Cats need to scratch. For the health of their feet and legs, to mark their territory, and for their physical and mental well-being in general. That is a given. But why do some cats scratch, and scratch inappropriate surfaces? Don’t you wish there was a scientific study looking for answers?
Well, guess what? there is!
This study, published in early July, 2024 by six researchers from 4 different countries, is based on a very detailed, 28-page questionnaire. It looked at each cat’s temperament, behavior, and barking behavior. Also the amount of damage or unwanted cat scratching caused, along with the demographics of each household. From the 1211 cats examined for the study, it focused on 494 cats with high levels of scratching and 361 with low levels.
Characteristics of High Scratchers
Not surprisingly, high scratchers were seen as more disruptive, along with being aggressive and destructive. Active is a distant second, along with playfulness and mischief. As for cat demographics, no differences were observed between purebred and mixed breed cats, or cats of different sexes or weights.
Cause More Scratching
Since inappropriate scratching is often a sign of stress, it is not surprising that levels of scratching are higher in households with children. What’s even more surprising is that longer playtimes lead to more scratching behavior. It’s possible that this could be because the level of play has left the cat overstimulated, and they need to release the pent-up energy. More nighttime behavior also led to a higher level of scratching, another surprise.
More Surprises About Scratching the Surface
You would think that one of the reasons for inappropriate scratching behavior is the lack of an appropriate scratching surface or placement. This is not always the case! Some of the high scratchers have appropriate surfaces in the high traffic areas of their homes. And it should be the right place to put them. There may be two reasons for this. Maybe the scratching surface needs to be placed in a more desirable place in the room. Or the cat has an emotional need to act and scratch inappropriately.
Complex and Tailored Solutions
This study shows that solving inappropriate cat scratching is not as simple as buying a bunch of different scratching surfaces and spreading them around the house. Stress, overstimulation, and ingrained habits all play a part in why a cat scratches in places it shouldn’t. Every cat’s situation is different, but here are some things to consider.
- Does your cat scratch things they shouldn’t despite having multiple scratchers? Consider that there may be something stressing them out, or causing them territorial insecurity. If repositioning the scratched surfaces doesn’t help, consider looking at the cat’s general daily life and see what might be upsetting them.
- If you have children at home, or if you spend a lot of time with them, try to improve your cat’s life when they are around. This can mean anything from teaching children to be gentler and calmer with the cat to keeping the cat away from children entirely. Some cats love kids (me!), but other cats really have a hard time with them.
- Find out what works best for your playtime sessions with your cat. If your play sessions leave your cat overstimulated, shorten your playtime, and be sure to window it at the end. Allow the cat to catch whatever “prey” the toy represents, and give them a treat when you’re done so they feel like they’ve accomplished their “hunt.” And if you have an active cat but only play with them occasionally, start scheduling regular sessions to keep their energy going in a better direction.
I hope these suggestions helped you! What did you think of this study? Did some of this surprise you too? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
