Sean Carroll
Ah, cats. We love our fluffy feline overlords, despite the occasional hairball and their penchant for scratching the furniture to sharpen their claws. While the latter is a perfectly natural feline behavior, overly aggressive scratching is usually considered a behavioral problem. Vets frown on taking extreme measures like declawing or euthanizing such “problem” cats. But there are alternative, scientifically-backed strategies to reduce or redirect scratching behavior, say the authors of one study. New paper The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Medicine.
According to co-author Yasemin Sargiri Demirbas, a veterinary researcher at Ankara University in Turkey, this latest study builds on her group’s previous work investigating the effects of synthetic cat-face pheromones on unwanted scratching behavior in cats. “From the beginning, our research team agreed that it was essential to investigate broader factors that may exacerbate this problem, such as stress and factors that influence cat scratching behavior,” she told Ars. “What’s new in this study is its focus on the individual, environmental, and social dynamics that influence levels of scratching behavior. This perspective aims to improve our understanding of how human and animal welfare are interconnected in different scenarios.”
The study looked at the behaviour of 1,211 cats and collected data from an online questionnaire filled out by cat owners. The first section collected information about the owners, while the second asked questions about the cat’s daily routine, social interactions, environment, behaviour and temperament. The third and final section gathered information about the frequency and intensity of the cat’s unwanted scratching behaviour, based on a useful “scratching index”.
The team concluded that several factors influence cat scratching behavior, including environmental factors, an abundance of certain types of play, and increased nighttime activity. But stress appears to be the main driver. “Cats may scratch more to relieve stress or mark their territory, especially if they feel threatened or anxious,” Demurivas said. And the study found that the biggest cause of such stress was having small children in the home.
