Raising kittens comes with lots of amazing experiences, and you can’t help but fall in love with these little felines as they grow stage by stage into adulthood. I mean, what is it not to admire about them. Is it their joyful, friendly, or playful character, not to even talk of their cuteness? These little felines, over the years, have surely made their way into the hearts of many house owners that people can’t even think of raising any other animal as a pet.
However, as lovely as kittens are, raising them could be challenging. Not only that they require constant attention from their owners, but they can also do some bad things with their nails. They scratch anything that triggers their curiosity, especially the furniture and skins of their owners. This is why people always want to know, “can a kitten ruin furniture?” You will find answers in this article. Keep reading!
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Will kittens ruin furniture?
Yes, kittens ruin furniture. The age of your cat does not matters, whether kitten or adult. If not properly trained, they will scratch your furniture. This is because scratching is more of a habit that comes naturally to them. For instance, when they are on the furniture, and they want to stretch, they grip the fabric with their claws which could leave scratches on them. To them, that is just normal behavior. If you find this revelation worrisome, quit worrying because you will learn what you can do to prevent them from scratching your furniture later in this article. Read on!
Are kittens destructive?
Yes, kittens can be destructive. Many pet owners undervalue the importance of constant exercise and putting their kittens through mental stimulation activities. These two things will put them in a better position to understand whatever training you are trying to pass on to them in the future. Failure to do so could lead to anxiety, boredom, and inappropriate behavior. And when this persists for a long time, then your kitten may start to exhibit destructive behaviors. Some of the destructive behaviors common to kittens include; munching on anything, excessive licking and grooming, destroying items, spraying around the house, and scratching furniture.
Do kittens ruin things?
Yes, kittens ruin things. There are various ways kittens can ruin things in the house, but the most common is scratching furniture and Spraying on carpets or cushions instead of litter boxes. If a necessary step is not taken, you may risk ruining your furniture, door, carpets, bed, pillowcase, and some expensive items in your home.
Do kittens claw furniture?
Yes, kittens claw furniture. Instinctively, cats claw at things to sharpen their nails. In the wild, their claws are their greatest defense against their adversaries; hence, they know the importance of having them sharpened all the time. Wild cats use tree barks to sharpen their claws, and domesticated cats don’t have access to this; hence they claw on any object to exhibit this innate habit of theirs.
Cats begin to scratch right from their 8 weeks, and therefore, it is mandatory to train them on how to exhibit this habit less destructively right from a young age. Furthermore, one of the best ways is to provide them with scratching posts or stands. This will prevent some of your household items from the impending dangers of their claws.
How do I stop kittens from tearing up my furniture?
Make use of scent deterrent
One good way to keep them away from tearing your furniture is by making going near them uncomfortable for them. This can only be carried out by spraying repellant spray on that specific furniture your kitten likes to scratch. You can get deterrent sprays at any pet store close to you.
Get a scratching post
A scratching post will provide immediate satisfaction to your kitten’s natural urge to scratch. Therefore, getting one or two will surely help to prevent them from tearing up furniture in the future. Although it is one thing to have one or several of these posts, it is another thing to strategically place them. When placing the scratching post, make sure it is as close as possible to the furniture that suffers the most scratching from your cat. If it is too far, your little feline may abandon them for your furniture.
Trim their nails
Another proven way you can stop your kittens from tearing your furniture is by keeping their nails short. Although you may find it difficult to carry out as your kitten will protest this by all means necessary. So it is left to you what trick you can use to calm your kitten through the process. In order to do this, you can ask someone to feed the kitten with its favorite treat with frequent patting while you clip the nails of your little companion.
At what age do kittens calm down?
Kittens start to calm down when they reach 9 to 10 months old. At this stage, kittens start to show more personality rather than enthusiasm. Although the age may vary from cat to cat depending on the environment, they are being groomed.
Why do kittens go under furniture?
Your kitten is stressed
Stress can cause your little friend to go under furniture because they just want to be alone until they can get over whatever may have caused the stress. The stress may have happened as a result of fear or illness. Let your kitten have a moment for a while before you approach them for a pet.
There are unfamiliar faces in the house
Cats and dogs may be household pets, but both react differently to situations. When dogs see a stranger, they bark to alert you of the intruder. Cats wouldn’t do that; instead, they prefer to hide away from the unfamiliar face by taking cover under anything that can shield them from being seen by the stranger. Your furniture will make a perfect cover for them, and that may be the reason they went under it.
Changes in their environment
Sometimes your kittens go under your furniture not because they saw a strange person but because they perceive something different from their environment. This may be an unusual noise in their environment, or that brings in a new pet, or you change the interior decor of your room, or you moved. These new changes may cause your kitten to hide under the furniture to have a better understanding of what is going on.