When you want to make sure that your cat stops scratching up your furniture, you might feel that you are at your wits end. Cats scratch things naturally, and whether they are doing it to mark territory, because it feels good or because they want to have a little bit of exercise, you'll find that there are many things that you need to consider in order to make them stop! When you want to make sure that your cat stops murdering your furniture, take some time to consider some of the following options.

1. Scratching Post

A cats scratching is a natural cat behavior, so instead of trying to suppress what comes naturally to them, give them a better alternative than your furniture. Get them a scratching post or a raw wood log, and put it in a place where there is a high volume of human traffic. Since your cat scratches in part to mark their territory then high traffic areas area the best place for them. If you want you cat to take an active interest rub a little catnip on the post and watch them go nuts for it.

2. Trimming Your Cat's Nails

Some cats only scratch lightly or scratch to keep their nails groomed. So if you keep them trim it will cut back on a lot of the scratching. If you go down to the local pet store, or even a local grocery store, they will have pet nail trimmers. To help the process along you should first get your cat used to you handling the paws first. Then, when that's OK, you can trim their claws.

3. Soft Paws

For a quick fix, and to ensure your cat doesn't scratch on any unwanted surfaces, you can get a product called "Soft Paws". These are small vinyl caps that go over your cats claws. They are held there by a drop of non-toxic adhesive. This works best for anyone who can't be home to supervise their cat, and need a little extra help.