THE CAT SCRATCHING DILEMMA

Cats need to scratch. It stretches their muscles, sheds the outer layer of their claws, marks their territory and also acts as a form of communication. The problem, however, is protecting the furniture that bears the brunt of these natural tendencies.

What you can do
Invest in a cat-scratching pole. Position the pole in an area within the house where the cat will feel comfortable using it. If your cat is a little shy, avoid placing the pole in a high-traffic area. If your cat has already claimed its favourite piece of furniture to sharpen its claws on, position the pole adjacent to the chair or couch. Dangle toys such as furry claws with bells attached and spend time playing with the cat to get it use to climbing up the pole. Whenever the cat plays on the pole, give it praise, pats and cuddles.

For a kitten, you will need a smaller cat-scratching pole. When a cat is fully-grown, the pole height should allow the cat to fully stretch its body. If the pole is too short the cat will look to other surfaces to stretch its muscles.

Cat scratching poles come in many sizes and varieties. If you have more than one cat, obtain or make a pole structure that has several nesting places so that both cats can happily share their 'play' area. These poles usually have a platform on top and this gives the added advantage of providing a place of refuge for your feline friend.

A great number of cats have a fascination with the herb catnip, and many cat toys are impregnated with it. Some cats almost go into an euphoric trance at a whiff of catnip and if your cat is one of these, then a little sachet of catnip on the pole will work wonders. Prolonged exposure to catnip often results in the cat becoming immune to its effects, so keep it for special occasions.

Protecting furniture
Whenever the cat scratches the furniture spray it while in the act with a water pistol. If the cat has already established a routine of scratching a piece of furniture, you will need to be consistent with the water pistol training. As soon as the cat removes its claws from the furniture, stop spraying water. Place the cat under the cat-scratching pole or you can even hold the cat at the pole placing its paws on either side of the pole. It will soon get the message!

There are a number of tricks that will deter the cat from scratching furniture. Cats hate to have anything stick to their paws so place double-sided sticky tape to the furniture and sit back and watch their utter distaste. You can also attach black plastic or aluminium foil to the furniture. These surfaces are sure to turn away your cat.

Another solution is to spray or wipe surfaces with eucalyptus oil or citrus oil. These substances are a natural repellent. Wiping timber surfaces with these oils is a good way to keep the cat off the table.

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