Ron Hines DVM PhD 4/24/06

Many of my clients become frustrated because their prize kitty loves to sharpen its claws on their sofa, chew on the rug or munch their potted plants. When I hear their laments I know I have a healthy and happy cat for a patient. We consider it destructive behavior but to the cat it is sheer pleasure. Your cat is not out to get even with you or make you suffer. Here are some ways to minimize the problem.

Scratching:

I have never seen a cat that did not like to sharpen its claws on fabric furniture. In the wild, cats use natural stumps and posts to sharpen their claws. They are particularly attracted to objects that give their claws resistance. Scratching is a marking behavior. Scratching hones the claws and cleans them. In scratching, the cat also deposits a scent released from special glands on the paws that let other cats identify him.

Cats enjoy scratching so much that it is a pity to declaw or curb this activity. Instead, provide them with carpet-covered posts or wooden posts with shredable bark. They are easily constructed from discarded carpet, a four by four post and carpet tacks. Some cats prefer posts and boards covered with burlap or potato sacs; others prefer cork Some times a section of fireplace wood with the bark left on works well. Try to design the post or board so that it is at the same height and incline as the furniture the cat prefers and place it as close to the preferred furniture as possible. If such a location is inconvenient, once the cat is used to using the new post, move it gradually over a week or two to a better location. You can never have too many scratching posts.
You can show off your new posts to you cat by carrying him and setting him down in front of it. Reward him with a treat and a stroke when he uses the post. You can guide his paws through the motion. Once a cat is using a new post do not replace it even if it looks raged. Cats are perfidious and may not like a replacement.

Try to make your furniture less attractive to your cat. Cats pick out scratching objects by feel and odor. If you can, close the door to rooms that hold the prized furniture. If not, covering them with a vinyl cover is often all that is necessary. You can also temporarily “mine” the area around the furniture with shallow pans of water, double-sided tape, styrofoam cups piled into a pyramid, wind chimes, electric fans and mouse traps set upside down or with a magazine on top of them. A little ammonia or deodorizing spray on the fabric is also helpful. I have even had clients purchase electric livestock fences and set them up around furniture!

I have never used plastic claw caps that are glued on but I am told that they prevent furniture damage. They need to be replaced every two to three months. I personally think the same thing can be accomplished with a pair of toenail clippers and an emery board.

I have declawed an enormous number of cats during my career. I do not consider the surgery to be cruel. Some of my personal pets have been declawed and some haven’t. I suggest that declawed cats never be allowed outdoors unsupervised. Unsupervised outdoor activity is dangerous for any cat – not just those that lack claws. My declawed cats seemed to enjoy going through the motions of clawing furniture just as much as their housemates who had claws. This is because the behavior is deeply instinctive, much like yawning. In considering this surgery remember that cats normally walk with their claws on top of their toes. The tips and pads of the feet are unaffected when this surgery is performed correctly. Like any surgery, it has to be done right.

As you go about dealing with scratching and other undesired behavior in your pet remember that punishment never work in cats. Punishment is self-defeating, only serving to make the cat skittish and apprehensive of their owners. Worst of all it can lead to feline aggression. Cats are wired differently than we are and they do not seem capable of relating punishment to their activity. Screaming, clapping your hands, using a squirt gun or loud noises will only teach him to scratch when you are not present. For any deterrents to work they must work when you are not in the room.

Chewing and sucking on objects:

I see this activity quite frequently in cats. Consider yourself blessed since sucking cats are usually very loving cats. Some speculate that these cats were weaned too early but I do not know if this is really the case. The sucking behavior seems particularly common in siamese cats. Cats that like this activity will do it for hours on end. It is not an unhealthy activity and I tell owners to ignore it if they can. I do not think it is an obsessive/compulsive disorder because cats that exhibit the behavior are otherwise quite mellow and even-tempered. If you have a prized scarf or sweater keep it out of reach of your cat.

Cats that chew and ingest fabric and other items are a different story. In this case they often have bouts of indigestion and diarrhea as this material (hopefully) passes through their bodies. Mats, blankets, Christmas tinsel, wicker and grass baskets and other shredable objects all are ingested by some cats. I have even treated cats that ate money. Eventually, cats that eat odd objects get into trouble when the objects plug the stomach and intestines. Some of these objects can be coaxed on through with petrolatum laxatives but some must be surgically removed.

Stopping this activity in pets is very difficult. Cats never associate the indigestion caused by the eaten objects with eating them. The best thing to do is place valuable items out of reach and give your cat plenty of large, indestructible toys or household items to play with and chew on. Items made of short lengths (no longer than two inches) of cord or wool will not cause serious problems if they are eaten. Dog toys can be dipped in tuna gravy. The outermost portion of a chicken’s wing is fairly safe for cats to chew on. If eaten, the cat’s stomach acids soon dissolve the bone although diarrhea may occur. Boredom is the root cause of much of this activity. You might consider obtaining a second cat playmate for a solitary lonely cat. Purchasing a parakeet or lovebird and hanging its cage in the cat’s room also relieves the tedium of long days while you are away at work. Purchasing or making a “kitty condominium” with tubes, basking platforms, and hanging bells, tassels and ribbons will help occupy your cats free time. One can also occupy the cat’s time by purchasing self-feeders for cats that require the cat to paw a lever to receive a treat. Some veterinarians prescribe mood-altering medications for this behavior. I try to deal with the problem without these powerful medications.

Many common houseplants contain poisonous chemicals. Luckily almost all of these plants are bitter and avoided by cats. The exception is dieffenbachia or dumb cane, which is covered by small spicules which cause the cat to drool and foam. If you cat craves greens, keep a flat of sprouted alfalfa or lawn grass sprigs for him to graze on. Placing your plants on wrinkled aluminum foil will usually keep cats away. Any of the strategies used to protect furniture will also work to protect plants. Instead of ammonia or odor neutralizer, you can sprinkle the plant with cayenne pepper sauce.

If chewing is due to anxiety, a pheromone product called Feloway may help.

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