Having a cat as a pet can truly be a blessing. It can be very rewarding and beneficial to your well-being. Their gentle companionship can help ease the stress of everyday life and prevent the awful feeling of loneliness.

However, these adorable feline creatures have their needs, and sometimes those needs can somewhat be of a nuisance. But who can be annoyed by these furry little angels? Not us for sure! However, we strive to look for solutions to make our lives and theirs a whole lot easier.

Of the few cumbersome issues that many cat owners face is the pulling up of carpets. So cats may find themselves having the urge to sink their little yet somewhat sharp claws in many valuable surfaces around your home.

So, How to Stop a Cat From Pulling up the Carpet?

Redirecting your cat’s attention to a suitable alternative like scratch pads and posts can aid in stopping your cat from pulling up the carpet. Be aware of your cat’s psychology as it could be an important factor in resolving a situation. Nail grooming and accessories can help prevent the damage caused by the cat.

Why Do Cats Scratch?

Don’t fret; your cat isn’t angry or doing this out of spite. On the contrary, scratching is originally an instinct very characteristic of the feline species.

It can be immensely frustrating to owners, who are baffled trying to figure out why their pet is acting the way it is. So let’s explore the different possibilities.

1.   Health Benefits

In order to hunt, they need to keep their claws sharp and strong. Claws can get dull over time and undergo a grooming process known as stropping, in which the cat drags its claws across a stable, rough surface to loosen and strip the outer husk of the claw to reveal a sharpened and lethal weapon to hunt its prey.

Another health-related excuse is exercise; they like to stretch the muscles of the forelimbs and spine to maintain the agility and swiftness they’re well known for. Incorporate this in your next gym session, and you will enjoy cat-like reflexes in no time.

2. Territorial Marking

Cats have sweat glands in their pores, and they use them to spread their scent around a desired personal location.

This instinct is to protect its surroundings from other competitors. Many bewildered owners noticed that this activity may occur or even increase in the presence of suspected visitors like neighboring cats or when welcoming a newborn family member in their midst (to them, the ultimate competitor).

A few scratches here and there are how your adorable little pal establishes its presence. Say what you want about them, but they’re (fortunately for your carpet) a lot cleaner than their canine siblings.

3. Emotional Release

Cats, like us, react to emotions, whether positive or negative. For example, you may find your cat starts to scratch in happiness when you return home after a long day at work. Getting too excited during playtime and accidentally clawing may be another positive explanation.

However, when you witness extra destructive damage, this could be a warning sign that the cat is going through a mood swing or stress. Take a step back to think about how the environment around it has changed.

How to Prevent the Cat from Scratching?

Now that we covered the reasons let’s delve into how to prevent these damaging actions without further ado.

1.   Manage the Cat’s Anxiety Level

Your cat may be expressing its emotions through scratching. In this case, the only way to prevent that is by making sure that your cute little pal is content and doesn’t feel threatened by the atmosphere around it.

Take the time to reassure your pal that whatever the changes or circumstances, you’ll always have time for them. 

Try increasing quality playtime and paying enough attention to make the little guy feel safe and secure.

Show it that its place in your heart will never change, and it will be purring and scratch-free again in no time.

2.   Release the Pheromones

Pheromone plugin diffusers release synthetic chemicals mimicking their naturally occurring counterparts. They work like automated air fresheners as they’re plugged in power outlets, and chemicals in cartridges are released and need periodic refilling.

Don’t worry, these pheromones are completely odorless. They can be used for multiple purposes and aren’t typically intended to prevent cats from scratching. For example, the calming pheromones mimic the cat’s facial pheromone and are helpful to make your cat feel safe and secure.

These pheromones help in decreasing your cat’s anxiety levels and hopefully the aggressive scratching with it.

Pheromones may also trick the cat when sprayed in the location where your cat chose to scratch by convincing it that this area has already been marked by another cat, often halting the scratching tendency.

3.   Grooming

Taking care of your cat’s nails is essential for their health and keeping your belongings intact. Just a quick and painless trim every few weeks can save you the trouble of dealing with the damages by the long sharp claws.

It takes patience and practice to hone your skills and finish the process without agitating your pet. It’s important to keep your cat relaxed in the procedure; it’s advisable to start when they’re asleep or drowsy. Take your time and don’t rush, even if you don’t finish all ten nails at once. Just take a bit off the top, and everything will be fine.

Nail caps are also a great and colorful option. Colorful plastic caps stick to the nail to prevent damaging the furniture. This causes no harm to the cat or the claw and adds a cute element to the overall appearance. 

4.   Redirect to an Acceptable Target

Why fight it? If you have a happy and active kitty, that’s great news. After making sure your cat is relaxed, satisfied, and scratching mainly because of its primal instincts.

You could always help it resume its natural behavior without causing you or your valuables any damage.

Our advice is to invest in a scratching pad or post. Scratchers come in different shapes and sizes, and seeing as cats are very picky and have their preferences, that means this will require you to experiment with various products till you find the perfect match.

Which Scratcher Should I Get?

You can choose from various options, seeing as every cat has its unique taste and preference.

Horizontal Scratching Pad

If your kitty is a carpet scratcher, this is the most suitable choice. The cat will probably have a favorite spot. It could be next to its bed as cats like to sharpen their claws early in the morning just to be prepared for the rest of the day.

It also could be next to the couch or your place of comfort, where you spend most of the time daydreaming about a scratch-free carpet.

You will realize the spot by finding the most evident damage there.

Lay the pad on your carpet, try to go for a sturdy one, and possibly sprinkle a little catnip on the scratcher; this attracts your cat to use it instinctively.

Playing with your cat and incorporating the pad can also encourage it. Hopefully, when it uses it, you can reward the little champ with a treat for being a good boy and not wasting a large chunk of your salary on carpet replacement.

When shopping for a scratch pad, there are many factors to consider. It would be unfortunate if you invest time and money picking the perfect pad, and then your cat decides to completely ignore it for a new damage-free spot on the carpet.

Cat parents fall into this mistake by choosing a scratcher that appeals to humans. Spoiler alert, but your cat isn’t human, surprised? Cats have a unique taste, they look for high-quality scratchers made from rough textures, and they crave resistance more than the soft surfaces of the carpet.

Vertical Scratching Posts

In contrast to the pad, posts are upright vertical structures that cats take pleasure in dragging their claws down their rough exterior. Although they seem similar to the horizontal ones, cats will appreciate the variety.

They enjoy stretching their forelimbs and spine, so make sure you purchase a post-high enough to accommodate the size of your cat.

Additionally, pick one that is stable and sturdy enough to support the weight of your chubby ball of fluff as they like to jump and grasp it with their claws. If it wobbles, then sadly for you, you just got yourself a useless obstacle that you have to avoid walking around the house.

You can find a variety of materials, including corrugated cardboard and sisal fabric, which is satisfying for them when they rip it.

Summary

So if your cat has taken to the highly addictive pleasurable habit of destroying your cherished furniture, or you would like to stave off the trouble of having to replace your carpets. We are here for you.

Cat’s psychology can significantly affect its destructive behavior, so make sure your cat feels safe and relaxed.

Invest in furniture for the cat to call its own, and it can direct its full attention towards a scratching post or pad instead of your carpet.

Grooming is essential for your cat’s health and can help you protect your belongings.

Just take a step back and understand that this is an instinct you could deal with easily and only enjoy the best experiences with your furry friend.

Yassin

I’ve been living with cats since 2008 and I can confidently say I have more feline friends than humans lol. I currently live with 5 cats in different life stages; two of them are less than one year old, one is 2-ish years old and the oldest two are 9-ish years old. I’ve developed a strong bond with cats over the years and I’m eager to share my experience through this blog. You can learn more about my cats here.