Training Your Cat- Scratching

Kelly Braid has come out with a new ebook called "Purrfectly Trained Cat". Over the next few days she will share with us some or her secrets.

Today, I want to talk about why cats scratch, and how you can redirect the scratching to more appropriate objects.

Cats scratch because they need to. It's an instinctive behavior and we cannot stop it from happening. Your cat scratches for three reasons:

- To mark his territory-not only leaving visible marks but more
importantly, his scent from the glands in his paws. This scent
although indiscernible to us, is very distinctive to other animals
and marks the area as his.

- Exercise-to sharpen his claws so he can defend himself, as well
as stretch and flex his body.

- Pleasure-it just feels good

It is important to find objects that are appealing for your cat to scratch to draw him away from things like your furniture. First, you need to check out what he is scratching now. Look at the texture and sturdiness of the object and then try to replicate it.

Examples of things cats like to scratch include corrugated cardboard, carpeting, or even a chunk of a tree. It is also important to make sure the new scratching post is sturdy and has a stable base. If it falls loudly to the floor or on your cat, it will be worthless.

The new scratching post must now be placed next to object he previously scratched.

The next step is to make the old objects undesirable to him. This may involve covering the areas with things like aluminum foil, plastic, sandpaper, double sided tape, or plastic carpet runner with the pointy side facing out.

Now you will begin to gradually move the new scratching post to an area more suitable to you, but keep in mind it has to be somewhere kitty frequents as well. Putting it near where he sleeps is a great idea as he will always scratch shortly after waking up. If you put the post somewhere he rarely goes, he will return to the old object as soon its available.

After a few weeks, you can start removing the undesirable objects that are covering his former scratching areas. Remove one at a time and wait a few days to see how he does. If he goes back to the old object, just recover it for a bit longer as you are going to fast for him.

A few tricks to get him to use the new post include rubbing catnip on it or pulling a string toy over it to get him used to playing with it.

If you don't follow these vital (but easy) steps, you'll continue to get the same results...more shredded furniture and more spending money.


If you use the easy methods laid out for you, both you and your cat will live a much happier more harmonious life together.

Period.

And that's not just a promise, it's a guarantee.

In fact, try out the methods in my eBook for sixty days.

If your cat isn't the best behaved cat in the neighborhood, just let me know and I'll give you ALL of your money back.

And YOU CAN KEEP THE ENTIRE EBOOK FOR FREE.

No tricks, no gimmicks, no B.S.


If you're serious about keeping your cat happy....and fixing his bad behaviors for good ones, then you'll want to put the information in the eBook to work for you right now.

Kelly Braid
Purrfectly Trained Cat