Feline Furniture Destruction- How to stop it

Cats are a wonderful pet to have around. They are playful, affectionate, and excellent to keep in a home. Cats sometime have certain habits that can really bring an owner to the point of insanity, and scratching furniture is one of them. Seeing a cat destroy furniture is not enjoyable, but there are different steps that can be taken to change this animal’s behavior.

Spray Bottle of Water

Cats hate water. They will do everything possible to avoid this liquid. If an owner fills a spray bottle with water and places it in an area of the house where it is accessible quickly, it can be used to deter a cat from scratching furniture. Every time a cat begins to scratch the furniture, immediately sprits the cat with water. Eventually cats learn to connect that scratching furniture will get them wet. This is further explained when it is said, “A better way to correct a cat is to have the environment do the punishing. We call this remote correction and it is very effective because an animals' behavior is dictated by the consequences that follow. If doing a certain thing leads to an unpleasant experience then your cat will be less likely to do it again. Using remote correction has the added benefit of removing you as the bad guy.”

Applying Citrus Smells

Who would ever think that any animal could hate the sweet smell of lemons, limes, and oranges? Cats cannot tolerate the smell. The simple act of placing plates full of orange peels, in an area where the owner does not want the cat to be, can work perfectly. Cats will stay away from that area as long as the smell remains. Having a citronella plant, candle, or oil near a couch that a cat likes to a scratch would be a good idea.

Coffee Cat Repellent

It is amusing to think that one of America’s favorite drinks can be used to keep cats away from precious furniture. If owners do not mind that their house smells like a coffee brewery, then this solution is perfect for use. Just put coffee grounds into bowls and place them in the area where needed. A little about a cat's sense of smell is explained when it is said, “The first thing to note is that a cat’ssense of smell is about fourteen times stronger than a human. This is largely because a cat’s entire nasal organ is so much bigger than that of a human—despite the demure outer appearance, a cat’s olfactory system extends through nearly their entire head. Your cute kitten’s little head is essentially a giant walking nose—just keep that in mind.”

Cats are precious and loving animals. Sometimes there are habits that cats have that can be irritating to owners, and furniture scratching is one of them. Try some of the ideas presented above to help obliterate feline furniture destruction.