My cat scratches and eats furniture. Is this dangerous? How to stop?

Hi there! It’s not recommend to try and “discipline” cats in this way (scruffiness, yelling, squirt bottles, etc) because it generally isn’t effective and can make your cats stressed and afraid of you. Instead, focus on providing her with other things to scratch and claw that are more effective than your rug. This is a normal behavior for cats, so she needs appropriate options to meet her needs. Try a tall, sturdy cat tree or scratching post, or a horizontal scratching tray if she prefers this. You may also need to take up the rug temporarily until she is reliably scratching more appropriate things.

Here is a link to an article that explains this problem and how to rectify it. I have also linked some Feliway products and some Soft Paws that you may want to try. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/destructive-scratching https://www.feliway.com/us/Why-Use-Feliway/how-to-stop-a-cat-scratching-furniture https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/feliscratch-by-feliway https://www.softpaws.com/soft-paws-cats/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7CDkqZAqIc

If she eats a lot of hair (and if you have long hair) there is a potential she could get a linear foreign body. You may try distraction techniques. Try enriching the environment. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser and set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play (really get her moving). Try feeding her out of a food puzzle. Hide food for her to find. Provide a stand or resting place by a window so she can look outside. You may also try clicker training her for positive behavior. Here is a link about training cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-i-train-my-cat/ Most cats response best to combination therapy. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi and thanks for using PetCoach! Sorry you are having such problems with Tinker. Unfortunately behavioral problems are not easily solved especially in a forum like this. To solve them, we as professionals need a thorough history of Tinker including past and present, and we often times need to witness these behaviors and learn the triggers that are causing the unwanted behaviors. If she was raised away from her litter or not is very important. Kittens raised like that miss out on all of the socialization skills learned from their mother and other litter mates. They learn how to behave, how to play, etc. So that is very important. I would advise talking to your veterinarian and describe in detail what is going on. Your vet can gather a thorough history, do a physical exam, observe some behavior during the exam, and then offer some solutions or tests to perform to make sure that Tinker is healthy. They may advise some blood tests, etc to assess her overall health and they can direct you on what things need to be done to make sure her preventive health care is done properly. Behavior modification is key with any behavioral problems. Drug therapy is possible but she is still a very young kitten and that is probably not advised. You may need to work with some trainers/behaviorists in your area which are experienced in raising young kittens. I will provide a link here to add to your reading material to see if you can put into practice anything discussed in the paper. https://catfriendly.com/ https://www.catvets.com/guidelines/practice-guidelines/life-stage-guidelines I hope this aids in pointing you into the right direction. Good luck with Tinker.

That's a problem that's hard to control, especially if the substance is everywhere in your house. Trying to limit where Yuna is when you aren't at home (IE putting her in a bathroom or other safe place) may help keep her from getting into it while you are gone. While home, distraction with appropriate toys, treats, and making sure she is on a balanced diet is a good idea as well as using deterrents such as a no-scratch spray. If she shows any signs of illness, or you suspect it may be related to an underlying issue, a vet visit is always best to rule out problems as well.

If she actually ingesting the non food items, this condition is indeed called feline pica. If she is sucking or nursing on them, this is an entirely different behavior. Ideally, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian to diagnose any underlying medical causes. Once those have been ruled out you can focus on behavioral causes. Many times, stress or boredom can cause aberrant behavior. Consider a pheromone product such as Feliway Spray or plug in diffuser to decrease any stress or anxiety. Keep Maui engaged and distracted using a variety of toys and exercise. Restrict access to those items she eats or sucks on, stopping and correcting the behavior when observed. Be consistent and be patient.

This is likely behavioral. I would recommend providing her with plenty of toys that will keep her occupied. You can also consider using a bitter spray to apply to the things she chews on most to try and deter her from continuing this behavior. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.