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Why does my cat scratch my blanket?

If your cat has been scratching your blanket a lot, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about them.

So, why does my cat scratch my blanket? Likely reasons why your cat scratches your blanket are that they are showing pleasure, your cat is sharpening its paws or that your dog simply enjoys doing it.

There are a number of possible reasons why your cat scratches your blanket and it might be due to a combination of them. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.

Why does my cat scratch my blanket?

Below are likely reasons why your cat scratches your blanket and what would make them more likely.

Your cat is showing pleasure

The cause could be that your cat is showing pleasure. This would be more likely if your cat pats its paws up and down on the blanket and it is kneading which is something that cats tend to do when they are happy. It would also be more likely if your cat tends to do it when it is sitting with you and it purrs at the same time.

Your cat simply enjoys scratching your blanket

It might also be the case that your cat simply likes the feeling of scratching your blanket. This would be more likely if your cat seems to have been doing it at random times.

Your cat is sharpening its claws

Cats’ claws are growing all the time. The old parts of the claws become dull over time and are usually worn away when the cat scratches at hard or rough surfaces. The reason why your cat scratches the blanket could be that your cat is trying to maintain its claws.

Your cat needs to poop

Sometimes cats will start scratching when they need to poop and it might be the case that your cat has been doing it because it needs to poop. This would be more likely if your cat does it more when it does not have access to a litter box or when there are problems with the litter box.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.

If your cat has always scratched your blanket

If your cat has not always scratched at your blanket, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started doing it. If your cat started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as no longer being able to scratch other things such as a scratch post.

The timing of when your cat scratches your blanket

It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that your cat tends to scratch your blankets. For example, if your cat tends to do it more when it is sitting with you and it actually pats its paws up and down, it would be more likely that your cat is kneading and showing pleasure.

What to do about my cat scratching my blanket?

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Give your cat other things to scratch

The first option would be to give your cat other things that you do not mind your cat scratching such as a scratch post and to encourage your cat to scratch that instead.

Distract your cat

Another option would be to try to distract your cat when it seems likely to start scratching blankets by giving it toys or something else to scratch.

Hide your blankets

Another option would be to keep your blankets out of its reach when you are not using them such as by leaving them in a cupboard.