat? >
      • Feral vs. Stray Cats
      • Benefits of Feral Cats
    • TNR-- What does this mean? >
      • TNR Statistics
      • TNR Step-by-Step
      • Targeted Trapping
      • TNR Tips
      • Hard to Catch Cats
      • TNR Equipment Loan Resources
      • Where to Buy TNR Equipment
      • TNR/Community Cat Care Financial Resources
      • Helping Shelters Implement TNR Programs
      • Common Complaints
    • Providing Shelter
    • CAT Action Teams: TNR Groups by State
    • Health Care
    • Cat Overpopulation
    • Relocation
    • Feral Kittens >
      • What to do if you find kittens
      • Stages of Kitten Development
      • Orphaned Kittens
      • Socializing Feral Kittens
      • Fostering Kittens
    • How Rescuers Can Effectively Adopt Out Cats >
      • Adopting Adult Feral Cats
    • Winter Tips for Protecting Cats
    • Summer Tips for Cats
    • Feral Cats and the Law
    • Cats and Wildlife >
      • Cats and Predation
      • Where have all the birds gone?
      • Debunking the Myths and Misinformation: Cat Predation
      • Why Eradication Methods Fail
    • Handbook Download
  • Cat Health & Supplies
    • Health Care for Your Cat >
      • Vaccines
      • Wellness Vet Checkups
      • Microchiping
      • Nail Trimmings
      • Effects of aging
      • Hospice Care and Euthanasia Decisions
      • Financial Assistance
      • How to Prepare for an Emergency
    • FIP, FeLV, FIV >
      • Testing for FeLV/FIV
    • Common Cat Health Issues >
      • Feline Panleukopenia
      • Fleas
      • Zoonotic Diseases
      • Rabies
      • Toxoplasmosis
      • Ringworm - Symptoms and Treatment
      • Ringworm Myths Debunked
      • Obesity in Cats
      • Diabetes
      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats
    • Cats & Claws
    • Animal Cruelty Against Cats
    • Hazardous Poisons
    • Poisonous Plants
    • Cats and COVID-19
    • Cat Supplies
    • Pet Food Banks
    • Pet Disaster Preparedness
  • Cat Behavior
    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering your cat >
      • Rehoming
    • Common Cat Behavior Issues >
      • Litter Box Problems
      • Scratching and Destructive Behavior
      • Aggressive Cats >
        • Cat on Cat Aggression
      • Meowing and Yowling
      • Urine Marking
      • Behavior Issues in Elderly Cats
    • Introducing Cats
    • Cat Enrichment
    • Tips for Entertaining an Indoor Cat
    • Cat Supply Resources
    • Lost Cat
  • African Wildcats
    • AWC Conservation Projects
    • Press Release on African Wildcat Campaign
    • Differences between AWCs and domestic cats
  • Donate
  • Store