Claws and All; Living with Your Cat and Your Furniture Scratching behavior is a normal and natural part of a cat’s existence.  It conditions the claws, is used to mark territory, and is a mechanism for stretching.  A cat’s claws are their primary defense and allow for rapid acceleration and sharp turns while running. For many cat lovers feline onchyectomy (declawing) is unconscionable, many veterinarians will not perform the procedure, no animal organization condones the practice and in some countries it is outlawed.  The cat’s claw is not a toenail as in other animals.  It is a movable digit attached to muscle as a finger might be.  Declawing is akin to cutting off half the cat’s toes.   Since cats have keener senses than humans, they suffer even more than humans.  Besides the physical mutilation, consider what declawing may do the cat’s emotions, the personality changes that may occur.   Knowing he has not the means to defend himself, some cats will bite at the least provocation.  Others become depressed and lose their loving personality. Scratching is often misinterpreted as misbehavior.  Your cat does not realize he is ruining your furniture; after all this is perfectly normal and necessary behavior.  What particular object he scratches depends on whether he is a vertical or horizontal scratcher.  The vertical scratcher will go after walls, door side moldings and the backs of chairs and sofas, whereas horizontal scratchers tend to prefer rugs, carpets, chair cushions and other flat surfaces.  Most cats prefer to scratch vertical objects since those surfaces are most visible to other cats.  A cat will reach up and scratch downward to leave an indicator of how big he is, the higher the mark the bigger and tougher he is. There are things you can do to limit the damage.  Give your cat his own special place to scratch; scratching posts for vertical scratchers and scratching pads for horizontal scratchers.  Put these scratching surfaces in visible, high-traffic areas of your home.  That is where your cat wants to mark his territory.  Who cares about the corner behind the TV. Whenever the little darling scratches on an inappropriate object, tell him “No” and take him over to the appropriate scratching place.  Rub his feet on the surface but do not force him.  It is up to you to show him how fun the scratching post really is; spray it with catnip, and hang toys from it.  Always be on the alert to lavish your cat with praise, affection, attention, and even a treat anytime he scratches or climbs his post, especially on his own.  Another alternative is to learn the proper procedure and trim your cat’s claws every 2-4 weeks or have your Vet apply little rubber caps on the claws.  You can also make your furnishings less desirable by spraying with a lemon or orange scent or you could put double-sided tape or aluminum foil at scratching sites. If you really love your cat, you will want him to lead a long, happy life, giving and receiving love and affection.  Don’t declaw him, instead make it clear to your cat what’s okay to scratch and what isn’t, and be consistent in enforcing the rules.  Once your cat’s learned the proper place to scratch, you, your cat, and, of course, your furniture will be a lot better off.