How do I get my cat to stop scratching my clothes baskets?
How to Stop Your Cat From Scratching Clothes Baskets
Cats love to scratch, and one of their favorite items to ruin are clothes baskets. To get your cat to stop scratching your clothes baskets, you will need to invest some time and patience. However, it is definitely possible to train your cat to find alternative scratching surfaces. Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Identify the Cause of Your Cat’s Scratching
Before you can begin getting your cat to stop scratching your clothes baskets, it’s important to identify the cause of the scratching. Cats use scratching to mark their territory, to groom their claws and to stretch their muscles. Make sure that your cat isn’t scratching your clothes baskets due to a perceived threat from other animals in the home, and that there are no other underlying medical issues contributing to the scratching.
2. Provide Alternate Scratching Surfaces
Your cat needs something to scratch that’s more appealing than your clothes baskets. Put together a few different scratching posts and surfaces that your cat can scratch and claw at. Some options you may want to consider include:
- Cat trees: provide your cat with a multi-level tree to climb and scratch instead of your clothes baskets.
- Cardboard scratching boxes: you can make a small, inexpensive box, and cover certain parts with corrugated cardboard to encourage scratching.
- Foam posts: you can cover a foam block with fabric to create a modern-looking post that your cat can scratch.
3. Make Your Clothes Baskets Unappealing
You can make your clothes basket less appealing to your cat by covering it with plastic or wrapping it in double-sided tape. This will make the basket less inviting to cats since their claws won’t have anything to catch onto. You may also want to spray the basket with something unpleasant, such as citrus-scented spray.
4. Give Your Cat Attention
It’s important to make sure that you’re giving your cat the attention they deserve. Play with your cat, and make sure they’re receiving the mental and physical stimulation they need. Additionally, you may want to leave out extra treats, toys and cozy sleeping spots around your house to keep your cat comfortable and distracted from scratching your clothes basket.
5. Be Consistent
Once you’ve identified the cause of your cat’s scratching and implemented some of the tips mentioned above, it’s important to be consistent. Consistency is key when it comes to training your cat not to scratch your clothes baskets. Make sure that you’re consistent in rewarding good behavior and discouraging bad behavior.
These tips should help you get your cat to stop scratching your clothes baskets. With some time and patience, you should be able to train your cat to scratch appropriate surfaces and leave your favorite clothes basket alone.
