When you want to make sure that your cat stops scratching up your furniture, you might feel that you are at your wits end. Cats scratch things naturally, and whether they are doing it to mark territory, because it feels good or because they want to have a little bit of exercise, you'll find that there are many things that you need to consider in order to make them stop! When you want to make sure that your cat stops murdering your furniture, take some time to consider some of the following options.

1. Scratching Post

This is the most common solution, most likely for the fact that it is one of the best ones that you can get in terms of effectiveness. Cats are natural scratchers, and instead of trying to curb their behavior, many people find that it simply works out better if they give them a place to exercise it. Go for a carpet covered post or a raw wood log and put it in a place where your cat will go. Praise your cat when they use it, and if you want to make them interested in it, try rubbing it with catnip or catnip powder.

2. Trimming Your Cat's Nails

Some cats only scratch lightly or scratch to keep their nails groomed. So if you keep them trim it will cut back on a lot of the scratching. If you go down to the local pet store, or even a local grocery store, they will have pet nail trimmers. To help the process along you should first get your cat used to you handling the paws first. Then, when that's OK, you can trim their claws.

3. Soft Paws

When you want to make sure that your cat isn't going to scratch, take some time and look at Soft Paws, a product which essentially gives you tiny vinyl caps to place over your cat's claws. A small dot of non-toxic adhesive will keep them on, and it essentially prevents your cat's claws from doing any damage. This is a good solution for people who can't be home to monitor their cats at all times.