My cat claws on the wallpaper: how to stop it?
Your cat is clawing on the wallpaper and you don’t know how to stop it? Here are some tips to prevent your favorite feline from ruining your walls!
Why does my cat claw?
The first thing to do is to identify the reason why your cat is scratching your wallpaper. This is not only destructive behavior, but it can be potentially dangerous for your four-legged friend. Your cat could injure itself by clawing at or near surfaces such as upholstery, such as clothing or towels.
The culprits are her paws. They are covered with scent glands and every time they claw in a particular area, they leave a mark, marking their territory. That’s why pussies love to scratch furniture and carpets. To make their mark!
How to stop my cat from scratching
Buy him a scratching post
Another solution if your cat can’t stop scratching the upholstery is to get him a scratching post. He’ll be able to indulge his instincts in this dedicated scratching post.
Be sure to give him a scratching post that is at least 80 cm high so he can stretch out his whole body. Cats like to be able to stretch their bodies over the entire surface of the scratching post, whether it’s horizontal or vertical. Plus, they mark their territory more on a large surface.
There are a variety of specially designed scratching posts that can be easily installed along a wall, on a stair rail, on a chair leg or on other surfaces. Most cat trees also have scratching posts, so you can make a combo.
Once set up, show your four-legged friend around and if he starts scratching elsewhere, take him straight to his scratching post to get used to it.
Of course, don’t forget to praise him when he starts scratching in the right place! When your pet uses the scratching post, reward him with a small treat and a pat. On the other hand, if he scratches on the wallpaper, take him directly to his scratching post. There’s no need to be violent with your cat, he won’t understand and you won’t get any results.
The scratching post is the number 1 solution to adopt, and the most reliable! But to encourage him to use it, you can impregnate it with an irresistible smell with a hormonal spray or catnip. In addition to using the scratching post, you’ll need to discourage Grisou from continuing to scratch in the wrong place…
Apply aluminum foil to the area where your cat is scratching
Cats hate to touch aluminum foil. Cover an area of about 1.5 square metres around your four-legged friend’s target scratching spot for several weeks. The next time he wants to scratch there, he’ll associate the area with the unpleasant sensation of foil under his paws and avoid returning.
Clip his nails
It’s not a question of removing your four-legged friend’s claws completely, but of trimming the tips of his claws, just as we trim our nails. It is totally painless for him but you have to be careful not to cut too short at the risk of hurting him. There are claw clippers specially designed for cats. Your veterinarian can also do it for you.
If this solution will not dissuade him from clawing, it will have the merit of preventing your cat from doing damage and will keep your wallpaper intact!
Apply a scent repellent
There are a variety of commercially available repellents, but you can also design your own natural repellents. Here are a few homemade examples that work to varying degrees for different cats, each with its own olfactory tastes.
Vinegar
Vinegar is really good for everything in the house, even repelling your cat. Spray it every day in the places where he usually does his claws, he will look for another place, it’s time to buy him a scratching post just for him!
Lemon or citrus
Cats are very sensitive to citrus smells. Boil lemon or orange peels in water, infuse for about ten minutes, let it cool and spray it in your house… In addition to keeping him away, it smells good and cleans your home!
Essential oils
Essential oils should be handled with care. Indeed, they can be toxic for your cat, so you must absolutely avoid spraying them near his food. You can use 5 drops of lemon essential oil in 500 milliliters of water to spray the upholstery. Lavender and eucalyptus essential oils are also good repellents.
