Cat Scratching Solutions You Can’t Ignore

Cats have claws that are sharp and once in a while, or perhaps frequently, they do end up scratching their human owners. When your pet cat scratches you and the furniture incessantly, this could leave your sofa as well as your nerves tattered. You may have scolded your pet in the past but this may have simply proven futile. After all, you are not dealing with a Saint Bernard. Rather, you are dealing with some of the most self-sufficient, pragmatic creatures in nature.

Daily Scratching

You love your kitty.  You look forward daily to coming home and bonding quietly with your feline companion.  You just have a bit of a problem and this this that you are scratched daily.  At this point really, you hate the pinkish marks on your arms.  There has to be better way of enjoying each other’s company, you think.  Yes there is!  You just never thought this could be the solution.  Cat’s nails will always be long and sharp.  It is their defence mechanism.  It is also their way of showing pleasure, especially when stretching and trying to touch something or someone else. 

Regular Nail Trimming

The solution to this predicament is simple.  Trim the nails of your cat regularly.  It grows back anyways, so there is no fear of altering your cat’s appearance.  You will need a cat nail clipper to do the job.  Your personal clippers are not appropriate for this.  Place your cat on your lap and gently hold down the skin on their paws.  You will find that the nails of your pet’s claws will elongate.  Cut off the tip.  Stop just before the pinkish under skin shows.  The pinkish area is where nerves are attached and cutting this accidentally will produce bleeding and will become a bad memory for your cat so be very careful.  This is a process and will take a while. 

Don’t Rush the Process


You will need to go slowly so that you do not bruise the paws of your pet.  If you do make the mistake of cutting off more than is necessary, stop the bleeding by applying pressure under running water.  If the cut is small, this exercise will suffice.  If the is big, you will need to take your pet to the vet for dressing.  If you unintentionally produced a cut and still have other nails to do, you will have to put this off to another day because your cat will put up a fight and you might end up with more scratches than you can handle.  Go easy and take your time while doing this.  A monthly nail trim for your pet is all that is needed for a happily pampered pet cat that stops scratching you and the furniture. 

Mark Perissinotto has been a practicing veterinarian for over 20 years, 14 years of which he was the owner and principal of a busy multi-vet mixed animal hospital. One of the two co-founders of Vet Shop Australia, graduated from the University of Queensland with Bachelor of Veterinary Science and one of the best retailer of pet supplies Australia.

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