Do Ragdoll cats scratch furniture? If you’re considering getting a Ragdoll cat, you might be wondering whether or not they scratch furniture. After all, any cat lover knows that cats are great for keeping your home free of pests and vermin. And one of the best ways to deal with pests and vermin is to use your nails! Ragdoll cats are known for having a great temperament and being easy to handle. But what about their scratching habits? Do Ragdoll cats scratch furniture?
You may have heard that ragdolls are not known for scratching furniture. The truth is that they may scratch your furniture but at a much lower rate than other breeds of cats. Ragdoll cats are typically docile and laid-back in nature. They are also usually very kind to children. It’s rare to see them scratch humans, but it’s possible they will scratch furniture when they’re in a bad mood, when they feel threatened by something in their environment, or they just want to sharpen their claws!
However, there are many things you can do to prevent your ragdoll from scratching furniture, such as providing appropriate scratching posts and using soft materials around the house. Read this article for more information about how to stop your ragdoll from scratching furniture!
Ways To Keep Your Ragdoll Cat From Scratching Furniture?
A Scratching Post
Introducing a scratching post or cat tree is the best way to stop cats from destroying furniture. Ragdoll cats are lazy and will look for the first thing they can get their claws into rather than going to the place where they are allowed to scratch. Therefore, a scratching post should be placed near the areas where your cat scratches. Spraying some catnip on the post will help the cat get used to it. When they use it, you can give them a reward.
One of my Ragdolls decided that the office chair was the perfect thing to scratch, so I placed a scratching post right next to it, and he switched his attention to that straight away.
Sisal ropes are very effective because they are cheap and easy to use. You can also get other kinds of scratching posts, such as bamboo or cork.
Our favourite scratching post for Ragdoll Cats is the SmartCat Ultimate scratching post. This is because it is large, durable and well priced. My cats have used the same post for years, and it still looks relatively new. Any other cat scratching post I have tried has been destroyed in months, if not weeks! You can read my review of the SmartCat Ultimate Scratching post here.
Reach for the stars (and scratch a little when you get there)! The SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post has a 32" post height that allows cats to get a full stretch, tone their muscles, and mark their territory without clawing walls or curtains. It's covered in a fibrous woven sisal that won't snag nails like carpet-covered scratch posts.
Find more scratching posts suitable for Ragdoll Cats
Aluminium Foil or Sticky Paws
Cats feel uncomfortable when they walk on an aluminium surface. Therefore a proven, albeit unsightly, method for deterring your cat from scratching your furniture is to cover the areas they like to scratch with aluminium foil.
Another option is to use Sticky Paws Furniture Strips. These are transparent adhesive strips that you apply directly to fabric to stop cats from scratching your furnishings. They won’t harm your cat or fabric or leave behind a sticky residue. You can use them on your countertops, lounge furniture, curtains, stereo speakers or anywhere else you don’t want your cat to scratch.
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Cat Repellent
Cats are cute but annoying creatures. You can buy cat repellents at your local pet shop or order them online. You can also make a natural repellent at home by mixing citrus-based products together. If citrus doesn’t work you can also try cinnamon, lavender or eucalyptus oil, as they are all scents your feline friend won’t enjoy.
Made in the USA, Bodhi Dog’s 3 in 1 Cat & Kitten Training Spray is a best seller on Amazon. It uses a scent that cats cannot stand but is pleasant to the human senses. It also has added bitters to prevent chewing. The Cat Spray can be safely and easily be used on fabrics, furniture, woodwork, walls, baseboards, blinds, rugs, plants, carpet, and many other things you don’t want your kitty to chew on!
Feliway Spray
Try Feliway Spray! FELIWAY is a synthetic copy of the Feline Facial Pheromone. This is the pheromone that cats leave naturally when they feel safe and secure in their environment.
Feliway spray helps to prevent unwanted behaviour like scratch and spray marking. Scientifically proven to redirect cat scratching, FELIWAY CLASSIC Spray can be applied daily to areas of unwanted scratching after they have been cleaned with water and soap. This releases “happy messages” which reassures your cat and stop them from returning there.
A drug-free solution that helps reduce signs of stress in cats, including scratching and urine spraying.
Makes vet visits, travel, new environments less stressful for your cat.
Mimics a mother cat's natural pheromones to promote a sense of calm.
Distraction
Cats are playful creatures that love to play games. Toys help cats distract themselves from scratching things. Catnip toys are a good option as they hold their attention and make them happy and silly.
If Your Ragdoll Won’t Stop Being Destructive?
If you have tried all the suggestions above and your Ragdoll is still choosing to scratch your furniture then there could be more factors to consider, like the following:
Bordeom
A bored cat scratches because he wants to be entertained. He needs constant stimulation to feel happy. Cats need to play with different toys frequently to keep themselves interested.
Loneliness
Are you out alone a lot? Ragdoll cats are happier in pairs. They stay close to each other when you’re out and also play together. Find out more about owning two Ragdoll Cats.
Stress
Many things may cause a cat to feel stress. Changes to its routine or a new pet and illness can be among them. Reducing the causes of stress can reduce excessive scratching.
Cats need to scratch to relieve stress and help them sleep better. A cat who doesn’t have enough places to scratch may become destructive or even aggressive.
