Home Cat Care Behavior

Scratching & Spraying

Scratching

Scratching is important, biologically, for your cat. So you can't really punish her for clawing the furniture, unless you have provided her with an alternative like a scratching post. If your cat has already scratched something, cover the item with plastic and she will likely turn to the post instead. When you catch your cat scratching furniture, try squirting her with water from a squirt bottle and use a firm "no." When she scratches her scratching post, reward her with praise.

Spraying

Both males and females spray urine to mark their territory, although the behavior is much more common in males. One way to address this is to spay or neuter the cat. Generally cats will exhibit this type of behavior when they feel their territory is threatened, such as bringing a newcomer onto the scene.

Consult with your veterinarian about possible health problems that may be causing this behavior.

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