48 THE QUEENS COURIER • PETS • APRIL 19, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
pets
Why cats scratch and how to safely stop it
Ever since the day the fi rst feline became
a house cat, destructive cat scratching
has plagued owners. All the aff ection and
loving care owners shower upon their
cats can feel like wasted energy when the
thanks they get looks more like hatred:
shredded furniture, carpet and curtains.
It’s a normal human response to be
angry or frustrated about damage infl icted
by cats’ scratching, but equally normal
is a cat’s need to scratch. Cat scratching
is a behavior that fulfi lls both physical
and emotional needs. Cats scratch to
stretch their bodies, maintain their hunting
and climbing skills, groom their claws
and mark their territory, showing they’re
in a safe space.
However, these behaviors cats exhibit
to establish a safe living space can be anything
but pleasant for their human companions.
Th is can lead frustrated owners
to take drastic measures to modify behavior,
but those decisions can be risky, especially
when it comes to a permanent and
potentially harmful practice like declawing.
Many pet owners believe that declawing
their cats is a harmless and quick fi x for
unwanted scratching, similar to trimming
one’s nails. However, if a declawing procedure
were performed on a human being, it
would be like cutting off each fi nger at the
last knuckle.
“Not only does the practice cause pain,
it removes an important self-defense tool
and the surgery itself poses risks related to
anesthesia and infection,” said Dr. Valarie
V. Tynes, president of the American
College of Veterinary Behaviorists,
licensed veterinarian and veterinary services
specialist at Ceva Animal Health.
“All of this can lead to behavioral issues
that may be worse than a shredded couch.”
Declawing is an irreversible measure to
address a normal behavioral issue in cats.
Declawed cats may be less likely to use a
litter box, more likely to bite and the disruption
of the natural scratching behavior
can cause lasting physiological problems.
Th at sentiment is echoed by national
organizations such as the American
Association for Feline Practitioners, which
deems the practice of declawing an ethically
controversial procedure that is not
medically necessary in most instances. In
fact, declawing cats is now illegal in several
U.S. cities.
Find alternatives to declawing, and
cat-scratching solutions, at savethecouches.
com.
5 Humane Alternatives
to Declawing
Th ere are numerous safe and painless
alternatives to declawing, including these
ideas from the pet behavior experts at
Ceva Animal Health:
1. Routinely trim nails. Regular nail care
is an important part of general care and
hygiene for your cat, but it can also help
prevent scratching damage by eliminating
the sharp, destructive claw tips. Properly
trimmed nails are less likely to snag or
split, and cats with well-trimmed nails are
less likely to resort to scratching as part of
their own self-grooming rituals.
2. Create scratch-friendly zones. Keeping
cats from scratching areas you don’t want
them to bother is far more likely if you
provide areas where they can scratch at
will, such as scratching pads and posts.
Pair these scratching areas with a product
such as Feliscratch by Feliway, which
is clinically proven to prevent destructive
scratching by redirecting cats to scratch
in the right place. Cats are attracted to the
drug-free, naturally derived product and
will feel compelled to scratch where it’s
applied, leaving that chair or couch alone.
“Cat owners can now have damage-free
home decor without putting their cats
through the stress and potential physical
harm of the painful declawing procedure,”
Tynes said.
3. Reinforce off -limits areas. Cats are
highly tactile, so applying textured materials
like double-sided sticky tape or rough,
crinkly aluminum foil to areas you don’t
want scratched can be an eff ective deterrent.
4. Consult a behaviorist. Not all cases
have easy answers, but an expert with
experience in animal behavior can provide
guidance based specifi cally on your cat’s
personality and circumstances to help create
a custom solution.
5. Eliminate negative reinforcements.
Avoid punishing your cat for undesirable
behavior. Th is includes shouting,
spraying with water or swatting your cat.
Punishment can increase stress and anxiety.
It can make the problem worse and
may even make your cat afraid of you.
DIY Scratching Post
Designating a spot for your cat to safely
scratch is one of the most eff ective ways to
minimize damage to your possessions. A
homemade scratching post is a quick and
easy project.
1. Cut foot-long length of 4-by-4-inch
wood and a 1-foot square piece of plywood.
Th e exact sizes can vary, but these
are good starting points that you can
adjust up or down, depending on your
space.
2. Sand away splinters and rough edges.
3. Add a sturdy fabric wrap or paint to
lend aesthetic appeal to the plywood base.
4. Wrap the post tightly with heavygauge
rope or carpet scraps (or both),
securing tightly with glue and reinforcing
with a staple gun.
5. Securely attach the post to the base
using a long bolt.
6. Place the post in an area your cat
enjoys spending time, and consider adding
a pheromone therapy spray to attract
your cat to the post.
Courtesy Family Features