A kitten's paws are like babies' hands in many ways. As they grow, they will become more and more important tools for life, and claws are an essential part of cats' paws. Like babies, kittens may use those tools in destructive ways unless they are trained. Please learn to respect your cat's claws. As you learn more about the many functions of their claws and how important they are for everyday cat behaviors, it will become more clear as to why declawing is no longer considered a humane procedure in cats. Instead, consider the training options you need to use and the proper toys and tools that will help you live in harmony with your kitty and its claws.
A cat's claws are versatile, multi-purpose tools. Cats use their retractable claws every day for climbing, scratching, pouncing, turning, balancing, or defending themselves against other cats, dogs, predators, even humans who might try to harm them. Cats do not scratch furniture with malicious intent. Scratching is part of their regular self-maintenance program to keep their claws sharp and healthy.
When cats scratch, they are actually dislodging and removing a transparent sheath that grows over the claws. You may occasionally find these sheaths buried in your carpet. Scratching also stretches and tones your cat's back and shoulder muscles. Yelling at your cat or getting mad at it only leads to confusion because they are doing what comes naturally, with the nearest tool at hand. Unfortunately, this may presently be your prized Louis XIV chair you inherited from Aunt Blanche.
Fortunately, there are compromises that offer you and your feline friend a win-win resolution. Whatever solutions you choose to implement, the best way to encourage your cat to cooperate is with positive reinforcement. This form of training involves rewarding your cat when it is engaged in the behavior you want. If your cat is doing something undesirable like scratching the furniture, you can redirect it to an appropriate alternative and then reward that. Consistency and repetition are key and are crucial to any re-training program.
Praise your cat profusely and give it one of their favorite treats when they use their scratching post, and when they have cooperated with claw trimming or Soft Claw application. Your cat's eager little mind will soon associate loving hugs and tasty treats with these activities.
It is not recommended to use punishment when training cats as this often leads cats to fear you, and does not necessarily stop the undesirable behavior. They may just learn to avoid doing it in your presence and sneak off to scratch when you are not around. If you need to protect certain pieces of furniture, you can use some deterrents to make those spots less appealing for your cat to scratch:
In all cases, if you catch your cat scratching an area that is off-limits, redirect it to an appropriate scratching post and make sure to reward it once there. It can take time to get your cat to change their habits, but it will be worth it once your furniture is safe and your cat is scratching happily on its new post.
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