Doggie Daycare Learn More... Country Tails Doggie Daycare - The perfect way to spend the day and play! Socialization and exercise is so important for your dog's well being. We have a certified dog trainer and caring staff to help give your dog  exercise and the social lessons they need.  We have an indoor/outdoor facility with constant supervision. Click here for more information. -Hide- Dog & Puppy Training Learn More... Learn about training and dog behaviour and become the Alpha in your family. New classes starting September 2009.  Click here for more information. -Hide- New Pudgy Pet Program Learn More... Is your pet overweight?  Any extra weight on your pet can affect their health.  We understand it can be very difficult to get your pet to lose weight so why not join this free program? We will work one on one with you and your pet's individual needs.  Achieving a healthy weight can add several quality years to your dog or cat's life. Contact us today! -Hide-	Download PDF File Why do cats scratch? Scratching is a normal feline behavior. Although scratching does serve to shorten and condition the claws, other important reasons why cats scratch are to mark their territory (both visibly and with the scent of the foot pads) and to stretch. Some cats may increase their territorial marking (e.g. scratching, urine marking) in situations of anxiety or conflict. Cats may also threaten or play with a swipe of their paws. For cats that live primarily outdoors, scratching is seldom a problem for the owners. Scratching is usually directed at prominent objects such as tree trunks or fence posts. Play swatting with other cats seldom leads to injuries because cats have a fairly thick skin and coat for protection. When play does get a little rough, most cats are pretty good at sorting things out between themselves. Occasionally, rough play or territorial fighting does lead to injuries or abscesses that would require veterinary attention. Cats that live primarily or exclusively indoors may run into disfavor with their owners when they begin to scratch furniture, walls, or doors, or when they use their claws to climb up, or hang from the drapes. Claws can also cause injuries to people when the cats are overly playful or don’t like a particular type of handling or restraint. With a good understanding of cat behavior and a little bit of effort, it should be possible to prevent or avoid most clawing problems, even for those cats that live exclusively indoors. Cats that go outdoors may be content to scratch when outside, and leave the walls and furniture intact when indoors. Cats that spend most of their time indoors, however, will usually require an area for indoor scratching, climbing, and play. How can I stop my cat from scratching? It is impractical and unfair to expect cats to stop scratching entirely. Cats that go outside may be content to do all their scratching outdoors, but the urge may still arise when the cat comes back indoors. Cats that spend most of their time indoors will of course, need outlets for their scratching and marking behaviors so don t be surprised if you come home to objects strewn all over the floor, scratches on your furniture, and your cat playfully climbing or dangling from your drapes. While it may not be possible to stop a cat from scratching, it should be possible to direct the scratching, climbing and play to appropriate areas indoors. Building or designing a user friendly scratching post, providing a regular daily routine of social play, object play and exercise, and keeping the cat away from potential problem areas will usually be adequate to deal with most scratching problems. Further details on providing an enriched indoor environment and encouraging appropriate play are discussed in separate handouts.