Your cat's need to scratch is about more than sharpening claws. Scratching serves many purposes, and the more you understand this innate behavior, the better you can create acceptable options for scratching instead of watching your sofa get shredded.
Instant manicure. One reason a cat scratches to remove the outer dead sheath of the nail and expose the new growth beneath. This is important for healthy growth of the nail.
Survival instinct. Scratching is an important marking behavior. In the outdoors, a cat may scratch on a surface to visually leave a mark. This allows an approaching cat to see the mark from a distance, thus potentially avoiding a physical confrontation. And when a cat visually marks with her claws, she also leaves a scent mark through glands in her paw pads.
Body conditioning. When your cat reaches up and scratches, she gets a full stretch and unkinks muscles. If you notice how tightly curled up a kitty can sleep, and how fast and flexible she is when playing, you can appreciate the desire for a full stretch.
Emotional release. Cats often use scratching as a displacement behavior or as a way to express emotions. That emotional release is an important part of being a cat.Scratching is instinctual. You understandably don't want your cat ruining your furniture, but the key to training is to provide appealing scratching options. Reprimanding or chasing your cat doesn't eliminate the innate need to scratch -- it only temporarily stops the problem and elevates your cat's frustration. Watch for the next blog where I'll provide training strategies and explain why your training attempts may have failed.
For more specifics, check out my new book, Starting From Scratch.
