Anyone that has a cat is probably familiar with frayed couch corners, torn-up blinds and shredded carpets; these are all a result of a cat’s scratching. And, if you’re cat’s scratching is annoying you, don’t think you can change the behavior–because you can’t. Scratching is a natural behavior for cats and we all know cats aren’t the best at taking orders. But, what you can do is attempt to control where your cat scratches.

Cats don’t understand physical punishment, so hitting your cat when she scratches is one of the worst things you can do. Cats also have good memories and though they won’t associate you hitting them with their scratching behavior, they will remember that you hurt them and hold a grudge.

Cats scratch for many reasons including; marking their territory, exercise and because it simply feels good. The best option in preventing kitty from shredding your most prized possessions is to provide her with her own cat scratching post. Cats prefer scratching on rough surfaces, so picking a post made of wood is the best option. Also, make sure the post is tall enough so that your cat can stretch to her full height. Lastly, make sure the cat scratching posts are stable and cannot easily be tipped over.