If your cat is chewing and scratching your house to pieces, he is probably trying to tell you something – that you aren’t meeting his needs! Cats are naturally curious and need an appropriate space, such as a play center, where they can climb, rest and scratch to their heart’s content. You should also provide toys for your cat to bat around; spring-mounted, dangling or bouncy toys are best.

If you have an indoor-only kitty that has little access to grass or other vegetable matter, you may want to offer him lettuce or catnip to discourage him from chewing on your house plants.

Even though it's tempting, physical punishment really doesn't work. It just teaches your cat to fear you and it could actually increase his destructive behavior.

Scratching is a normal behavior for cats – it allows them to mark their territory, condition their claws and stretch. To deter destructive scratching, provide your cat with a good scratching post, trim his nails regularly and keep him away from tempting furniture items and areas in your home. You can encourage your cat to use a scratching post by placing one near his favorite sleeping area and another in a prominent area in your home.

If your cat insists on scratching in an inappropriate area, place a scratching post in that area.

You can use food rewards to encourage him to scratch the post rather than the inappropriate area. If your cat continues to scratch, you may also try covering the inappropriate area or furniture item with foil, plastic or double-sided tape.Ask your veterinarian about plastic coverings that fit over your cat’s nails as another option.

You should discuss all behavior modification and treatment options with your veterinarian to help you decide what’s best for your cat and your family.

Published 08/22/08