Question about cat scratching

[Massacure]

I was adopted by a cat about a month back and I'm having some difficulty with scratching. I have a couple of a scratching posts that she ignores, but she really doesn't seem to be a scratcher... until I brush her. She enjoys being brushed, usually flopping to one side, stretching out and sinking her claws into whatever her paws happen to touch first... carpet, the couch, a wall. Is there a way to train her not to do that?

[Bayard]

1. Trim her claws

Or put some of those little rubber tips on them.

[Massacure]

2. Yeah, trimming is something I'm working on.

I've made headway on that front; she usually resists but sometimes she'll let me handle a paw long enough to to trim a nail or two. I make sure to give her lots of praise when she does let me.

[spooky3]

4. Sometimes it takes two pairs of hands - is there a good friend who could help

you gently trim her nails?

There are also "kicker" toys that some cats like to grab and kick, that may help reduce her scratching when you brush her.

[spin]

8. You might try taking her to a vet. ...

My vet's office will trim a cat's nails for free without an appointment. I have a hard time trimming my cat's nails but for some reason she gives the people at the vet's office no problems at all.

[rampartc]

3. she will scratch, but try sprinkling a little catnip on the scratching post

[Kajun Gal]

5. It's not scratching. She's nursing. Means she's a happy cat. It's what they do.

She is loved and knows it! Wouldn't change a thing!

[TomSlick]

7. I think Kajun Gal is right.

Cats "knead" when they are really content. Does she do the same thing when you are petting her?

[TexasBushwhacker]

6. There are all kinds of scratching "furniture"

Carpeted, rope. Mine cats like the stuff made out if corrugated cardboard. They shred it and make a mess, but they like it and it's cheap.

https://www.chewy.com/catit-scratcher-catnip-narrow/dp/49885

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

9. You can also put aluminum foil where you don't want her to scratch.

It is incredibly effective.

Some years back I had a wallpaper that was sort of a perfect scratching post for cats (alas, I cannot recall the correct name) and of course my cats thought it was the perfect scratching post. I finally taped up some aluminum foil and they stopped immediately. I left the foil up for a few weeks, then took it down. They did NOT resume scratching the walls.

Other than that, do put catnip on the place you want her to scratch. Unless you have one of the minority of cats who don't respond to catnip, in which case put up lots and lots of aluminum foil.

As a side note, one of my cats was a real druggy. She somehow conveyed to me when she wanted catnip, and she wanted it NOW!. It was somewhat hilarious, but of course, like any dutiful cat mom, I always gave in. Another of my cats was a mean drunk. If she got into the catnip she got a bit mean and aggressive to the other cats. Really, my cats were wonderful and I'm glad they were in my life, but their idiosyncrasies were notable.

[yellowdogintexas]

10. Get your cat a log, as in from a tree with rough bark

Seriously.

We had a tree cut down and decided to put a piece of one of the large branches in our fireplace to make it look like a fireplace since we don't use it. (for several years it was home to my daughter's aquarium) Anyway, the cats loved this log. We moved it for the aforementioned aquarium and put it on the floor under a table. Fast forward 10+ years and the log is still here, the cats still love it and it has many more years of pleasure to give.

One of our cats could not walk past it without jumping on it and clawing the bejeesus out of it.

It was from an oak tree and had a very rough bark. I've given several to friends; our large beautiful oak tree needs a trim evern so often so we acquire new ones every so often.

Oh and cats knead aka make biscuits. They just do it especially when they are very content. Usually accompanied by intense purring. It is one of their many unique charms.