AD. ever in a million years would you've imagined having a cat walking around your house, and yet here you are, the proud owner of a mysterious, smart kitty that's nice to cuddle and sleep with. Keeping your feline friend indoors keeps them away from the busy roads. Not to mention they're less likely to get into fights. But your home can become predictable and boring, leading to stress, so your cat may display problem behaviour. Your furry friend may increase their territorial marking – e.g., scratching – and cause trouble.
There's nothing worse than getting a new sofa and coming home to find that your kitty's out to cause mayhem. In case you didn't already know, scratching is a deeply ingrained, natural feline behaviour without countless benefits to their health and well-being, hence cats do it to express excitement, mark objects with their scent, or remove the dead part of their nails. With a little bit of effort, you can prevent and avoid clawing problems, so don't give up hope just yet.
[Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash]
How to Protect Your Furniture from Your Cat
Always Use Protective Covers on Your Furniture
Using covers on the furniture can protect the upholstery from spills and wear and tear. Meaning it's a practical option for those with pets, so don't deny your furry friend their time on the sofa. You don't have to sacrifice style for a couch. Regarding sofa protection, you can choose between traditional covers that protect most furnishings, and your decision will come down to function and aesthetics. It's best to steer clear of stretch-fabric couch covers because the material isn't sturdy enough to withstand claws. Personal preference matters the most when it comes to which fit is best.
Stop Destructive Cat Scratching by Giving Them More Attractive Options
Scratching can cause a lot of damage to the furniture, but if you think about it for a second, you'll find reasonable solutions to protect your couch. If your kitty is attracted to the corners of your wood furniture, the explanation could be that they don't have a scratch post or pad (or they don't have them in the right location). So give them lots and lots of clawing opportunities inside the home. Knowing how to keep a cat entertained is not only important for your furniture, it's also crucial for regulating their physical and mental health.
Provide Them with Designated Scratch Places in The Home
A location near the window or the radiator in a room your feline companion prefers is an excellent place to start. Since they'll shift their focus to something more appealing, you don't have to worry your most prized possessions will be destroyed. Even if it happens, don't punish your cat. Pay close attention to your kitty's potion and the texture of the material they scratch to identify better choices. Scratching posts are available in all shapes and sizes, so if you're looking for something basic to fit into a small space, you're in luck.
If your cat loves spending time with you, purring and rubbing against you, put posts with beds in areas close to where you spend most of your time. They fit snugly against a couch, chair corner, or furniture leg. Please make sure the scratching posts are tall enough for your pet to stretch all the way so they can exercise all-important muscles and maintain a healthy weight. More than half of house cats are considered overweight or obese. Most scratching posts require light assembly – getting someone else to do the job for you can be costly.
Try Spraying Scents Your Cat Will Downright Hate
Cats are naturally drawn to wood furniture because the rough surface acts as a file to remove the dead outer layer of the paws, therefore keeping them pain-free. Oak, for instance, is a very dense, hard wood, which means it doesn't scratch or damage easily. Still, you can use oak wood varnish to provide a durable and protective coating that enhances the natural grain pattern. A repellent spray is one of the most effective ways to keep your furry friend away from sensitive areas in the home. Cats are highly attuned to smells and can detect subtle environmental changes.
There are some smells that felines find utterly repulsive, like citrus, lavender, eucalyptus, vinegar, coffee grounds, strong mint, and pine or cheddar. Bear in mind that your cat doesn't need much of a negative outcome to stop them from jumping on the counters or clawing furniture, so even a slight inconvenience is practical. Squirting your cat with a small toy water gun will break the human/animal bond, leading to increased stress and aggressive behaviour, so the repellent should be remote. Sadly, we've only scratched the surface of this complex world.
It Takes Just One Scratch to Mar A Piece of Furniture
So, you have an old dresser that your furry friend has mistaken for a scratch post. What that means is the following: the scratches aren't deep enough to damage it structurally, just aesthetically. Even the hardest woods can be scratched, so you'll have to sand the furniture down until it's smooth and even and afterward refinish it. Plant-based hard wax oil finishes like Rubio Monocoat are an excellent choice for small projects as they bring out the colour of the wood better than any finish. With that being said, please visit https://rubiomonocoat.co.uk/. You don't need a respirator to apply it.
It's not a good idea to sand beyond 150 since the oil binds more effectively at lower grits. Be careful not to mix more than you need. A little bit goes a long way. Plant-based hard wax oil wood finishes are available in many colours, but if you're looking for a unique shade, go beyond the standard colour options by creating your own colour palette. The final step is to eliminate all traces of the finish from the surface with a heavy-duty terry bonnet. If not possible, you can just use some shop rags.
The Takeaway
If your feline companion won't stop scratching the furniture, no matter how hard you try to discourage this behaviour. Trim your cat's claws on a regular basis to reduce the damage they can do. Use a special pair of scissors or pliers-like clippers. Light or surface scratches can be removed by sanding the area and dabbing a small amount of varnish.
