Books & Articles
Topical Articles
Feline Follies - Cat Behavior
Cat Clawing and Destructive Behavior
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Cats claw to spread their scent through glands in their paw pads to mark their territory and range. They also do this by rubbing their heads and faces on furniture, rugs and the owner's legs. Cats claw and destroy out of instinctive needs to preserve predatory and hunting skills. Cats who are allowed inside-outside access, tend to engage in this clawing/destructive behavior more than cats who are solely indoor cats.
In addition, young kittens, or cats who are un-neutered, and cats who were too early weaned away from their mothers and littermates, tend to engage in this behavior more frequently than cats who did not have these experiences.
Finally, we at Family Animal look at surgical excision of the claws and part of the digit bone structure, "de-clawing," as cruel, un-necessary, and both physically and emotionally damaging to the cat. Instead, we recommend the following behavior modification techniques to modify or eradicate destructive cat clawing behavior:
- Make sure the cat is spayed or neutered. Excessive hormone levels, heat cycles, and turf fighting impulses can contribute to excessive clawing, destructiveness and even aggression.
- Get some cat scratching posts, kitty condos, and catnip filled toys. Sprinkle catnip, and hide irresistible cat treats (pounce, cheese, tuna, salmon) on and around both the kitty condo and the scratching posts.
- Rub your scent and your cat's scent (if the cat will allow it, gently help it engage in scratching movements on the desired objects) on the condo and posts.
- Whenever your cat is near the scratching posts or condo, or is using them, lavish attention (eye contact, talking, petting, playing) and praise and treat the cat with pounce treats, cheese, tuna or salmon. Tell the cat, "Good kitty!" or "Good scratch!"
- Give little or no attention to the cat whenever it is far away from the cat condos or scratching posts. This way, the cat will associate engaging in proper play and clawing behavior with the condo and posts, as the main way to get attention from mom or dad.
- Whenever you catch the cat scratching or clawing on inappropriate areas, startle the cat in the act without using corporal punishment and say "off," or "no scratch." To startle, blast it in the face with some water, shake an empty soda can with 25 pennies, or depress an ultra sound device. Ignore the cat for at least 2-3 hours, and then redirect to the appropriate posts and condos, with the food baits and praise.
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