According to Tshash, understanding why your furry companion engages in these behaviors is the first step to finding a solution that works for the owner and their pet. Scratching, specifically, is an instinct that allowed their predecessors to survive and thrive in the wild. It can start as early as 8 weeks of age and lets felines mark their territory by leaving visual and chemical cues as a pheromone is released from the scent gland in their feet. This odor contains information about the animal’s health, sex, and breeding status, all of which other cats can detect. Additionally, it lets a cat stretch out its muscles fully, relieving tension. Moreover, the action releases calming chemicals in the brain that help to lessen anxiety and overexcitement. Tshash also tells us that kitties are curious by nature. They explore the world with their paws and mouths, chewing on objects and investigating their surroundings. And it so happens that they mistake furniture or other items for toys. If a person has a young kitten, he additionally warns that teething is often a culprit. “Just like human babies, kittens go through a phase where chewing helps soothe the discomfort of emerging teeth.” “If you look at the context in which the behavior is occurring, it will give you information about the underlying reason for it. In some cases, destructive behaviors may stem from accidental training. If your cat is doing something you don’t want them to do and, as an example, you yell at them or use a squirt bottle on them, the attention you’re giving them may encourage them to do the behavior more. Even if it seems like it is “bad” attention, your cat may not see it that way. They may enjoy the attention or think you’re trying to play with them. Your cat’s perspective is what matters.” Meanwhile, Lusvardi mentions, “Make sure your cat has an abundance of resources like scratching posts and cat trees spread out in prominent, easy-to-access locations. You likely need more stuff for your cat than you’d think, so a single scratching post isn’t going to cut it. A well-made, sturdy scratching post is better than a cheap, flimsy one.” “Creating fear or stress in your cat often just makes the behavior worse or only temporarily stops it. Redirect your cat to an acceptable outlet for the behavior.” In the case of scratching, he recommends luring felines with catnip or silver vine to the scratching post itself or offering a reward after they use it. “You don’t want to take your cat’s paws and place them on the scratcher, as that will only cause them stress and may cause an aversion to the scratching post,” he says. If that doesn’t help solve the issue, Lusvardi advises covering the object with something the cat can scratch. “An over-the-couch scratcher will protect your furniture and give your cat an outlet for scratching. This will prevent them from going to a different location to scratch instead. If your cat is chewing, cover the object so they can’t chew it, and give them something they can chew. Cat grass or silver vine sticks are great options.” Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
