How to Stop Cats From Scratching Leather?

Though they make the cutest pets, cats are very annoying when scratching your costly leather furniture. While it’s normal for them to scratch whatever comes around, pet owners feel frustrated. Therefore, they often ask us how to stop cats from scratching leather.

To stop cats from scratching leather, cover your cat’s favorite scratching spots of furniture with anti-scratch protectors or double-sided tape. Keep citrus sprays handy as cats are aversive to their odor. Other scented sprays like lavender and essential oils also deter cats. While training them is often effective, try offering rewards to distract them for good.

Scratching is good for cats as it helps them stretch out, groom themselves, and feel relaxed. However, you can’t afford it on your luxurious leather furniture. This article covers insights into why cats like scratching and how to stop them from scratching furniture for a peaceful co-existence.

Why Do Cats Scratch?

According to a study, cats indulge in scratching as a natural and instinctive behavior that helps them maintain healthy claws, mark their territory, and communicate with other cats. However, there might be other reasons as well that you can figure out with an expert’s advice.

With our years of experience assisting pet parents, we found that cats scratch household objects for the following reasons:

Natural Instincts

Cats can’t stop themselves from scratching a smooth, rigid surface, which gives them pleasure. Another theory says they have the natural urge to dig nails into steady objects. So, they’ll go for it against your will because they like it. 

Prepare Themselves For Hunting

Cat’s scratching is a part of the self-care and grooming process as it sharpens their claws. While cats claw at your firm couch, they shed the outer sheath called husk, which brings the sharper claws to the front. 

Express Their Emotions

Cats often scratch themselves or the furniture around under the influence of different emotions. They may do it if they’re bored, excited, or stressed. If you observe any unusual behavioural change, it may need a vet’s consultation.

Mark Their Territory and Communicate

It’s common among cats, indoors or outdoors, to mark their territory. They use their scent (produced by the scent glands present in their paw pads), and scratch marks to announce it to other felines about their presence. 

To Stretch and Exercise

Scratching promotes healthy nails and strong muscles. While stretching their legs and back after a good sleep, cats like scratching their nails against a non-flexible surface. It strengthens their torso muscles and keeps them fit. 

How To Stop Cats From Scratching Leather Chair?

To stop cats from scratching a leather chair, provide alternative scratching posts, use double-sided tape on the chair, trim your cat’s nails regularly, and apply cat repellent sprays. Redirect their behavior consistently and ensure ample playtime to reduce boredom.

Fret not. If none of the options below works for you, visit us. We have solutions to help you protect your costly leather furniture. Visiting Pet First Veterinary Clinic will provide practical tips to redirect your cat’s scratching behavior to more appropriate outlets.

1. Keep their Claws Trimmed Weekly

Cutting and trimming your cat’s nails will prevent them from damaging your leather couch and chairs. While it’s a tough job, making your cat feel comfortable to allow you to do their nails is important.

Pet owners who can’t manage frequent trimming use nail caps as an alternative. These are inexpensive, plastic caps glued to the cat’s nails, so you’re least bothered by their actions. They remain there for up to 6 weeks if applied properly.

Important: Nail caps don’t do any harm to your cat’s nails. You need to follow the instructions to ensure the right use. 

2. Get Scratch Guards To Cover Furniture

When you can’t stop your cat from scratching behavior, you need something to make your furniture least accessible. These anti-scratch guards are transparent, self-adhesive protectors, reducing the impact of cat scratches on your valuables. The slippery feel prevents cats from approaching their target spots. 

You might also consider having sofa sheets to cover your furniture. However, their less appealing look makes them unwanted to many pet parents. But they can temporarily do the job while you’re training your cat. 

3. Try Scratch Tape or Aluminum Foil

Even the thought of your new couch and sofa being torn and shredded by your kitties is distressing, let alone the sight. Try using aluminum foil or double-sided tape on their favorite spots. 

The cats do not like to get their hands and feet sticky. Also, the sound and feel of aluminum foil are unpleasant to cats, restraining them from approaching the covered sites.

4. Use Cat Repellent Spray

Though humans enjoy fruity scents, cats have strong dislike to some of them, for instance, citrus smell. Therefore, it deems a common practice using scented sprays on furniture to deter cats. While the deterrent spray is a true winner, it’s crucial to foster its correct use and take precautions, as not all options are safe for cats.

5. Provide Them Alternative Scratching Options

Your cat is going to scratch the furniture, carpet, or drapes, no matter what, unless you provide it with a friendly alternative. We offer plenty of cat scratchers to our proud pet parents as alternative scratching posts.

These scratchers come in horizontal and vertical configurations to suit your cat’s scratching desires. Some cats like to scratch horizontally, while others prefer doing it in a vertical direction.

What if your cat is new to the cardboard scratcher or cat tree and doesn’t leave the couch? You may allure it into exploring her new scratching post or condo by placing a small amount of catnip. It won’t only attract her but also encourage scratching behavior to vent out. 

6. Train Them and Offer Rewards

Consider training your cats to keep them off the furniture and prevent destructive scratching. The training must include treats as their reward for not ripping the couch when they’re told to do so. Be gentle and patient while training them. 

Other Things Cats Like To Scratch

Anything that is tall and sturdy and offers them good a grip is a sweet scratching spot for cats. Hang on! Do you believe that furniture is the only thing they like to scratch? Let us burst your bubble because plenty of things may become an easy target for their scratches.

What do cats like to scratch the most?

Cats like to scratch textured surfaces for claw maintenance and territory marking. Popular choices include sisal fabric or rope, cardboard scratchers, carpets with looped textures, rough wooden surfaces, and upholstered furniture. Providing various scratching posts with these textures can satisfy a cat’s natural instincts.

How to stop my cat from scratching the carpet?

To stop the cat from scratching the carpet, cover the area it loves scratching with furniture, if possible. You can also place a thin mat or sandpaper on that area to discourage scratching. Some people also use deterrent sprays because cats don’t like their scent.

How to stop cats from scratching couch?

To stop cats from scratching couch, use cat deterrent sprays on your couch, sofa, and leather chair to discourage scratching behavior. Cats dislike certain smells, particularly citrus fruits, making scented sprays an ideal repellent for them.

How to stop cats from scratching door frames?

To stop cats from scratching door frames, consider applying double-sided tape or providing scratching posts near the doors. Your cat scratches at doors because it prefers hard surfaces like wood. Hence, an upright sisal post is ideal to get them.

How to stop cats from scratching under door?

Consider using a draft stopper with foam tubes on both sides that can easily slide beneath the door.  Also, refrain from responding to your cats while they’re scratching under the door as it reinforces this behavior.

How to stop cats from scratching walls?

Use a tall scratching pad on the walls that are in question. Cats clawing at walls enjoy vertical scratching, so consider placing cat trees or multi-tier cat condos in different rooms. You can also tape the particular spots your cats scratch. However, it doesn’t go well with different textured walls and often looks unappealing. 

How to stop cats from scratching themselves?

If your cat’s scratching behavior is unusual, take your fur baby to the vet’s clinic for a routine visit. As per research findings, factors like parasites, skin allergies, and anxiety contribute to compulsive and vigorous scratching. Cats facing these issues require proper treatment.

How to stop cats from scratching you?

Teaching cats with verbal cues is effective. Use phrases like “NO,” cross your hands, or clap to redirect their attention. Avoid yelling, as it can scare them. Distract them with toys to shift focus. Scratching may occur due to overstimulation, rough play, or feeling threatened. Allow them space and avoid interaction until they are calm.

Conclusion 

What’s seen as rude or bad behavior among humans is natural for cats–scratching their paws. While it’s important to discourage scratching on undesired surfaces, you must know it’s unnecessary to scold or punish them. Instead, provide them with alternatives that are safe and acceptable to both of you.