How do I get my cat to stop scratching my bedspread?
How to Stop Your Cat from Scratching Your Bedspread
Do you have a love-hate relationship with your cat’s clawing habits? On one hand, it’s one of the key behaviors cats use to mark their territory, keep their nails healthy and even to play. On the other, it can cause major damage to furniture or fabrics like bedspreads.
If your cat has been scratching your bedspread, don’t despair. Here are four simple solutions to put an end to this unwanted behavior.
Provide Appropriate Alternatives
Cats have a natural drive to scratch, so you must find alternative surfaces that provide an appropriate outlet. Try these options:
- Cat scratching posts
- Cat scratchers
- Carpet-covered boards
- Sisal rope-covered posts
Place the scratching alternatives near your bedspread. Praise your cat if you catch him scratching these instead of the bedspread and you may even want to reward him with a special treat.
Apply A Deterrent
If providing scratching alternatives does not seem to be helpful, you can also deter your cat from scratching surfaces by making the bedspread undesirable. Try putting a sheet or towel over the bedspread and use double-sided tape or strips of aluminum foil to make the surface unappealing.
These deterrents should not be used as a long-term solution, however, as they may make the bedspread unpleasant or uncomfortable to sleep on.
Trim Your Cat’s Claws
If your cat’s claws have become long, you should have them regularly trimmed. Use special cat claw trimmers to shorten your cat’s nails without risking injury.
The more often you trim your cat’s nails, the smoother and less sharp they will get, thus decreasing the damage that your cat’s claws can cause.
Keep Your Bedspread Out of Reach
Last but not least, it can be helpful to keep the bedspread inaccessible, at least while your cat is clawing it.
This may mean keeping it away from the edge of the bed or temporarily keeping it off the bed altogether until it is possible to solve your cat’s scratching habit.
With attention and patience, you can help to train your cat to stop scratching your bedspread. In no time, you can hopefully be back to enjoying your feline’s antics.
