Every cat owner can relate to this scratching habit of their cats. It causes damage to the carpet and can be very frustrating for some owners.
Cats scratch by putting their claws deep into the surface and then pulling their feet. It’s important to help your cat break this habit of destroying items, and there are various ways to achieve this goal.
How to Stop Cat Scratching Carpet at Door
The best way to stop a cat from scratching carpet near a door is to direct your cat’s attention to an alternative target, like scratching pads and post.
Cats have a natural instinct to scratch things and trim their nails, so its important that you give them an alternative instead of trying to stop them from scratching completely.
Scratching pad
Scratching pads are a great way to help stop your cat from scratching carpet. While scratching posts can also be used, I have found more success with scratching pads because they are horizontal and better mimic a carpet. There are many cheap options for scratching pads, such as the Coching Cat Scratcher.
If you get a scratching pad, you should try to put it in near the door where your cat is scratching.
Other ways to help stop a cat from scratching carpet
But if your luck didn’t work with the scratching posts or pad, no need to lose hope; there are other ways to stop your cat from scratching carpets near doors. Another idea is to temporarily cover the scratched carpet with some other materials like cardboard, carpet, or wood. Give them a variety of surfaces to scratch on, and who knows, it may solve your problem.
You can also try to put some furniture or mat on your cat’s scratching location.
This may divert its favorite scratching spot. You can also infuse the area with some other smell by using a feline pheromone plug-in or directly spray their scratching spot with a foul smell. In the past, I have used vinegar to deter my cat from scratching on things.
Though these products are not designed for this purpose, some people believe it can fool cats to believe that this area has already been occupied.
You should also look on the bright side, at least your cat isn’t scratching your skin. Most cat scratches sting and are very painful.
Ask a vet
If your cat has recently started to scratch off your carpet and if you feel that this is something new, it would be best to consult with a vet. He might be able to explain whether there is an underlying issue or not. And if it all didn’t help you to solve this problem, declawing your cat is another option. But it would mean that taking something that nature has provided them to help them remain healthy.
Additionally, you should only declaw a cat when they are 6 months or younger. After they pass 6 months, it is unethical to declaw them.
While you’re trying to stop your cat from scratching the carpet, it would be best if you cut its nail regularly to minimize the damage in the meantime. You can also try using nail caps that would help you prevent damage from their claw. If you are a novice owner or if you haven’t used nail caps before, there are different vets or stores that can put nail caps on your cat for a small fee.
Why do cats scratch carpet?
Most of the time, cats scratch for grooming purposes, but at times it could be for sheer fun. It can be challenging for you to eliminate this activity as it’s what nature demands from them, but you can diverge its scratching location. Your cat might also scratch carpet to leave their scent.
There are many products available in the market that are specifically designed to meet your cat’s scratching requirements and would help you to save your furniture or bedroom carpet.
