Why cats destroy your furniture – and how to get them to stop

It is a truth generally acknowledged that cats are cute.

It is also a truth generally acknowledged that cats can be destructive.

Many a cat owner have come home to scratched furniture, destroyed cushions, toppled over vases and food, and etcetera.

If you are a cat owner, you probably have your own tales of how your cat, or cats, became destructive around the household.

The good news is, with a bit of effort and training, you can stop your cat from destroying your household.

Here are 6 things you can do to stop your cat from destroying your furniture:

1. Pick The Right Fabric Texture

Cats scratch to remove the dead outer layer of their claws. They also do it to mark their territory visually.

As such, they prefer to scratch on textures that will really allow them to sink their claws in, to allow them to go really wild with.

You would probably want to skip woolly textures or soft textures like silk, and go for fabrics like synthetics or leather.

Otherwise, you can consider using protective slipcovers to preserve your sofas and cushions against your cat’s mighty claws. 

Our machine washable claw-proof velvet is a popular choice among pet owners as they are too tightly woven for teeth and claws to puncture. 

2. Get A Stable Scratching Post

It’s in your cat’s nature to scratch.

Therefore, it will be wise to buy a stable scratching post or two to place in your house for your cat to literally flex its claws.

It takes time to train your cat to fully recognize the scratching post as the designated place to scratch, so remember to be patient!

In general, most cats prefer sturdy scratching posts that have good material in terms of fabric textures.

For a scratching post that will really wow your cats, consider this gorgeous scratching tree from FEANDREA. 

3. One Litter Box Per Kitty

A good rule of thumb for litter boxes is to have one for each cat in your household.

To be safe, get another one for good measure.

Once you get your cat to recognize its designated litter box, “accidents” should not happen again.

You don’t want your furniture to get stained!

Additionally, your litter boxes should be big enough. This is so that your cat doesn’t feel cramped or that the litter box is filled to the brim already.

Do remember to change the litter often – cats like to be clean!

If you’re looking for hidden litter boxes, here’s a rundown of our top choices that you’ll want to consider for your household.

4. Get Them Moving Daily

Simply put, your cat destroys your house because they are bored.

They need to be stimulated by physical exercise. However, it’s not a good idea to let your cats roam around, especially in an urban setting.

It’s best to walk your cat, and get some physical exercise yourself, on a daily basis.

Contrary to popular belief, cats can be walked on leashes. Sure, they might not like it at first, but you can train them until they get used to it. 

5. Give Your Kitty Plenty Of TLC

Are you away from home often?

If your cat is destructive, it can be a plea for you to pay attention to them. An ignored cat is an unhappy cat.

Use cat toys, head scratches, or physical exercise to bond with your cat. Spending more time with your cat will make them less destructive. 

6. Remove The Items Your Cat Loves Destroying

Or at least keep them out of sight.

While you don’t have to dump your favourite IKEA sofa (and why would you when you can just get custom-made sofa slipcovers to protect them?), things like carpets, rugs, house plants, electrical cords and the like can be kept out of sight and out of mind.

Who knows? Maybe your cat and the offending item are just sworn enemies, no matter what you do to make your cat less destructive, so removal would be your best action.

Of course, it would be best for your cat to settle down and stop destroying your furniture as time goes on. 

Planning to design a cat-friendly home for your favourite feline? Start with your sofa. Take samples of our claw-proof velvet fabric for a test run here: