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Almost all cat owners know that cat scratching is just a natural part of cat behavior, but what most cat owners are not ready to deal with the issue of cats scratching up their home. So to prepare, and educate cat owners here are 5 methods to coping with your cats scratching problem:

#1: Negative Reinforcement

Punishment doesn't Work. Cats, like many other animals, do not respond well to negative reinforcement training, also known as punishment. Cats are very independent and if you try to discipline one physically, you are at best going to have an enemy for life and at worst; you are going to have a fight on your hands. Your cat may recognize that they did something wrong, but they will also understand that you are now the enemy that has caused them harm. Instead of physical punishment, try smacking your hands together or making an abrupt noise, any sort of sound that will stop your cat from doing the bad behavior.

#2: Get the Right Kind of Scratching Post

To make a cat stop scratching your stuff you need to give them an alternative. Get them a scratching post. They most favorable to a cat is the ones made of wood and the ones made of carpet. They prefer it to be tall enough to extend their entire bodies to scratch it. So make sure the post is at least 28 inches tall.

#3: Trim Your Cat's Nails

Anyone that's ever owned a cat will likely balk at the idea of trimming a cat's nails, which is quite understandable. Cats don't respond well to restraint and often lash out with tooth and nail to try and escape the situation. Many cat owners simply take their cat to the veterinarian to have their nails trimmed.

#4: Avoid Declawing

People have been declawing their cats for obvious reasons for quite some time, though many vets no longer recommend it. Most don't realize, however, that declawing is not a simple nail trim. In fact, the last digits of your cat's toes are actually removed during the declawing, which can lead to infection and balance problems. Imagine if the last digits on your fingers were removed and you get the idea.

#5: Try Soft Paws ©

Soft Paws © are an invention that has met with surprising success in the fight against cat scratching. These lightweight vinyl caps are placed over your cat's claws, allowing him to scratch without causing damage to your furniture. Soft Paws © are easy to put on and cats don't freak out about them like you might think; they are very unobtrusive. Soft Paws © should only be used on indoor cats, as a cat that goes outside regularly needs full use of all his claws to protect himself from other cats, dogs, and other predators.

Cats scratch because it is instinctual for them to do so. All you have to do is understand that this is why he is scratching and deal with it. Give him an outlet for his instinctual behavior and you will save your furniture.

Have a cat behavior problem that needs solving? If so, visit http://www.secretsofcats.com today to get expert information on how to train your cat and eliminate cat problems quickly.