Why Cats Scratch Tings
In has long been assumed that when cats scratch objects with their front paws（爪子）that they are sharpening their claws. It turns out that this is only a secondary reason. Research on cat behavior suggests that the major reason for this behavior is communication. By scratching up the bark of a tree (or the leg of your favorite chair) the cat is letting other cats or people know where she is and what she is up to.
Cats tend to pick a small number of noticeable objects in their environments to scratch such as trees, fence posts repeatedly. This is why the tree next door looks so scratched up. The scratched surface leaves a highly visible mark that can be easily seen by other cats. In addition, cats have special glands （腺）in their paws so that when they make scratching movements they leave scent（气味）that the cats can smell. The fact that cats leave scent marks by making scratching movements may be the reason that cats will continue to scratch objects even after they have been declawed. Declawed cats may still be leaving scent marks on objects they scratch.We don’t know exactly what cats are communicating with their scratching. Both males and females do it. It is done inside and outside the home and even by cats living with no other cats around. It could be a defensive warning or just a marker that announces its existence.Cats don’t scratch up your furniture to bother you or just to be destructive, but for specific reasons, one of which is communicating. Cats also scratch to extend their bodies, during play, and possibly as a greeting or to relieve dissatisfaction when prevented from doing other things they want to do.
Scratching can result in considerable damage, owner dissatisfaction. It is easier to prevent problem scratching rather than trying to change your cat’s preference for the arm of your sofa after it has become a built up habit. Thus, the goal is to establish acceptable scratching habits by getting your cat to prefer a scratching post rather than the arm of your sofa.