Dear Miss Behavin’:
My indoor-only cat “Denver” scratches my furniture and plays too rough with me. What I can do to make him stop acting out, and would you recommend declawing him?
Thank you for seeking advice before resorting to declawing Denver. Not only is declawing a very painful procedure for a cat, it can have lasting negative psychological effects. Cats take pleasure in using their claws to scratch and knead, and their claws also function as an important defense mechanism.
Scratching is a very natural behavior for cats, and some cats prefer “vertical scratchers” such as posts, while others prefer “horizontal scratchers” such a flat cardboard scratchers. Does Denver scratch a particular piece of furniture? If so, try covering the item temporarily with a sheet and placing a scratcher next to it. Be sure to praise Denver if you see him using it.
Since Denver is an indoor-only kitty (and we encourage him to stay that way given all the dangers for outdoor cats), provide him with lots of activity indoors. Try to play with Denver with a cat toy twice each day, for 10-15 minutes each session. Get Denver really riled up playing with the toy, then gradually slow the play down and let him finally “capture” it. Then, feed Denver his breakfast or dinner. Denver will be fooled into thinking he actually “hunted” his meal.
Do you have a yard or porch attached to your home? If so, you could consider installing a “kitty fence” that is specifically designed to keep a cat safe while exploring the great outdoors. That might be another way to get Denver more exercise and mental stimulation. If that’s not possible, you could also install a bird feeder outside one of your windows so Denver can have his own private “nature show”.
Like people, cats are individuals and they each have their own personalities and needs. Denver will probably never be a lazy lap cat, but that doesn’t mean he is a “bad” cat. It sounds like Denver needs to be taught what areas are OK to scratch, and receive appropriate outlets for his energy and natural instincts.