Have you ever wondered why your adorable feline friend turns into a tiny shredding machine the moment you look away?
Cats scratching furniture is a common complaint, yet it’s also an innate behaviour. So while stopping the shred-fest is often in our own interests, making sure such interventions are feline-friendly is important too.
Thankfully, a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science may have finally pinpointed the secrets behind scratching and suggests that by adapting play sessions and strategically placing scratching posts, this behaviour can be managed more effectively.
“Our findings can help caregivers manage and redirect scratching to appropriate materials, which could help foster a more harmonious living environment for both cats and their caregivers,” said Prof Yasemin Salgirli Demi̇rbas, a veterinary researcher at Ankara University and first author of the study.
The study involved surveying over 1,200 cat owners in France about their cats' daily lives, characteristics and scratching behaviours.
The researchers discovered significant links between scratching behaviour and factors such as the presence of children, cats' personality traits and their activity levels.
“We see a clear link between certain environmental and behavioural factors and increased scratching behaviour in cats,” explained Salgirli Demi̇rbas.
“Specifically, the presence of children in the home as well as high levels of play and nocturnal activity significantly contribute to increased scratching. Cats described as aggressive or disruptive also exhibited higher levels of scratching.”
The findings point to stress as a leading cause of unwanted scratching. The presence of children, particularly younger ones, for example, might increase stress levels in cats, leading to more scratching.
Additionally, high levels of play and nocturnal activity provide uninterrupted stimulation that can elevate stress.
Unsurprisingly, the authors don’t recommend getting rid of your children to stop your cat from scratching up the furniture, but there are interventions you can make to mitigate the behaviour.
Placing scratching posts in areas frequently visited by the cat or near their preferred resting spots can reduce furniture damage. The use of pheromones, providing safe hiding places, elevated observation spots and ample play opportunities can also alleviate stress and engage cats in more constructive activities.
The key to scratch-free play is to establish multiple short play sessions that mimic successful hunting scenarios, according to Salgirli Demi̇rbas and the team. These sessions are more likely to sustain your cat’s attention and reduce stress.
Such techniques can even help foster a better bond between you and the cat, they said.
Open questions remain. For example, the exact link between the presence of children and increased scratching is not fully understood. The team hopes future work will enable the development of more effective strategies to manage this less-than-ideal habit of our feline companions.
About the expert
Yasemin Salgirli Demi̇rbas is an associate professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Ankara University. Her work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Veterinary Behavior and Scientific Reports.
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