Isn’t it nice to have a clean, well-maintained home to enjoy at the end of a long day? LOL, as the kids say these days! As cat guardians, do we ever have a truly clean home anymore? Fur balls abound, at least in my house, and I always seem to find whiskers and shed claws dropped in rather inconvenient places around our house.
Our cat also happens to be excellent at destroying our furniture. You may also see these unwelcome signs of destruction, courtesy of your own feline friend. Let’s explore the question we have all asked from time to time: why is my cat destroying my home?
Shredding the Furniture
If your cat is shredding the furniture with his sharp claws, there could be a couple of reasons for this. Most likely, he is not actually trying to make you mad by ruining your favorite easy chair. No, he is most likely just obeying his natural instincts to scratch on things. This behavior, according to Cornell University’s Vet Department, has a benefit for him: he is leaving his scent on whatever he’s scratching. Plus, any visible scratch marks will warn predators or other cats who happen by (however unlikely) that he is the one in charge in this particular home.
Chewing on Fabric
While it may be pretty common for our feline friends to scratch up our sofas and easy chairs, it’s less common for them to chew on fabric. Cornell’s Vet Department notes though that some cats do chew or suck on fabric items like clothing if they’re looking for a bit of comfort. It appears to be more common in some breeds than others, but regardless of the breed, it can be a health hazard. Fabric usually has fuzzies that are not a good idea for your cat to swallow.
Gnawing on Greenery
I can’t have plants in my home because my cat eats them. I once brought in a sprig of Lily of the Valley and my cat drank the water out of the shallow dish I put it in. This led to a frantic online search where I found out lilies can be toxic to cats and a major case of cat guardian guilt and paranoia set in. (He was totally fine, thankfully.) Cats just seem to be attracted to anything green and growing, so houseplants are usually a cat casualty. They might destroy your plants just for a little extra green in their diets or they might simply be curious. Either way, your plants may end up getting destroyed.
It’s Part of the Cat Life
These destructive behaviors frustrate us as humans, but they are generally stemming from our cats’ instinctive behaviors to investigate, play, be curious or find comfort. In short, sometimes it’s all just part of being a cat guardian. You can help your kitty find alternatives to your favorite chair when it comes to scratching and you can remove the temptation to chew on your favorite sweater by actually folding it and putting it away (more work, I know). You can also eliminate or be super selective about the house plants you have inside, like I do.
It’s all part of keeping the harmony with our cats. Making a few small changes is worth it to keep your cat healthier and prevent him from destroying your home!
Did you learn anything new and interesting about our feline friends? Share this article with other cat lovers that you know so that they can learn something, too.
