Your cat may scratch your furniture, rugs and carpets, much to your dismay. Scratching allows your cat to remove the old, worn nails and expose new, sharp ones. Your cat also scratches to mark her territory, which is now your home. This releases scent from glands in her feet and leaves a visual marker too. Thus you may never keep your cat from scratching entirely. Put scratching posts and mats where your cat scratches inappropriately. Cover these inappropriate places with aluminum strips or double-sided tape since this will feel weird to your cat and deter her from scratching. Redirect her to the scratching posts and mats. Praise your cat if she uses the appropriate surfaces on her own. However, never punish her if she relapses. Just redirect her once again. Use patience and kindness as your cat learns what is expected of her. Contact your Wake Forest, NC vet to learn more.