ALLEY CAT RESCUE
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Scratching and destructive behavior

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, 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 cat’s scratching preferences by observing the physical features of the objects your cat is scratching. Ask yourself questions like where they are located, what texture they have, what shape they have, and how tall they are.

Then, based on your cat’s preferences, provide her with similar objects to scratch. Place the new acceptable objects 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 >
      • Email Sign-up
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • History >
        • Our Team
        • Board of Directors
        • Financial Information
        • Privacy Policy
        • Partners
    • Press
    • Our Stories
    • Action Alerts >
      • Welfare Programs >
        • Petitions
        • California Declaw Bill
        • New York Declaw Bill
        • PACT Act
        • Spay Neuter Pledge
        • Michigan TNR bill
        • No Declaw Pledge
        • Toxoplasmosis gondii, Cats, and the Threats Posed to Pregnant Women
        • Adoptions >
          • Cats available for adoption
          • Adoption Inquiry Form
          • New Cat Checklist
          • Introducing A New Cat
        • Campaigns >
          • Working Cats Program >
            • Shelters with Working Cat Programs
          • African Wildcat >
            • Press Release on African Wildcat Campaign
            • Differences between AWCs and domestic cats
          • The Feral Fix
          • End Deadly Eradication Methods Campaign
          • "Fix the Family" Campaign
    • News >
      • ACR Newsletters
      • Press Releases
  • Spay/Neuter
    • COVID-19 Protocol for S/N Clinic
    • Early Age Spay/Neuter
    • Misconceptions About Spay/Neuter
    • Types of Spay and Neuter Procedures
    • 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
      • TNR: Do It Yourself!
      • Targeted Trapping
      • TNR Tips
      • Hard to Catch Cats
      • TNR Equipment Resources
      • TNR/Community Cat Care Financial Resources
      • Where to Buy TNR Equipment
      • Helping Shelters Implement TNR Programs
      • Adopting Adult Feral Cats >
        • 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
      • Common Complaints
      • Providing Shelter
    • State Resources
    • Health Care
    • Cat Overpopulation
    • Relocation
    • 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
    • Health Care for Your Cat >
      • Vaccines
      • Wellness Vet Checkups
      • Microchiping
      • Nail Trimmings
      • Effects of aging
      • Hospice Care and Euthanasia Decisions
      • Financial Assistance
      • Cat Supplies
      • How to Prepare for an Emergency
      • Pet Food Banks
    • Common Cat Health Issues >
      • Feline Panleukopenia
      • Fleas
      • FIP, FeLV, FIV >
        • Testing for FeLV/FIV
      • Zoonotic Diseases
      • Rabies
      • Toxoplasmosis
      • Ringworm - Symptoms and Treatment
      • Ringworm Myths Debunked
      • Obesity in Cats
      • Diabetes
      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats >
        • Winter Tips for Protecting Cats
        • Summer Tips for Cats
    • Cats & Claws
    • Animal Cruelty Against Cats
    • Hazardous Poisons
    • Poisonous Plants
    • Pet Disaster Preparedness
    • COVID-19 Pet Food Banks
    • Cats and COVID-19
  • Cat Behavior
    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering you cat
    • Common Cat Behavior Issues
    • Litter Box Problems
    • Scratching and Destructive Behavior
    • Meowing and Yowling
    • Urine Marking
    • Aggressive Cats
    • Cat Enrichment
    • Introducing Cats
    • Cat on Cat Aggression
    • Behavior Issues in Elderly Cats
    • Tips for Entertaining an Indoor Cat
    • Cat Supply Resources
    • Lost Cat
  • Donate
  • Store