Cats need to scratch. For the health of their limbs and paws, to mark their territory, and for their physical and mental well being in general. That’s a given. But why do some cats scratch so much, and scratch inappropriate surfaces? Don’t you wish there was a scientific study that looked for answers?
Well, guess what? There is!
This study, published in early July, 2024 by six researchers from 4 different countries, was based on a highly detailed, 28 page questionnaire. It looked at the temperament, behavior, and scratching habits of each cat. Also the amount of damage or undesired scratching the cat caused, along with the demographics of each household. Out of the 1211 cats examined for the study, it focused on 494 cats with a high level of scratching and 361 that had a low level.
Characteristics of High Scratchers
Not surprisingly, the high scratchers were seen characteristically as more disruptive, along with aggressive and destructive. Active was a distant second, along with playfulness and boisterousness. As for the cat demographics, no difference was noticed between purebred and mixed breed cats, or cats of different genders or weight.
Causes of More Scratching
Since inappropriate scratching is often a sign of stress, it’s not surprising that a higher level of scratching was found in households with children. What was more surprising was that longer playtimes led to more scratching behavior. It’s possible that this could be because the level of playing left the cat overstimulated, and they needed to release the built up energy. More nocturnal behavior also led to a higher level of scratching, another surprise.
More Surprises Regarding Scratching Surfaces
You would think one of the reasons for inappropriate scratching behavior was the lack of appropriate scratching surfaces or placement. This wasn’t always the case! Some of the high scratchers had appropriate surfaces in high traffic areas of their homes. And this is supposed to be the right place to put them. There could possibly be two reasons for this. Maybe the scratching surface needed to be placed in a more desirable spot in the room. Or the cat had an emotional need to act out and scratch inappropriately.
Complex and Tailored Solutions
This study shows that solving a cat’s inappropriate scratching is not as simple as buying a bunch of different scratching surfaces and scattering them around the house. Stress, overstimulation, and ingrained habits all play a part in why a cat scratches in places they shouldn’t. Each cat’s situation is different, but here are some things to consider.
- Is your cat is scratching things they shouldn’t in spite of having lots of scratchers? Consider that something may be stressing them out, or causing them territorial insecurity. If changing placement of the scratching surfaces doesn’t help, consider looking at the cat’s overall day-to-day life and seeing what may be upsetting them.
- If you have children in the house, or if you have them over often, work on improving your cat’s life when they are around. This could mean anything from teaching children to be more gentle and calm with the cat to keeping the cat away from children altogether. Some cats love kids (I do!), but other cats really have difficulty with them.
- Figure out what works best for your playtime sessions with your cat. If your play sessions leave your cat overstimulated, shorten the time you play, and make sure to wind it down 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 they accomplished their “hunt.” And if you have an active cat but you only play with them sporadically, start scheduling in regular sessions to keep their energy going in a better direction.
I hope you find these suggestions helpful! What did you think of this study? Did some of it surprise you too? Let’s discuss it in the comments.
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