Cat is Clawing Everything

Contrary to popular opinion, cats do not claw all your belongings because they wish to annoy you. The clawing and scratching action is done for various reasons. Cats leave messages for other cats by the use of claw marks and hence use it as a way to mark their territory. Cat's also release their scent by clawing because the scent glands are located in the paw pads. Scratching is also a way of keeping their claws healthy and sharp.

To provide your cat with an alternative to clawing your favorite couch, you can purchase cat trees and scratching posts at any pet store. Cat furniture covered in sisal, rope or fabric make excellent surfaces for your cats to work out their scratching needs. Some cats need some assistance understanding how fun their cat furniture really is. You can rub catnip over the cat furniture, or use catnip sprays sold in pet stores. Watch to see when your cat is about to claw your furniture, and gently move him or her over to the cat furniture and move their paws up and down along the furniture to teach them where to scratch.

You can also cut up cardboard boxes to cover the corners and legs of your furniture while you are retraining your cat. Some household supply stores and pet catalogs also sell clear plastic liners for your couch that will protect your furniture while remaining virtually invisible to guests. You can also deter cats from scratching certain surfaces with double-sided tape, as the sticky feeling is a definite turn-off to cats. Cats also hate the feeling of aluminum foil on their feet so you can also wrap your furniture this way.

Finally, keep your cat's claws regularly trimmed. Claws that are kept short and blunt are less likely to damage your home or furniture. If you need assistance in learning how to trim your cat's claws, ask your veterinarian or groomer for assistance. You can also ask your veterinarian about a product called Soft Paws, which are small plastic caps which cover your cat's nails. They are completely safe and are an easy way to allow your cat the motion of scratching while eliminating their ability to do your house any damage.

Scratching the furniture

You have chosen to include in your family a wonderful friend and companion, the cat. Now, you must accept the fact that a cat has an innate need to use her claws to scratch.

A cat will scratch for three reasons. She will scratch to hone or sharpen her claws, for these have always been her chief offensive and defensive weapons. She will scratch to stretch and tone her muscles. And, she will scratch to mark her territory.

You cannot eliminate the need a cat has for scratching. But you can teach a cat to scratch in an appropriate place. Scratching posts are good for this as are scratching materials hung from doorknobs, attached to walls, or lying flat on the floor. Posts are usually carpeted or wrapped with sisal rope. Flat scratching pads can be carpeted or covered with burlap or upholstery material. Some people have had success by bringing an alderwood log into the house!

Training sometimes requires more than one post. A scratching post should be placed close to where your cat usually sleeps, eats, or waits to go outside. Upon awakening, or after eating, a cat will usually place her front paws on something above her head, then extend her claws and pull like crazy. A scratching post should also be sturdy enough so as not to fall over when your cat pulls on it. Carefully select the material on a scratching post. The fabric should not be a kind that makes it difficult for your cat to extract her claws.

Teaching your cat to use a scratching post or hanging scratching material can be accomplished in several ways. First of all, be sure to praise your cat every time you see her using her scratching post. A happy, "Good Kitty!" followed by a favorite food treat will reinforce this behavior. Drag a catnip mouse, or a piece of paper tied to a string, across the floor and let her "crawl" up the scratching post. If she is scratching in an inappropriate place, gently lift her up and place her next to the scratching post and praise her if she uses it. Try sprinkling some catnip on the scratching post. This will have more effect on adult cats. Purchase a carpeted kitty condo in which your cat can sleep, wake up, stretch, and SCRATCH, too.

Most of all, do not punish your kitty for scratching the furniture by hitting, scolding or chasing her. Your cat will not understand all of the fuss over doing what comes naturally. Punishment will only build stress and create a fearful cat who may eventually socially withdraw or become aggressive toward you. The best thing is to have several places where kitty may scratch, especially close to sleeping areas and doors. Taping foil or plastic over the already inappropriately scratched area will discourage further scratching. Also, taping a tightly blown up balloon on the scratched furniture will negatively reinforce this as a scratching area if by chance she pops the balloon. You may want to use one of the new electronic devices which emits a high-pitched alarm whenever kitty approaches an off-limits scratching place.

Jumping on the Counter

Cats love to jump. You would too, it you were a cat! They also like high places where they can view their territory from relative security. Cats are naturally curious, and there are a lot of interesting things on counter tops, including food. A one-time discovery of a food tidbit will become a powerful reinforcer for dozens of future explorations.

Your presence can affect a behavioral change if your cat insists on jumping on counters, cars, and furniture. When you are not at home, the only way to keep her from jumping on these things is to booby trap the place or to isolate her. The bottom line is: If you own a cat, you must accept and live with the fact that she will occasionally jump up on things.

Of course, it is best not to leave food on the top of counters or tables. This is just too tempting. It is much better to give your cat permission to jump up on specific high places. For example, my cat liked to sit on top of the washing machine in the kitchen next to the sink and watch me wash dishes. I gave her permission to jump up and sit there. Whenever she tried to move beyond that point to another part of the counter, I said, "NO," and blocked her way, forcing her to get back to the top of the washing machine. Also, I reinforced her staying there with a food tidbit. The key is to allow your cat to do what she innately needs to do but to limit her to a certain space.

Punishment in the form of yelling, chasing, hitting, or squirting water at a cat to force her down off the car or the furniture will only increase her stress and create more problems for you. A cat will become shy, sneaky, or aggressive after being punished. In other words, she will not trust you. The cat thinks to herself, "If she likes me, then why is she yelling at me for doing something natural like wanting to be on high place with her?"

The best way to teach your cat is to give her a verbal reprimand like "OFF!" followed by "Good Kitty!" when she has jumped off. If she jumps down quickly, give her a nice food treat followed by "Good Kitty." Sometimes a loud clap of the hands will be a sufficient reprimand.

Punishment which is administered by the environment, not by you, is very effective as illustrated in the following example. Put a couple of strips of double-back tape on the counter. After a jump or two, she will be discouraged from that adventure. Pop a balloon in her presence, then tape several balloons to the counter, car, or furniture. Cats do not like loud noises and will associate the noise with the balloon and avoid the area. Spraying white vinegar on the counter top will keep some cats away. Place a layer of paper on the car with mousetraps set upside down and another layer of paper on top of the traps. When your cat jumps on the paper, the snapping of the traps will frighten her off, and after a few times she will not jump up again. Pyramid empty pop cans on a counter with food attached to the end of a string taped to a "key" can so that when she pulls on the baited string the cans some tumbling down. The new electronic vibration alarms work effectively for keeping cats off of counters and cars. In each of these instances, you do not need to be nearby for the learning to occur. When the environment teaches your cat, the bond between you and her is not broken!

Chewing Dangerous Objects

There are medical as well as behavioral reasons why cats chew, lick, or eat non-food objects.

A kitten, just like a baby, will take everything into her mouth just out of curiosity. A swallowed marble, paper clip, poisonous plant, or rubber balloon can be lethal for a kitten. And, just like a baby, items that tempt a kitten must be put out of her reach, and she must be watched carefully.

It is thought, though not scientifically proven, that an adult cat who persists on chewing and eating a non-food item may be lacking certain nutrients in her diet. It may be a vitamin imbalance. As a precaution, always choose a quality food for your cat, one recommended by your veterinarian.

A cat who chews and eats paper, wood, or leather may have internal prasites who are sucking certain nutrients out of her system. A cat who licks window panes, walls, or cement walkways may be anemic. Chronic intestinal problems and liver and kidney disease will sometimes cause a cat to eat non-food items. In all these situations, see your veterinarian immediately.

Some cats chew and eat non-food objects because they are just simply bored and need something to do. Provide more playtime.

A cat that chews or sucks on clothing—wool is a favorite of some cats, especially Siamese—may have been weaned too early. The wool sucking produces a smell similar to the wet fur around the mother’s nipple. As long as this material is not being swallowed, let this cat have her security blanket. She may break herself one day or she may not. She can still be a wonderful companion.

Cats who chew electrical cords are flirting with danger. Cover these cords with duct tape. Coat them with one of the commercial bitter products or tabasco sauce to discourage chewing.

A number of household plants are poisonous to cats. The worst among them are dieffenbachia which can cause temporary paralysis of the throat, and philodendron which can make a cat’s throat and tongue swell enough to cause asphyxiation. Among the many varieties of other plants, some found outside, are azaleas, ivy, mistletoe, most bulbs, buttercups, chrysanthemums, crocus, holly, lily of the valley, marigold, potato, rhubarb, sweet peas, and wisteria.

You can discourage your cat from eating your household plants by baiting a leaf or two with tabasco sauce. You might try popping a balloon near your cat followed by hanging a few balloons from the plant she has been chewing. The best thing to do for your inside cat is to grow a garden for her to chew on. Plant catnip or wheat and parsley. You can purchase "ready-to-grow" gardens from your local pet supply store.

In the long run, the best way to train your cat is by giving her a verbal "NO" for chewing and swallowing anything but her food. Follow this reprimand with a food treat and praise: "Good Kitty!"

Excessive Licking

Cats lick to keep themselves clean, to rid themselves of varmints like fleas, to cool themselves, to absorb Vitamin D, and to release stress. If a cat’s licking is the symptom of a health problem or if the licking is causing a health problem, then kitty must be taken to a veterinarian soon!

There are several medical reasons for excessive licking. It could be a neuropathy problem. For example, a nerve is receiving a signal which tells the cat to lick. It could be encephalitis, a brain perception disorder, a soft tissue or bone inflammation problem, or an allergic skin disease. A cat that licks odd things such as window panes, walls, or cement walks may be anemic which is a symptom of a disease such as feline leukemia. If you suspect a medical problem, see your veterinarian immediately.

Cats lick themselves when they are infested with parasites such as fleas. An occasional bath with a flea shampoo will kill the fleas, as well as remove dander (dried saliva) that causes human allergies. Regular grooming, however, with a flea comb is enough to control the flea problem.

An allergic reaction to inhaled allergens can also cause excessive licking.

It is estimated that thirty-five percent of all cats suffer from food allergies which can result in excessive licking. If diet is suspect, try one of the commercially prepared non-allergy cat foods. It is also thought, though not carefully researched, that a nutritional deficiency might cause excessive licking.

Senility will sometimes cause a cat to lick. In this case, you may have to live with the licking. For the older cat, frequent grooming with a comb or brush will reduce the hazard of hairball formation.

A bored cat, a cat weaned too early, and a cat under stress will lick excessively. Get another cat for the bored one or give her more playtime. Disrupt the early weaned licker with playtime and learn to live with her possible continual licking of a certain soft piece of material. For the cat under stress, keep in mind that she likes a quiet, undisturbed environment and needs lots of love and attention. Eliminate any form of physical punishment for misbehavior as this creates tremendous stress.

Finally, some cats lick us because they are saying, "I like you!" or "You are the boss." They also go into what seems like an urgent licking mode to cover up their embarrassment after accidentally falling off the chair. These are normal and funny licks and should be readily accepted.

Moving a cat to a new home

Some cats are quite traumatized by a move to a new home; others take it in stride. It is best, however, to prepare for this usually upsetting time in a cat’s life. Since cats are very territorial, moving one to a new territory can be terrifying, especially if the new territory is inhabited by a number of other cats.

The first thing to do to help make your cat comfortable about the move is to clean the new house thoroughly if it has been lived in before, especially if other cats have lived there. Then, unpack your belongings and put familiar furniture in place.

Position the cat’s litterbox in a quiet, out of the way spot. As soon as your cat is taken to the new house, show her the litterbox. Do the same for the new feeding area. If your cat has a bed or favorite bedding material, lay it in place and show her where that is, too. Let her wander the house, looking and smelling.

If your cat chooses not to eat for a few days, or hides out somewhere, just let her be. Sooner or later, she will be comfortable enough to resume normal living.

It will be best to keep your cat in the house for at least three weeks. If she has been an outside cat, once she starts going out you can get rid of the litterbox. The first adventure outside should be under your control, preferably with kitty on a leash and harness. Or, at the very least, leave the door open and go out with your cat. If she gets frightened or chased, she can run into the house. The key is to give her a chance to get familiar with the interior of the house as a safe haven before letting her outside.

If you have not taught your cat to come when she is called, do it now. Disregard that "I’ll take a message and get back to you" look. Start the training in the house. Call, "Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty. " When she comes, reward her with her favorite food treat. Do this ten or twelve times. Then, when your kitty goes outside and you are not sure where she is, just call, and she will come running. Periodically reward her for coming, and the learning will be fixed forever.