I think every cat owner at one point or another has had some piece of furniture ripped, broken or shredded. Whether it’s the sofa, curtains or the carpet, you definitely don’t want your little darling ripping it up!

So how do you alleviate the problem of an indoor cat using your furniture as a toy?

Firstly, of course, you will need a scratching post. These should be introduced at a very early age, but if your cat is a little older and still hasn’t used a scratching post, then don’t worry- there is still time to train him to use it.

Simply place the post near to a piece of furniture your cat likes to scratch and make a fuss of him when he goes near it. He will associate the post with being rewarded- if he goes to actually use the post, praise him and give him a treat. Soon enough he should begin to use it and will hopefully stop using your furniture. For more ideas of how to train him to use the scratching post, see this post.

Cat Gyms and Activity Centers;
There are lots of different cat gyms and activity centers available today, with a wide range of prices. These generally include platforms which your cat will be able to climb onto (cats love being up high!), tunnels for your cat to rest in and explore and dangling toys for extra entertainment. If you have more than one cat, you may need to consider buying a larger one with more than one platform and tunnel.

Cat Toys
Cat toys are a good distraction if your kitty is using your furniture too often. If your cat is an indoor cat then you’ll need to keep him amused as he is not receiving the stimulation of hunting and playing that an outdoor cat would get.

This means buying some quality, fun toys for your cat. Some of the best cat toys are those you can use to play with your cat. Favorites include ‘wraggler’ or ‘dangler’ type toys which mimic natural actions of prey when dangled in front of your cat. Light weight balls will allow your cat to amuse himself as he will bat them and then chase them, although you should ensure that these are not small enough to be swallowed.

Always make sure you supervise your cat with toys and check regularly for any signs of loose material which could be pulled off and swallowed. Cats should never be given lengths of string to play with (unless supervised at all times) due to risks of swallowing the string.

Here are some recommended cat toys and activity centres;

If your cat continues to scratch your furniture you need to simply deter him from doing so. Many cats do not like the smell of citrus so placing this near the furniture can help. You can also make a loud noise or clap each time kitty jumps on the sofa or tears at the curtains. Over time he will associate the loud scary noise with the unwanted behavior.

Most cats eventually grow out of being destructive in the house. It’s a great idea to build an outdoor enclosure to put your cat in during the day as he can release energy out there rather than in your living room. You may find that he is so exhausted from the day’s adventures that he is too tired in the evening to even consider playing with the curtains or scratching the sofa!