Destruction

The best way to prevent scratching and biting of furniture is to provide an environment that meets your cat’s needs. Make your home “cat-proof” by creating a play area where your cat can scratch, climb, and perch. These are available in all shapes and sizes. Provide toys your cat can swat at, such as balls, as well as toys that hang from elastic strings. Make cat grass available (especially for indoor cats) to prevent them from nibbling on your plants.

If you want to keep your cat out of certain “problem areas” of the house, consider keeping doors closed or, if necessary, installing child safety locks on them. For stubborn cases, or if there are places where you simply can’t keep the cat away, you might try using a spray with a strong, unpleasant odor; alternatively, you could set a few mouse traps and place them upside down with a layer of plastic wrap over them. The moment the cat steps on them, the traps snap shut, startling the animal.

Scratching is normal behavior. Cats use it to keep their claws sharp and to mark their territory. Many cats scratch just to stretch out comfortably.

To prevent your cat from scratching all sorts of things, in addition to keeping tempting surfaces out of reach, you can also trim your cat’s nails regularly or have them trimmed. Encourage your cat to use a scratching post. You can do this by placing one near its favorite sleeping spot, and perhaps another in a different area of the house where the cat often spends time.

If your cat keeps scratching in one particular spot, place a scratching post there. If the scratching continues, cover the scratching spot with plastic wrap or double-sided tape. Another option is to put plastic covers over your cat’s claws. This works well, but it must be repeated every 6 to 8 weeks because the covers wear off. The caps can be fitted by your veterinarian.

In the United States, surgery to remove the claws is often used as a last resort. In effect, this amounts to amputating the distal phalanges of the front legs. Although it is an effective remedy, this surgery is prohibited in the Netherlands and is therefore not an option.