Do you keep cats? If yes, then you might have noticed that your cat keeps scratching your sofa, curtains, mat and even your clothes. Every cat parent wonders why does my cat scratch so much? The good news is that this is not a sign of bad behavior. Well, the reality is that a cat needs to scratch, and scratching is, in fact, good for their health and body.
Your goal should never be to stop your cat from scratching, but rather to redirect the cat’s scratching in a healthy way. Here are some reasons why your cat keeps scratching;
1) Healthy Paws
Cats’ claws are retractable, meaning that the claws retract into a sheath within their claws. Cats need to shed these coats regularly so that they can grow new claws, which is why scratching is so important.
2) Marking their territory
Cats need personal space and they also use a variety of methods to communicate their territory with other cats. Scratching is a new way for your cat to mark their home, alert other animals to their presence, and feel satisfied knowing that their territory is secure. The pads of cats’ paws contain scent glands that may help them mark their territory.
3) For exercise and stretching
Scratching provides needed exercise for the cat’s claws as well as stretching the entire body. They can arch their back and spread their legs fully, which feels like a really satisfying activity for a cat.
4) happiness and joy
Cats scratch to show their excitement. They do this when they wake up and sometimes when their human comes home from work they also do it while kneading with their paws, which actually proves beneficial for them.