What is cat scratching?
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
Cat scratching is the normal habit of dragging the claws down a surface. Cats scratch to keep their claws healthy, stretch the legs and spine, and leave scent and visible marks from glands in their paws. It should not be stopped, but it can be moved from the sofa to a well-placed, sturdy scratching post with patience and rewards.
Also called scratching furniture, cat claws sofa, scratching post, declawing alternatives.
Key facts
- Cats scratch to keep their claws healthy, exercise the muscles of the front legs and spine, and mark territory. International Cat Care
- Scent glands in the paw pads leave a scent message when a cat scratches. AAFP and ISFM (Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2013)study
- Posts should be tall or long enough for a full stretch and stable enough not to wobble or fall; cats often scratch on waking, so place one by the bed. American Association of Feline Practitioners
- Cats should be rewarded for using scratchers and never punished; punishment can increase anxiety and scratching. American Association of Feline Practitioners
- The American Association of Feline Practitioners strongly opposes declawing as an elective procedure; it is the amputation of the last bone of each toe. American Association of Feline Practitioners
Why do cats scratch the furniture?
Because the sofa is in the right place and has the right feel. Give them something better in the same spot.
Scratching pulls away the worn outer layer of the claw, stretches the body after sleep, and leaves both a visible mark and a scent from glands between the pads. Indoor cats scratch for claw care, play and to feel secure. Scratching mainly near doors and windows, or a sudden increase, can be a sign the cat feels insecure, perhaps because of outside cats, a new pet or changes at home.
Indian homes add their own temptations: woven cane and rattan furniture, jute mats and dhurries, and the arms of fabric sofas near the balcony door. These are exactly the textures and places cats like, so an alternative needs to be as good and as close.
How do you choose and place a scratching post?
- Tall enough for the cat to stretch fully on its hind legs, and heavy or fixed so it does not wobble. International Cat Care
- Try textures cats like: sisal rope, wood, cardboard, carpet or rough fabric. Some prefer vertical posts, some horizontal pads. American Association of Feline Practitioners
- Place one next to where the cat sleeps, and one beside the furniture it already scratches. American Association of Feline Practitioners
- In a multi-cat home, provide one post per cat plus one. International Cat Care
- Offer softer, angled cardboard scratchers for kittens and older cats. International Cat Care
- Trim claws regularly with proper cat nail trimmers, calmly and with rewards. American Association of Feline Practitioners
How do you move a cat from the sofa to the post?
Do
- Make the post attractive with catnip, treats or play, and reward the cat when it scratches there. American Association of Feline Practitioners
- Temporarily cover the favourite sofa spot with something cats dislike, such as double-sided tape, foil or plastic. American Association of Feline Practitioners
- If the cat scratches the sofa, gently move it to the post and reward it there. American Association of Feline Practitioners
- Ask your vet about synthetic feline pheromone sprays or diffusers to reduce anxiety-driven scratching. International Cat Care
Don’t
- Do not shout, spray water or punish: it confuses the cat and raises anxiety. International Cat Care
- Do not declaw: it is surgical amputation with risks of pain, lameness and behaviour problems. American Association of Feline Practitioners
- Do not move the post away from the spot the cat already chose; keep it where scratching happens. American Association of Feline Practitioners
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Questions owners ask
How do I stop my cat scratching the sofa?
- You redirect rather than stop it. Put a sturdy, tall post right next to the sofa spot, make it attractive with catnip or treats, and cover the sofa temporarily with double-sided tape or foil. Reward the cat every time it uses the post, and never punish scratching.
Is declawing allowed or recommended?
- Feline vets oppose it. The American Association of Feline Practitioners strongly opposes declawing as an elective procedure, because it amputates the last bone of each toe and can cause pain, lameness and behaviour problems. Use scratching posts, regular claw trims and, if needed, temporary nail caps fitted by your vet.
Why does my cat scratch near the front door?
- Scratching near doors and windows is often marking, and a sudden increase can mean the cat feels insecure, for example because of outdoor cats, a new pet or changes at home. Add a post there, reduce the source of stress if you can, and ask your vet about pheromone products.
Should I trim my cat's claws?
- Indoor, young and older cats often need regular trims, because they wear their claws down less. Use proper cat nail trimmers, take off only the tips, and do it calmly with treats. Ask your vet or nurse to show you how, so you avoid the sensitive quick.
Keep reading
Related terms
More in behaviour
- Calming signalsCalming signals, also called appeasement or displacement behaviours, are small body-language cues such as lip or nose licking, yawning, turning the head away, blinking, sniffing the ground or lifting a paw. Dogs often show them when they feel uneasy or in conflict. Noticing them lets you give a dog space before fear escalates to growling or snapping.
- Destructive chewingDestructive chewing is when a dog chews things it should not, such as shoes, furniture, door frames, wires or cushions. Chewing itself is normal: puppies chew to ease teething and all dogs chew to explore. It becomes a problem through boredom, too little exercise, hunger, frustration or separation anxiety, and is fixed by redirection, not punishment.
- KneadingKneading, often called making biscuits, is when a cat rhythmically pushes its front paws into a soft surface such as a blanket, cushion or a person's lap, often purring. It starts in kittenhood, when kittens knead their mother to keep milk flowing, and many adult cats keep the habit when relaxed. It is normal and needs no treatment.
- Litter box aversionLitter box aversion is when a cat stops using its litter tray and pees or poos elsewhere in the home, because something about the tray, its place or its use has become unpleasant or frightening. Illness is a common cause, so a vet check comes first. Then fix the trays: enough of them, clean, quiet, with litter the cat likes.
- Noise phobiaNoise phobia is an intense, lasting fear of loud or sudden sounds such as fireworks, thunder or gunshots. Affected dogs tremble, pant, hide, pace, try to escape or soil indoors, and some take days to recover. It is common: about a third of dogs in one large survey were noise-sensitive. A safe den, preparation and gradual training help.
- PicaPica is eating things that are not food, such as fabric, wool, plastic, paper, rubber, stones or soil. In cats it often starts as wool or fabric sucking, especially in Oriental breeds; in dogs it can be a habit, a compulsive disorder or a sign of illness. Swallowed objects can block the gut, so a vet check comes first.
- Reactive dogA reactive dog overreacts to everyday triggers such as other dogs, strangers, bikes or autos, usually by barking, lunging, growling or pulling, most often on the lead. Fear is the most common driver, with frustration and pain also playing a part. It is managed by keeping distance from triggers and changing the dog's feelings with reward-based training, never by punishment.
- Resource guardingResource guarding is a dog protecting something it values, such as food, a chew, a toy, a bed or even a person, from people or other animals. It is normal, often fear-based behaviour, ranging from eating faster or freezing to growling and biting. It improves with management and reward-based training that teaches the dog an approaching person brings good things.
- Separation anxietySeparation anxiety is a fear response in which a dog panics when left alone or apart from the person it is attached to. Signs include howling, destruction near doors, toileting indoors, drooling and escape attempts, usually worst in the first 30 minutes. It is treated with gradual, reward-based training, sometimes alongside medicine from a vet, never with punishment.
- Urine markingUrine marking is using small amounts of urine as a scent message rather than to empty the bladder. Cats usually spray backwards onto upright surfaces with the tail raised and quivering; dogs lift a leg against furniture or doorways. It is commoner in unneutered animals and stressed or crowded homes. Rule out illness first, then reduce the stress behind it.
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Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- International Cat Care: Scratching on furniture and carpets (updated 7 October 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- American Association of Feline Practitioners: AAFP position statement: declawing (2017) (opens in a new tab)
- AAFP and ISFM (Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2013): Feline environmental needs guidelines (opens in a new tab)