In an e-mail Robert said, “You say don’t punish your cat. Get serious. How am I supposed to get rid of the cat’s bad behaviors, like scratching the furniture?”
Punishment is generally thought of as rough handling or mistreatment. This is never an appropriate response to what your cat does. There are all kinds of ways to change a cat’s behavior for the better. Your objective is to replace a bad habit with a good habit. Any show of physical anger or meanness will tend to have the opposite effect. What does your cat want from you?
It is necessary for you to ask yourself why your cat is doing what it’s doing. Your cat naturally needs to scratch and, therefore, needs to have something appropriate to scratch. Do you have something available? If you do, is it in a place the cat finds desirable? Cats have preferences just like humans. Is it of a material your cat likes to scratch? Some cats like carpet-covered scatching posts, others like sisal.
In general, when you see your cat doing something you consider to be “bad,” you should say a firm “No.” When the cat stops, immediately (10-second rule) give it a treat and say, “Good (name).” You can use distraction and re-direction as well. But whatever positive approach you use, you need to be sure to show your cat your respect and appreciation for its positive response to you. Cats demand respect, as do humans, from those with whom they interact repeatedly and intimately.
In response to furniture scratching, there are several things you can do. One is you can spray the area being scratched with Feliway, a pheromone that calms cats. Next you should move the piece of furniture away from that location. In its place put a scratching post the cat will like. Cover it with catnip or whatever attracts and appeals to your cat (like “Eau de Mouse”). When your cat scratches the post instead, praise your cat and give it a reward.
Since you probably want to move your piece of furniture back to its original location, slowly move the scratching post to a new, central location, still praising your cat when it continues to use it. After a short time, you will only intermittently praise your cat for its scratching the post. This variable type of reinfocement tends to make the behaviors hold better than constant praise.
Two is you can cover the area of the furniture being scratched with transparent heavy plastic wrap and pin it in place. Then you can put double-sided sticky tape in strips across the surface. Cats don’t like stickiness on their paws. You can also spray the area with Feliway. But again … what is important is to give your cat something to scratch. This procedure also works for door jambs, etc., that have become the cat’s designated “scratchee.”
Changing an unacceptable behavior to an acceptable one requires time, effort, patience, and persistence—not violence—to get the desired result. If you work with your cat, rather than against it, your cat will likely think you are the “cat’s meow,” rather than a mean s.o.b. who deserves a hit-and-run scratch or bite when you’re not looking.