Cats scratch things to mark their territories, exercise, and because they like the way it feels. Cats tend to scratch at anything that does the job, and this may sometimes include your expensive sofa. Having your house turned into a giant scratching post is unacceptable, but there are a few things you can do to encourage your cat to do his or her scratching in an appropriate place.

Buy A Spray Bottle
Buying a spray bottle and filling it up with water works wonders. These are typically found at most stores. Most every cat hates water, so getting a blast of it when they are scratching something that they shouldn’t be will teach them pretty quickly. If you have a cat that loves water, this method most likely won’t work too well. I have also found that sometimes when you start this method when the cats are kittens, they may begin to not mind the water at all.

Citrus
Cats do not like the smell of citrus. To prove this, let your cat smell some citrus fruit. My cats make the ‘you really expect me to eat that?’ face and back away. So, you could try using a citrus spray in areas you want them to leave alone.  This may not stop all cats, but it will definitely reduce their enjoyment of scratching those areas.

Give Them Their Own Scratching Furniture 
Cat furniture and scratching posts are an excellent way to prevent cats from scratching up your good furniture, and it provides them with their own area for play. while many of the multiple surfaced cat scratching posts are quite expensive, you can purchase smaller and more affordable ones that your cat will probably love just as much. And, if you are a crafty person and have some time, you can also make your own. Add a bit of catnip to your project, and you’ll likely get your cat’s full cooperation! Below are a couple of ideas that may help you get started on your own do-it-yourself cat scratching solution. Just click the picture to go to the tutorial.

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