Scientists studied 1,200 cats to determine why they scratch up furniture and how to stop it

Fri, 07/05/2024 - 16:10

child in bed holding cat — Scientists find that children can stress cats out so much that they're more likely to scratch up furniture, as a result.
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Scientists got an unprecedented look into house cats' daily lives by studying over 1,200 cats.
They discovered that cats tend to scratch more often and more intensely when they're stressed.
Particularly, children in the home seem to cause high levels of stress that lead to scratching.

Scratching holes and snags in your furniture is a natural behavior for cats. Dr. Andrea Sanchez, a veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital, previously told Business Insider that cats scratch to communicate, stretch and condition their claws, and claim possessions.