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All breeds of delightful feline friends are adored for the memories and treasurable companionship they gift their humans. But this could come with unwanted damage to caregivers’ upholstery and décor.
People who own or are considering Himalayan cats know that they are gentle creatures, which means they would not knowingly try to damage your property. So, do Himalayan cats scratch furniture?
Yes, Himalayan cats can scratch furniture. Himalayan cats may scratch furniture if they are not trained from a young age, do not have scratching posts, or are anxious or bored. This breed is mild-tempered, and identifying the cause of scratching is vital for finding a solution.
While dealing with destruction in the home is undoubtedly exasperating for any cat owner, it’s imperative to understand that scratching is a natural and necessary part of feline well-being, as it promotes health in various ways.
Cat Product Note: I will talk about and recommend some cat products in this article, which will hopefully provide your cat with a more enriching life. These are Amazon affiliate links, so I receive a commission from Amazon, with no added cost to you. These are my honest recommendations, so if you are interested in checking them out, please click below!
- This cat stroller on Amazon I recommend for Himalayan Cats since it can go pretty much anywhere you need it to while being versatile (Affiliate Link): Click Here.
- This is the cat backpack on Amazon I recommend for Himalayan Cats since it has excellent airflow and will give your cat a great view (Affiliate Link): Click Here.
- The cat condo/cat tree on Amazon that I recommend for Himalayan Cats – I own this for my cat, and she loves it! (Affiliate Link): Click Here
- The cat bed on Amazon that I recommend for Himalayan cats – Has a place for the cat to sleep inside of it and on top of it (Affiliate Link) – Click Here.
Stick around to find out why a Himalayan cat may scratch furniture and how to go about establishing a constructive environment for you and your adorable companion!
Do Himalayan Cats Scratch Furniture? Are They Destructive?
The Himalayan is quite docile and passive in the way they behave, as they are gentle and calm with sudden spurts of energy or activity instead of being destructive. However, they still have the innate urge to scratch for various reasons, much like every cat breed would, and they may scratch furniture as a result.
Himalayan cats are polite in the way they seek attention from caregivers, communicate their thoughts and feelings, and approach loved ones instead of causing chaos for attention.
Is This Breed of Cat Known to Scratch Furniture?
This breed is not known to be overly destructive but may scratch furniture if they feel that the material is suitable. It is essential to be attentive to this to identify any reasons as to why they may be scratching objects and surfaces throughout the home.
Allowing your cat on furniture in the first place is a decision that cat owners need to make for themselves. We talk more about this in our article: Click Here.
How Do I Stop My Cat from Scratching the Couch?
It’s not recommended to physically stop the cat from scratching or conduct strict punishments when they do, as this may cause the barring of a healthy activity that is healthy for cats and cause bitterness, fear, or anxiety towards owners or towards scratching as a whole.
Caregivers should instead opt for subtle means so that the cat begins to understand consequences when they scratch. There are passive approaches which may be beneficial for discouraging your cat from scratching the couch, and the sofa can be temporarily altered to make it unpleasant for scratching.
This can be done through the special tape, non-toxic sprays or odor repellents, alarms, and casing the area with unfavorable materials. Owners can also stack plastic cups or plates set to tumble over if the zone is interfered with.
To get your Himalayan cat to stop scratching the furniture, scratching the furniture, you will also want to place scratching posts nearby.
I have a cat condo / cat tree next to my couch, and my cat scratches on the scratch posts on the cat condo all the time – which is precisely where I want her to scratch. To make sure she realized that I wanted her attention on the scratch posts, I sprayed them pretty well with catnip spray. If you aren’t aware, catnip spray is a great way to let a cat know that anything it is sprayed on is for her.
We talk more about if cats will scratch faux leather furniture, particularly in our article on the subject: Click Here.
Why Do Cats Scratch Walls?
There are numerous reasons why cats are innately inclined to scratch certain materials, and it’s a healthy part of their overall care, as scratching shortens, sharpens, and conditions the claws. The act of scratching walls increases extending and movement due to greater heights, resulting in a full-body stretch.
Cats may also scratch out of anxiety, boredom, mark territory, or establish dominance, which is common if there have been fluctuations in routine or the introduction of a new pet. Fortunately, the Himalayan cat is friendly and adjusts to new routines well, thus scratching out of anxiety or territorial behavior is less likely with this breed.
Why Are Scratching Posts Good For Cats?
Scratching posts allow felines to condition their claws at will, in addition to providing freedom of scratching for situations that cause the urge. Posts also allow for full-body stretching and exertion as they are tall yet sturdy. Some scratching posts have rigid woven material for resilience, and some are fitted slackly with woven fabrics that enable visible gashes.
Which variant would best depend on your cat’s preference, as some felines enjoy satisfying the tactile sense, while others pursue a graphic demonstration of their scratching.
Posts need to be systematically positioned around the home to be most effective, and many cats favor posts that have corners for scratching multiple sides simultaneously. Spraying pheromones or catnip spray (my recommendation) on the scratching post will attract your cat to the area, which is useful during training and discourages other surfaces’ scratching.
My opinion is that scratching posts are wonderful. I have found that my cat uses scratching posts with sisal fiber (which are also conveniently the type found on many cat condos / cat trees) and that she doesn’t care for scratching posts made out of other materials. I’ll include some photos to show you what I am talking about.
Cat Condos / Cat Trees are fantastic and not just because of the scratching posts. To learn more about if cats like cat condos: Click Here.
Himalayan Cat Behavior Issues
The Himalayan cat is friendly and relatively well-behaved in general, topped with a reasonably timid activity level and sporadic outbursts of energy. While they are relaxed, they are still playful and enjoy interactive play with toys and activities.
Jumping on Furniture
This breed is not prone to jumping on furniture and climbing drapery but appreciates soft spots and plush quiescent areas. They may jump onto furniture to lounge or curl up next to caregivers.
Jumping on Counters
Himalayan cats are generally considered gentle creatures, but all cats will jump on things if they desire being on top of it – this includes furniture. Cats may jump onto furniture to curl up next to caregivers, as they enjoy draping themselves over armchairs to recline.
Scratching
The Himalayan cat is not territorial and does well with changes in routine. Thus they are less likely to scratch out of anxiety or dominance. The common cause is the attainment of basic claw care and natural urges, and training from a young age is beneficial.
Are Himalayan Cats Aggressive? Do Himalayan Cats Bite?
This breed is not aggressive and gets along well with people, children, and other pets. Unless they have been provoked, biting may be a sign of more severe and abnormal behavior or even health issues. If you are concerned, you should visit your veterinarian.
Can Himalayan Cats Be Left Alone?
The Himalayan generally does fine when left alone unless there are specific causes as to why they may be nervous or fearful on their own.
Will they destroy anything while an owner is away? Will they have separation anxiety?
This breed is usually content when alone but will undoubtedly long for the arrival of their owner. Investing in toys or another cat may assist in keeping them distracted while owners are away.
If you do adopt another cat, I recommend a Domestic Shorthair cat like my cat, Charlotte. There are almost always plenty of Domestic Shorthair cats ready for adoption and they make sweet pets.
We discuss what happens when you leave cats alone and miss their owners in our article: Click Here.
How to Make a Himalayan Cat Happy?
This breed appreciates tranquil and serene areas, as they enjoy quieter surroundings. However, the playful, loving are not overly fussy, and they get along reasonably well with others.
What Can We Do to Make This Cat Breed Happy?
The Himalayan will benefit from play, moderate affection, and relaxation. Toys and activities will increase the quality of life, and caregivers should stimulate exercise.
Affection with Your Himalayan Cat
While the Himalayan isn’t clingy, they are lap cats and enjoy stretching out next to caregivers. They are also fun-loving and thrive off of interactive play.
Places to Rest and Hide
This breed loves cozy areas, and it’s imperative to ensure that the Himalayan has a comfortable area to rest and lounge.
Cat Condos / Cat Trees: These provide ample space for cats to recline, sleep, and wander. Many cat condos or trees come with built-in scratching posts and dangling toys like knotted ropes for supplementary entertainment.
- The cat condo/cat tree on Amazon that I recommend for Himalayan Cats – I own this for my cat, and she loves it! (Affiliate Link): Click Here
Cat beds: Cat beds provide cats with their special plush place to sleep in. They are designed to suit the numerous sprawling positions and the overall form of cats for optimal comfort and are created with fabrics that are durable and more impervious to scratching, which allows them to knead at will without harm to their beds.
- The cat bed on Amazon that I recommend for Himalayan cats – It has a place for the cat to sleep inside of it and on top of it (Affiliate Link) – Click Here.
Taking a Himalayan Cat Outside
There are many advantages to taking this breed outside, as they will benefit from physical exercise and outdoor exposure. Also, scratching prospects can be found outside, including healthy trees and stumps which are popular scratching options for outdoor cats.
The Himalayan is quite mellow with a low level of physical activity and will need encouragement for exercise.
Taking them outside acts as entertainment for your feline friend, and they will appreciate spending time with their loved ones. This also contributes to resolving some intangible causes for excessive scratching, such as the supposed lack of attention from caregivers or boredom.
Cat Harness and Leashes: Cat harnesses and leashes are undoubtedly the most beneficial in terms of permitting physical activity, quality exercise, exploration, as well as overall freedom of movement. This will allow your cat to engage with the outside world within the boundaries dictated by caregivers and ensure that your Himalayan gets the amount of exercise necessary for staying in good shape.
Cat Backpacks: Cat backpacks offer the opportunity for witnessing outdoor life without engaging in physical activity or being exposed to exterior conditions. This may be a suitable choice for this calm and timid breed, as they may appreciate simply being a part of their human’s daily adventures and enjoy the freedom to lounge while outdoors.
- This is the cat backpack on Amazon I recommend for Himalayan Cats since it has excellent airflow and will give your cat a great view (Affiliate Link): Click Here.
Cat Strollers: Cat strollers permit cats to experience the outside world without engaging in physical activity. This would reward your cat with more freedom and entertainment, as they are not entirely cooped up. The Himalayan may appreciate having some more flexibility to observe the environment with the space to lounge throughout.
- This cat stroller on Amazon I recommend for Himalayan Cats since it can go pretty much anywhere you need it to while being versatile (Affiliate Link): Click Here.
Conclusion
The Himalayan is rather tame and is not prone to jumping or climbing. For this breed, scratching will commonly come down to primal instinct, as well as routine claw care.
It’s crucial to ensure that your feline has appropriate amenities to scratch at within its boundaries. Training from a young age will be most beneficial for providing non-destructive behavior throughout its life.
If you enjoyed this article, check out a couple of other similar articles, such as:
- Do Siberian Cats Scratch Furniture? (Most Useful Research): Click Here.
- Do Munchkin Cats Scratch Furniture? (Massive Analysis Now): Click Here.
