Ragdoll Cats

Your Ragdoll cat scratches for a variety of reasons. Cats scratch to maintain their claws, stretch, create marks for other cats, or just for the fun of it. For this reason you should invest in one or mort scratching posts to deter your Ragdoll cat from destroying your furniture. Your Ragdoll does not scratch to sharpen claws; they scratch to remove the outer surface of the claw exposing new nail. Much in the same way snakes scrape against rocks to shed their skins your Ragdoll cat will scratch and drag their claws to remove the outer part of the nail. Cats will dig their nails into a soft surface and pull their paw back to remove the outer husk. This action exposes fresh new claws. You may find these outer shells stuck in your furniture or on the scratching post. You will also see your Ragdoll chewing at their claws to remove the outer husk of the nail.

In addition to marking with scent, scratching posts are used as message boards for other cats. Cats often utilize scratching to mark their territory. Your Ragdoll cat has glands in the pads of their paws that leave scent behind while scratching. It is a good idea to position a scratching post near to where you Ragdoll cat naps. One of the first things your cat does after waking is scratch. If the post isn’t nearby at the time you may find your Ragdoll sinking their claws into your favorite chair or couch.

Cats often scratch out of boredom or frustration. Your Ragdoll might take their frustration out on your stereo speakers or a new piece of furniture. Sometimes cats do this for attention, other times they are just having fun being destructive. It is important to train your cat not to scratch at your furniture. If your cat is being destructive to gain attention be careful not to provide the wrong kind of attention for this negative behavior; it doesn’t do any good to yell at a cat as this may only serve to reinforce the behavior.