Curious Cat Behaviors Explained

Scratch That

No, your cat isn’t trying to ruin your new couch on purpose. There are a few reasons why your feline feels the need to scratch your couch to pieces.

Cats will scratch objects to sharpen their claws. A cat is both a predator and prey and so it must keep its nails ready to defend itself or to catch dinner. It’s also a way for cats to mark their territory — not only are scratch marks visual cues that the area is taken, but the act of scratching also releases pheromones embedded in a cat’s paws. Scratching objects also helps to remove dirt and skin cells to keep their nails and paws clean.