Tag Archives: scratching

DOES your cat scratch the furniture or wood outside? Scratching is a complex behaviour which has multiple uses. Many people believe that the cats are sharpening their claws but they are actually getting rid of the outer nails to reveal the new sharp nail underneath. Cats ‘shed’ rather than sharpen their nails. This is also the cat’s way of exercising and strengthening the paws and sheaths that keep the nails covered and in prime condition. They are marking territory, too, using both the chemical signals from scent and sweat glands on the paws and also a visual signal displaying the scratch marks. Unfortunately, this can also happen indoors on the furniture and some walls. Does your cat spray urine? This is a deliberate attempt by the cat to mark territory by standing against a vertical surface and raising its tail to spray urine at nose height as a clear signal to other cats. Cats may do this indoors, as a …

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