Your cat may scratch a lot of areas on your body, but are there places that your cat prefers to scratch?
Want your cat to stop scratching a particular area? Use these tips and your cat will stop — at least for a while.
If your cat prefers to scratch a specific comforter, mattress, or piece of furniture, try placing that item on the floor where your cat prefers to scratch and putting it a few feet away from your cat’s usual scratching spot.
Contents
Why does your cat scratch your bed?
Take notice of how violently your cat is clawing at your bedding while you’re sleeping.
They are certainly trying to wake you up! If they are digging aggressively for a long period of time, they can be trying to tell you that something is wrong with their health.
If it’s only a little scratch, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong.
However, if your cat is clawing at the same place for a long time or scratching multiple places, they may be in pain.
Sometimes those scratches cause bleeding, which may be a sign of infection. Although there’s no way to prevent your cat from scratching, you can try redirecting their scratching by using double-sided tape.
This should be placed on a surface where your cat can’t reach it, such as the edge of a chair or on a hard, horizontal surface. To gain your attention, your cat may aggressively scratch, swat, yowl, and purr.
As you’re starting to doze off, your cat may then resort to digging into your blankets and sheets in an attempt to catch you off guard.
They’ll then sleep right next to you, explaining why they’re also called “coddled eggs” or “cuddly mice.” Be careful not to become too attached to them, however, as their claws can inflict serious injuries if they scratch or bite you.
Should you discipline your cat for scratching your bed sheets?
The answer is no, and you shouldn’t do it either.
Instead of punishing your cat, you should help it understand that scratching the bed is something that it should not do.
You can do this by taking away the cat’s favorite toys or scratching post and replacing it with something the cat likes more.
Your cat should not feel caged or scared, or that you are going to punish it for something they are simply being a cat.
Instead of punishing your cat, work on providing ways for them to earn their scratching post.
So, build a scratching post and place it near your cat’s favorite sleeping area, and encourage your cat to use it often.
Punishment for this conduct will not work since the cat does not understand the reason.
This may lead them to believe you are the person stalking them, and they may try to escape the house.
Instead, you should reward the cat when they defend the house by not clawing the bed linens.
Rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior are two different things. For instance, a pet owner may punish their pet for biting their shoe or scratching the furniture.
However, the owner of that pet may reward their pet’s good behavior when they sit calmly on their laps.
How can you prevent your cat from scratching your bed?
Rather of using harsh punishment that your cat may not understand, the easiest solution is to frame their scratching post and make it unappealing for them to sit down on.
Scratching posts are useful, but don’t discard your furniture when they are no longer of use! You may consider giving them a second life by repurposing them as a cat tree!
Cats like it when the posts are a little messy, so they may scratch the whole thing a little and then stop.
Say your cat’s name to grab their full attention.
Try not to place their paws on the scratching post or interfere with their play time. In time, your cat will associate the scratching post with having fun, instead of a place to mark their territory.
Your cat will realize that you don’t approve of their scratching behavior and will respect you for it.
You may also have a tiny rubber ball, such as the kind used in gumball machines, on hand for your cat to play with.
There are plastic caps that can be placed on a cat’s claws that will prevent them from ruining your furniture.
If your cat let it, they may have to claw the catnip.
Finally, a little catnip sprinkled near to a scratching post or play area in your cat’s room may encourage them to go outside and play!
Also Read: How To Stop Your Maine Coon Scratching Your Furniture
Should you declaw your cat for scratching your sheets?
The answer is no, and i do not recommend declawing your cat.
Declawing your cat isn’t beneficial for them, which is why you shouldn’t do it.
When a cat’s claws are removed, they might use their teeth to prevent other cats from harming them or attacking while the cat is alone.
Not only that, but they also use their teeth to forage for and play with their prey, so the loss of teeth can result in a lack of proper nutrition.
Declawing a cat requires surgery, which may result in antibiotic treatment and intravenous fluids to keep the cat from going into shock. Declawing can also lead to granulomatosis, a severe form of arthritis.
This may give your cat anxiety, as well as cause wounds.
Finally, without claws, your cat may be more susceptible to repetitive stress injuries (RSI), which can cause long-term problems such as arthritis, injury, and joint pain.
