Clever Ways To Keep Cats From Scratching Leather Furniture

There's a certain relationship between cats and leather couches. It's no secret that cats love to scratch things, but your nice leather furniture surely is not your first choice for a scratching post. If cat scratching is an issue in your home, you are probably looking for ways to prevent destruction and allow them and your furniture to co-exist peacefully. Luckily, through utilizing several methods of prevention, you can learn how to stop cats from scratching furniture and keep your leather pieces safe from disaster.

Give Your Cat an Alternative

One of the easiest ways to protect a leather couch from your cat is to offer an alternative. Cats need to scratch as part of their regular routine, so if they are not directed to a specific spot, they will select an alternative. 

By placing a scratching post in several areas of your home, especially in the room where your leather furniture piece is located, you can train your cat to redirect the scratching desires to the scratching posts instead. Use a toy or catnip to draw attention to the scratching post or combine the post with a fun cat castle or condo where your cat can enjoy playtime. With a bit of training, your furniture will be a less desirable source of scratching relief. Some scratching post types are more desirable than others.

• Rough surfaces in various forms

• Both vertical and horizontal posts

• Enticing items such as toys or catnip

Keep Your Furniture Covered

While your cat is learning to look elsewhere for scratching enjoyment, it might be a good idea to keep your leather pieces of furniture covered by a furniture cover. The look of covered furniture might not be your ideal image of a picture-perfect room, but it should be a temporary solution while your cat is retrained. Leather has a distinctive smell to a cat, and until your cat has learned that another option is more desirable, the furniture will be the go-to scratching source. Therefore, your best bet during this transition is to use a plastic-type covering that can't be easily scratched through.

Repel Your Cat From Your Furniture

If you have provided alternative scratching sources and your cat still prefers the sensation of leather, you may need to consider some sort of cat repellent. If the repellent is in the form of a spray, look for certain features. The spray needs to be natural and not harmful to your cat if ingested. You should also test the spray on your leather piece to make sure any contact with the surface does not cause damage. Another form of repellent is using a texture that is unpleasant to cats, like sticky tape or in some cases aluminum foil. The cat will learn to associate the chair, sofa, or other furniture pieces with an unpleasant feeling.

Keep Your Cat's Claws Trimmed

Here's how to stop cats from scratching furniture before they begin. In some circumstances a cat can't be dissuaded from seeking out leather as a scratching source, so keeping your cat's claws trimmed can be the best solution. It is important to distinguish between trimmed claws and declawing, as declawing cats are generally not recommended. Trimmed claws can still give a cat the sensation of scratching while still reducing the amount of damage created. Alternatives, such as claw covers, might also work for tolerant cats that allow the placement of the covers in the veterinarian's office. 

Purchase or Replace Your Leather Furniture at SuperNova Furniture

That's how to stop cats from clawing furniture. But accidents happen. Sometimes furniture has been damaged beyond repair and needs to be replaced. If you need to replace worn-out or damaged leather pieces or want to add leather furniture to your collection for the first time, check out Supernova Furniture's online inventory or come in to one of our Houston locations. Our selection of leather sofas, chairs, headboards, and accent pieces make it easy to upgrade the look of your room.