Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Cat Scratching Problems - Understanding Why Your Cat Scratches

The curtains are ruined, the couch in tatters,
and you're at the end of your rope. What options
remain for a cat owner? Unfortunately a cat is a
scratcher by nature. Wild cats require their
claws to live, using them for hunting and
defense, but a domestic cat will still keep these
instincts alive.

There is no way to keep your cat from scratching.
It is a behavior that simply goes along with
being a cat, but there certainly are ways to cut
down on the amount of damage that a scratching
cat might cause. Many cat owners choose to
declaw their cats, but this is not recommended
for cats that may spend time outside where they
might need to defend themselves.

Pet owners rarely fully understand the process of
declawing a cat. Instead of simply removing the
claws as many believe, the surgery actually
involves amputating the ends of the toes from
which the claws protrude. This can cause a
considerable amount of pain during recovery.

There are other surgeries available such as
removing the tendon that allows a cat to retract
its claws, but this can create more problems as a
cat will not be able to control the growth of its
claws.

Many veterinarians will advise to try getting
your cat to wear claw caps. The function of
these caps is to reduce the damage the cat can
cause, however they only have a life span of
about four to six weeks.

The actual behavior of scratching has a number of
causes. While scratching, a cat gets to exercise
a number of different muscles across the legs and
back that might otherwise become underdeveloped
and cause joint problems. It is also a good
pastime activity for cats who get bored easily.
Cat claws are similar to human nails. They
continue to grow over time and need to be
maintained continuously. If the cat leaves its
nails to grow, they may become ingrown and cause
an infection. Living in a home situation where a
cat will only encounter carpet or at best tile, a
cat needs to find an alternative to keep the
nails short.

Getting a scratching post for your cat is one of
the best solutions. Scratching posts are made
using materials that a cat will find very
appealing for scratching and these devices will
probably save your couch and curtains from a lot
of damage. The scratching post should be placed
in an area where your cat is already causing
damage. Provide it as an alternative, but also
try to cover up the area where the scratching is
the worst using something like sandpaper or
another material your cat will have a difficult
time scratching.

If you catch your cat scratching, try to distract
her by making a sudden noise such as a clap or
whistle. This will remind her that this is your
house with rules to follow and that you are
keeping an eye on her. Make sure that you don't
frighten her too much however because she may
learn to be afraid of you.

----------------------------------------------------
Cats love to keep themselves clean and spend
nearly 30% of their life grooming themselves. You
can learn more about this amazing pet, including
topics such as cat health and training & cat
supplies on PetCustomer.com:
http://www.petcustomer.com/category/cat/
http://www.petcustomer.com/category/cat/supplies/

EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=124040

>