By Dr. Sarah J. Cutler
Artwork by Cara McPartland
You fancy felines, but you don’t love the tattered and shredded furniture from your cat sharpening their claws.
Our domestic house cats (Felis Silvestris Catus) are descended from the African Wild Cat, Felis Silvestris Lybica. To defend themselves in the wild and hunt for their meals, they are equipped with a lot of amazing body parts that enable them to fight, flee or hide. They are both prey and predators. Think how easily a cat can climb a tree, completely disappear in your own home or kill a small critter.
But the average house cat, especially if they live indoors exclusively, is usually safe from being preyed upon, and it receives several meals a day. Still, a cat’s wild ancestry continues to be a driving force behind their behaviors.
Why cats scratch
It’s normal and healthy behavior for cats to look for items to scratch, and there are many reasons for it, including:
Sharp nails are necessary for defensive behavior and hunting. They also help with climbing, balance, and gripping of surfaces.
Scratching helps remove dried shards or overly long nails, and scratching their own skin and fur removes debris and parasites.
Stretching their muscles and spine keeps them physically fit, and the release of endorphins helps relieve tension and stress.
Communicating to other animals through the release of pheromones from tiny interdigital glands between their toes that give off a scent when their feet are stretched and extended. These pheromones can provide information about their health status, mating prospects and territorial boundaries. They also can help your cat feel calmer as they cover objects with their own scent. The visual aspect of claw marks also reinforces these messages.
The trouble with declawing
In the 1950s, it became popular to declaw cats in the United States to prevent the destruction of furniture and, ostensibly, to keep humans from getting scratched. This procedure consists of surgically amputating what is equivalent to the tips of your toes at the first joint. By removing the last digits, the entire conformation of the toe was altered, causing the feet to meet the ground in an unnatural angle. At that time, pet owners and many veterinarians did not appreciate the pain this caused. This procedure has one of the highest complication rates from things like infection and tissue necrosis.
After a few decades, we learned that declawing often causes chronic foot pain and mobility issues; additionally, declawed cats were more likely to be aggressive and bite humans.
Declawing cats is illegal in many countries, including, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, France, Switzerland and much of Canada. San Francisco and Los Angeles were some of the first North American cities to ban declawing. And thanks to the work of many animal advocacy groups, including Alley Cat Allies and The Paw Project, as well as NY assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, our state became the first to make this surgical procedure illegal in 2019. Since then, Oregon, Maryland and Rhode Island have changed their laws as well.
Create a happy cat home
Thankfully, there are many easy ways to prevent furniture from being destroyed while keeping the feline-human bond strong.
Before committing to bringing a feline into your home, make sure you have done some research to learn how you can provide your cat with what they need, including ample opportunities to scratch throughout your home.
There are many substrates (materials) that are attractive to cats other than the side of the couch. You can purchase objects and create some on your own. Just like you don’t need to train your cat to use a litterbox, most cats don’t need instructions on using their new scratching post.
Take a trip to your local pet store and buy honeycomb cardboard scratchers in many different shapes and sizes, as well as tall scratching posts and kitty condos (make sure they aren’t wobbly).
Purchase small patches of carpet or sisal, corrugated cardboard or wood.
Offer a variety of textures, positions and locations. Remember many cats like to reach up sometimes, but other times they will do a full stretch on the floor.
Place some scratching surfaces near doorways and windows so your cat can mark their territory. Some cats will be triggered to scratch with a burst of happy excitement as they move from one room to the next or before going up and down stairs.
Consider leaving treats, small toys, using pheromone spray (Feliway) or sprinkling catnip to attract your cat to the provided scratching areas.
Don’t be quick to throw away your cat’s used scratching posts and condos; they may look shredded and tattered, but your cat has spent a lot of time leaving their scent there, and most cats enjoy returning to the same location.
If you have a multi-cat home, you’ll need to spread out the scratching opportunities and make sure no one is bullying the others or restricting access.
Remember, scratching is a natural feline behavior, and by providing ample opportunities, you will play a part in keeping your cat pawsitively happy and physically fit.
This article was published in the May/June 2024 print edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
Dr. Sarah J. Cutler
Sarah J. Cutler is a veterinarian with a special interest in behavioral medicine. Upon graduation, she took an oath to “first do no harm,” which is a guiding principle in her practice. Sarah combines her scientific background with her respect for cats and dogs to help humans live in health and harmony with their pets. “I’m passionate about following safe practices for our pets and understanding where to find trusted professional resources,” she says.
