How do I get my cat to stop scratching my clothes hangers?

Prevent Your Cat From Damaging Your Clothes Hangers

You love your cat and you want to keep your clothes hangers intact. So, how can you get your cat to stop scratching your clothes hangers? Here are some helpful tips for curbing this unwanted behavior.

Provide Plush Surfaces to Scratch

• Provide acceptable scratching surfaces: Cats need to scratch and there are surfaces specially designed for cats, such as scratching posts or planks. Place them near the hangers and encourage your cat to use it instead.
• Encourage positive scratching: If you see your cat scratching the less desirable surfaces and objects, provide a sound or spray them with a water bottle and take them to the proper scratching surface. Praise your cat and reward them with treats when they scratch it.
• Keep your cat’s nails trimmed: Keeping your cat’s nails trimmed will reduce any kind of damage when they scratch surfaces. To make the process easier, start when they’re kittens and get them used to it so they won’t resist as adults.

Discourage Clothes Hanger Temptation

• Make sure that all hangers have minimum contact with soft materials: Soft, plush materials may attract the cat’s attention and provide a welcomed scratching opportunity for them. When hanging your clothes, make sure that the hangers don’t touch any of these materials.
• Cover the hangers with a material that your cat doesn’t find attractive: You can purchase a commercial product designed to keep cats from scratching and apply it to the hangers. Alternatively, you can use aluminum foil. However, the materials need to be changed often as cats can become accustomed to them.
• Close the bedroom or closet doors: Keep the bedroom and closet doors closed and provide the cat with an alternative place to sleep and spend time.

By taking these measures, you can help your cat adjust to the change and prevent them from scratching your clothes hangers. It’s also important to provide other scratching surfaces, play with your pet, and give them lots of love and attention. With patience and commitment, you can keep your hangers, and your cat, happy!