Did Kitty Scratch On The Approved Object After Being Moved Give Him/her A Treat
Your cats favourite form of positive reinforcement: treats, snacks, yummy food, & catnip!! If youre in the giving mood, do yourself and your cat a favour for being good, and dole out a treat or two. Kitty will be ever so thankful and may end up scratching on the post instead of the couch the next time around, especially if he/shes come to associate the post with yummy treats.
Give Your Kitten Alternative Scratching Spots
Cats scratch different objects naturally, as a way of marking their territory, stretching their bodies and removing the dead outer layer from their claws.;
It is almost impossible for a cat not to scratch objects. However, you can teach your cat what to scratch and what not to.;
A good idea of training your kitten is by erecting a scratching post near their previous scratching spots.;
Through observations, find out about your kittens preferences and provide alternative scratching posts that match her preferences.;
Cover the previous scratching spots by using deterrents like aluminium foil or sticky tape.;
Alternatively, you could apply citrus or menthol on the spots, as cats dislike their odour.;
You will have to leave these deterrents in place until your kitten comes to terms with her new scratching spots.
Why Having Claws And Scratching Is Important To Cats
Claws are a physically, socially, and emotionally vital part of every cat.;Scratching, for a cat, is not only a natural act, but a necessary one as well.
You Should Never Declaw Your Cat!;
Declawing is surgery where the claw and end bone of each toe are amputated; it is essentially the amputation of 1/3 of the cats paws. Declawed cats must be kept indoors only, since the front claws are a cats primary means of self-defense and escape against the many dangers and predators in our area. Declawed cats are often chronically painful, and may develop aggression or litter box problems. We strongly discourage declawing or tendonectomy surgeries.
Paws and claws are integral tools for cats in no uncertain physical and behavioral terms. We have seen many cats relinquished to shelters who were declawed and then developed new unwanted behaviors afterward, including urinating outside the litterbox , or increased aggression and biting. The Humane Society of Boulder Valley, Denver Dumb Friends League, and many other shelters nationwide condemn declawing, which is considered cruel and/or illegal in many other nations .
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How To Stop Scratching And Biting
When kittens scratch and bite, it’s likely that they’ve been encouraged to do so at some point in the past. This is especially common if you or your children thought the behavior was cute when the kitten was very small.;It is very important that you do not “roughhouse” with your kitten and allows them to bite or scratch at any age. This teaches the cat that hands are toys, a lesson that will be harder to break later on. Try substituting cat toys for your fingers when you’re playing and save your fingers for gentle petting.;Make sure all family members are aware of these guidelines so the cat will receive a consistent message.
You’ve checked and are sure your kitten’s biting and scratching is not a sign of any physical problem, you’ve minimized rough-housing with your bare hands, but you’re still winding up with kitten scratches and nips. Here are some tips for managing the problem and training your kitten to stop this behavior.
How To Stop A Kitten From Biting:
- Say OW! in a loud but not overwhelming voice
- Gently remove your body part from your kittens grasp. It may feel counterintuitive, but try to remove her slowly, as quickly snatching your hand away just makes you an even more intriguing target, she explains.
- Place her carefully on the floor and/or redirect her attention to a toy.
- If she;doesnt come back and nip again, reward her with play. But dont pet or snuggle her at this time, because when a kitten is in play/prey mode, anything that comes her way is fair game to be pounced on and bitten.
- If she does try to bite again, simply repeat the procedure.
Stick to your guns. Consistency is key when you want to curb kitten biting.
Your cat cant be expected to understand that its okay to nip sometimes or with certain people, and not with others, says Molloy.
Eventually, your kitten will learn that OW! means, Let go. And shell soon realize your body part isnt really a fun toy. Your goal, of course, is to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for teeth on skin, but this does not mean getting physical with your pet, points out Molloy.
Physical punishment just makes cats frightened of people and is seldom connected with what they see as perfectly normal behavior, she notes.
So, if you are dealing with kitten biting, just remember that patience is key, along with lots of fun toys!
Feature Image: yiamXstoneman/Shutterstock.com
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Before Training Find The Best Place To Put Your Cat Scratching Posts
A critical step in ensuring that your cat uses her new scratching posts is making sure that you choose the best areas in the house to place them. The best scratching post placement is done using knowledge of normal cat scratching behaviors. Though we humans may have preferences for where we’d like the cat scratching posts to be in our home, usually in corners and out-of-the-way places, these aren’t always the best spots in the eyes of our feline friends. When we consider the issue from their point of view, it’s easy to understand why.
There are a few ingrained reasons for cat scratching behavior:
A final note on cat scratching post placement: Providing cats with multiple scratching posts in different areas of your home increases the likelihood that your furniture and carpeting will be left alone. If your cat is already using an inappropriate object or place to scratch, examine it to gain valuable information. Are the scratch marks high or low, on a vertical or horizontal surface, in a corner or under a bed? You can use this data to help you choose the type and placement of scratching posts and pads. Cats like to scratch on vertical surfaces, horizontal surfaces, and angled surfaces. Sometimes they enjoy finding places to scratch in special areas such as under the bed or in the closet.
Why To Do If You See Your Cat Scratching
In the next section we will look at how to train a cat to not scratch. But before we get into that, heres a few things you can do if you catch your cat in the act of scratching.
- Clap your hands: Dont do this too loud as it will frighten them.
- Say NO: In a firm amnner, but not too loud and dont scream.
- Spray them with water.
- Physically remove them from the area.
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Leave Sticky Tape On Your Sofas
A recommended using Sticky Paws tape on furniture you want to keep safe from menacing claws, noting that Sticky Paws in particular leaves nothing on your couch once its finally removed.
Ive never tried using sticky substances like this before to keep cats away from counters or furniture, but Ive heard many people swear by them. The idea behind using them is solid: cats wont want their paws to stick to anything, so if you can put down some sticky tape where you dont want your cat standing or scratching, your cat should stay well away.
Of course, you wont want really sticky tape to do this with, or your cats fluffy hair will get stuck onto the tape and itll be painful to get it off! But if you have somewhat sticky tape, like with Sticky Paws tape in particular, this trick should work painlessly for you and your feline friend.
Like I said, I havent used this trick myself have never needed to. But if youve already tried everything else and youre desperate, or if you want to attack the problem on as many fronts as possible at once for the optimal success rate, tapes like these may be a good option to try.
Training Your Cat To Stop Biting Or Clawing You
Play sessions provide the best opportunity to teach your cat not to bite, claw or play-attack you. Cats will bite and claw when they are playing and acting out their hunting instincts. Playtime is the best time to teach your cat that he must be careful and gentle. The cat is only allowed to play using his paws, not his claws. He should be taught never to bite you.
Start by enticing kitty into a gentle game of play fighting. Continuously praise the cat all the time he remains gentle. Gradually increase the excitement and intensity of the game, keeping your eyes glued to kitty. As soon as you see that the cat is getting too excited or he begins to expose his claws or teeth, tone down the play session or immediately freeze and “play dead.” This usually causes a cat to calm down and retract its claws. If kitty complies, then resume playing. If not, the play must not resume until your cat calms down and retracts his claws. If your cat bites hard or scratches you, sharply scream “OUCH,” immediately stop playing, walk away and ignore him.
Cats, especially kittens, love to play. Abruptly ending a play session is an extremely powerful message. With a few repetitions, your cat will soon learn that it is his own rough and overly aggressive behavior that causes the abrupt end of an enjoyable play session.
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Four Ways To Stop A Cat Biting And Scratching
Commonly used as a way for cats to communicate with their owner, theres nothing more frustrating than spotting claw marks where they shouldnt be. Furniture, clothes and even your skin can be a prime target for scratching or biting even when your cat is fully equipped with scratching poles and toys to exercise their claws!
Whether you have an issue with your cat scratching furniture or theyve simply caught your skin at playtime, you may want to explore different ways to stop your cat scratching.In this guide, weve shared the four ways that you can stop your cat from biting, along with the reasons why they may be showing the behaviour more than usual:
How To Stop Kitten Biting
Its all fun and games with your sweet, adorable kittenuntil her tiny teeth sink into your skin, that is. After a play session thats left your hand scratched up, you might wonder whether you can deter this behavior with kitten training. Fortunately, learning how to discipline a kitten is possible, as long as youre consistent with your method.
To help nix the nipping, weve asked Mary Molloy, an animal behavior counselor at Nirvana Trails in New York City, to offer some advice. Heres how to stop a kitten from biting so you can enjoy playtime with your kitty.
Its second nature. If youre worried that the rescue kitty youve brought home is only out for blood, remember that its completely normal behavior for your animal to nip, notes Molloy.
Kittens, like babies of many species, explore their world by mouth, she explains.
But luckily for you , kitten biting naturally decreases as your cat ages and usually disappears by 12 months of age, she adds.
Kittens bite because theyre teething, which happens when theyre 2 weeks old, and then again around 4 months, she says.
Biting is learning. The other big reason kitties use their teeth so much is because theyre playing, says Molloy.
And playtime with littermates helps to teach a kitten bite inhibition, which means if you bite your sibling too hard, youll be avoided at bestor bitten right back at worst, she points out.
Youre likely going to get bitten, says Molloy.
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Hollow Versus Solid Cat Scratching Posts
Hollow cardboard tubes often make the best scratching posts for two reasons:
-
They tend to be sturdier. Remember, a critical factor in your cat’s enjoyment of a post is stability, both for your cat’s preference and for his safety. Tall posts made out of hollow tubes and covered with sisal fabric are preferable to top-heavy wooden posts that might topple over.
Don’t forget to look for a double-thick base to ensure the stability of the post.
- They make more noise when scratched. This is highly satisfying to cats.
Pick Kitty Up And Place Him/her Elsewhere When The Claws Come Out
If you said No! and your cat stopped scratching dead in his tracks, youre good to go. If not? Physically pick up;your cat and move him or her
Repeating these two steps over and over will really help your cat understand, the No! means displeasure, and the moving off the sofa is because hes just not supposed to be up on there scratching.
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How To Stop Bad Behavior
There are numerous humane effective techniques for expressing your displeasure with a cat. It’s always wise to check with your vet to make sure there isn’t a health issue causing the bad behavior. One simple option is to keep a spray bottle filled with water handy. This can help when you see bad behavior in action. Give your kitten a little squirt to discourage the behavior.
Understand Why Cats Scratch
Do you know why your cat likes to scratch your furniture?
Its not because she is trying to get back at you for something or wants to destroy stuff.
Cats scratch because:
- Its a way to mark their territory visually
- They are sharpening their nails
- They are stretching their muscles
- It relieves stress
What Im trying to show you is that scratching is normal behavior and its unavoidable. If you dont want your furniture, carpets, and walls to get damaged, you have to provide an alternative.
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Train Your Kitten Not To Scratch
You have to train your kitten very early so that it does not scratch you but above all that it does not scratch a child or a baby … Scratches can also damage the interior of your home. Indeed, it is not uncommon for kittens to scratch the legs of chairs, upholstery, sofa or walls.
Here are some tips to keep your kitten from scratching:
- Install him with scratching posts and a cat tree;
- Stand near the cat tree to do the training sessions.
- Start playing with your kitten and every time he tries to scratch you, shout NO and redirect to his scratching post or cat tree. By repeating this method several days in a row, your kitten will understand that he should not scratch you but that he can scratch his cat tree.
- If this method is not effective with your cat because it is too wild or too stubborn, you can use the solution of spray .
- Know that you should never let your cat scratch you because if you let it happen only once, he will not understand why you refuse it the next time. To establish a good relationship and a good education, one must always have a consistent and routine attitude.
Can I Declaw My Cat
Though cat scratching can be a troublesome issue, declawing your cat is not a good idea. Many pet owners mistake declawing for an easy, harmless fix. In reality, declawing your cat can cause serious, long-term issues. The Humane Society of the United States;opposes cat declawing, except in the rare case of a cancerous nail bed tumor.
There are many reasons not to declaw cats and kittens. Cat scratching is a natural behavior, and cats rely on their claws to feel safe and secure. Declawing is not a harmless trim its the amputation of each toes last bone. Its the equivalent of cutting off each finger at the last knuckle. This is a serious operation offering no medical benefit for the cat. In fact, it can harm the cat in multiple ways.;Declawing your cat can lead to the following issues:
In short its not worth the risk. Declawing may seem like an easy way to stop scratching problems, but it causes a slew of other, more serious issues. You may have heard of tendonectomy, an alternative to traditional declawing. This procedure involves severing the tendons in each toe that control the claws. This is just as dangerous and painful for the cat as declawing, and is not recommended.
Instead of giving your cat a painful, risky and detrimental medical procedure, work with your cat to stop unwanted scratching. Cats need their claws and need to be able to scratch. By encouraging your cat to use scratching posts and maintaining your cats claws, you can eliminate bad scratching.
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Make Sure You Have A Scratching Post Kittys Actually Happy To Use In Your House
Have a scratching post already? Great! Have you seen your cat use it before? If the answer is no, you do not have a scratching post kitty likes or kitty needs to be trained to like it.
Trying to train kitty to like a scratching post? Use these tips:
Scratching should ensue.
But if its a no go and kitty just wont do it about a month in its time for a better post; one that kitty will actually take to.
Id advise getting an angled scratching post;if you have one of those regular upright cylinder ones. Ive found cats really prefer the angled ones because they can stretch out easily while doing it. I have a tall cat and so he particularly hates those cylindrical ones.
If youve got a lightweight scratching post made of cardboard, youre likely going to have to weigh that thing down, otherwise chances are your cat is never going to use it.
Cats want to be able to scratch without the object theyre scratching moving so therein lies your issue. Either throw some heavy exercise weights onto the sucker to keep it firmly in place, or get a new, heavy scratching post like one of the many made out of real wood.