By: Elaine Xu

Researchers in France surveyed over 1,200 cat owners to understand cat’s scratching behavior. They found out several reasons for this behavior, including a cat’s playfulness, its personality, and even the presence of children in the house.

The study suggests that children might elevate a cat’s stress levels, which causes them to scratch more. Dr. Salgirli Demirbas, who is a veterinary researcher at Ankara University in Turkey and the first author of the new study, said, “Specifically, the presence of children in the home as well as high levels of play and nocturnal activity significantly contribute to increased scratching. Cats described as aggressive or disruptive also exhibited higher levels of scratching.”

The study recommends adjusting their playtime to stop cats from scratching. While playing is important for cats, they can’t be at it too long. Long games can actually tire cats out in a bad way. The researchers suggest shorter play sessions that practice hunting toys. These games are purrfect for them to release their energy, stay happy, and make them more likely to stop scratching.

You can also put scratching posts in your cat’s favorite spots so they can scratch them, not furniture. Feeling safe makes cats less stressed. So, give your cat a cozy hiding spot and a high spot to look around!
By making these small changes, we can prevent cats from scratching furniture and be happier!

Link to Article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/c3g6ey2d85eo
Image Credit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/c3g6ey2d85eo