While your intention may be to save the couch from little claws, scratching posts for cats are actually primarily to provide your kitty crew with a place to act upon natural instincts. A cat needs a stimulating environment. This is the key to giving him a happy and healthy lifestyle.
At one time most people who owned kitties went ahead and let them take care of their own needs by allowing the access to the outdoors. Times have changed and most people now recognize that this could lead to injury or death. There are just so many potential dangers in the world now and the last thing you want is your little guy in trouble with no one to help him. So now there are tools to help you provide a good life for him inside.
While doing this provides essential safety it does not provide outlets for the needs. That is like asking a human never to drive to the store for their food. If someone else does not meet the need for nourishment, that person will not live a happy and healthy life. It is the same concept.
Scratching is not really a form of stretching, although the body language does suggest some communication patterns. Rather, it is a way for him to leave behind a scent that gives other felines in the area all of his vital information. It is an instinct, so if he must do it all then he is going to need to continue to do it. Forcing him to stop is not likely to work. He will simply do it when he is pretty sure you are not around.
You can try to discourage the behavior and he may even abide by your wishes. It would be better for him if you worked it out so that you could train him where to scratch instead. Redirecting his behavior is a much more appealing idea. You may even see improvement in other behaviors or an increased sense of socializing.
Sometimes you can just purchase a post and instinctively your little guy will know exactly what he is supposed to do with it. More often than not, though, you do have to train him. Training is actually done with positive reinforcement, as punishment never works when you are dealing with the feline world. Punishing a cat does not change the behavior. It merely makes them run away and be more alert to your absence the next time he has an urge.
When you catch him performing his claw exercise on the furniture gently lift him and place him in front of the post and give him a yummy treat. If he wanders over to it by himself you should reward him. Most cat training works best with a clicker so you can mark the behavior you are rewarding. Every step closer to using the post for its intended purpose should be clicked and treated. Eventually, you should see the whole behavior.
Your cat needs a chance to get his natural instincts into gear. By finding him scratching posts for cats that have toys and sleeping areas you may be able to entice him faster. As he learns that he can perform this exercise in the right place he will be happier and your furniture will be spared. Providing a great environment begins with giving him the basics he needs to be a cat.
At one time most people who owned kitties went ahead and let them take care of their own needs by allowing the access to the outdoors. Times have changed and most people now recognize that this could lead to injury or death. There are just so many potential dangers in the world now and the last thing you want is your little guy in trouble with no one to help him. So now there are tools to help you provide a good life for him inside.
While doing this provides essential safety it does not provide outlets for the needs. That is like asking a human never to drive to the store for their food. If someone else does not meet the need for nourishment, that person will not live a happy and healthy life. It is the same concept.
Scratching is not really a form of stretching, although the body language does suggest some communication patterns. Rather, it is a way for him to leave behind a scent that gives other felines in the area all of his vital information. It is an instinct, so if he must do it all then he is going to need to continue to do it. Forcing him to stop is not likely to work. He will simply do it when he is pretty sure you are not around.
You can try to discourage the behavior and he may even abide by your wishes. It would be better for him if you worked it out so that you could train him where to scratch instead. Redirecting his behavior is a much more appealing idea. You may even see improvement in other behaviors or an increased sense of socializing.
Sometimes you can just purchase a post and instinctively your little guy will know exactly what he is supposed to do with it. More often than not, though, you do have to train him. Training is actually done with positive reinforcement, as punishment never works when you are dealing with the feline world. Punishing a cat does not change the behavior. It merely makes them run away and be more alert to your absence the next time he has an urge.
When you catch him performing his claw exercise on the furniture gently lift him and place him in front of the post and give him a yummy treat. If he wanders over to it by himself you should reward him. Most cat training works best with a clicker so you can mark the behavior you are rewarding. Every step closer to using the post for its intended purpose should be clicked and treated. Eventually, you should see the whole behavior.
Your cat needs a chance to get his natural instincts into gear. By finding him scratching posts for cats that have toys and sleeping areas you may be able to entice him faster. As he learns that he can perform this exercise in the right place he will be happier and your furniture will be spared. Providing a great environment begins with giving him the basics he needs to be a cat.
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