How to Train your Cat to be a Tree Hugger
Last updated August 11th, 2020
When your cat won’t use his scratching post or cat tree you may feel at your wit’s end. But perk up, because cats love learning, especially when the learning involves something that they were born to do. There are ways to turn your indifferent cat into a tree hugger.
I am a bit of a tree hugger. I cannot see a world without trees. I have pleasant memories of my childhood climbing our mango and avocado trees with my gangly long limbs trying to maneuver as high as I could. I felt happy and free like I could do anything, perched like a happy cat in a tree.
I admired my cat’s physiology that endowed him with beautifully curved wolverine claws and excellent tree-climbing prowess. I wanted to be like that cat. Except of course, when he got stuck up trees.
Fortunately for our indoor cats, they can scratch (pun intended) that activity off their daily diary:
Today I shall climb to the top of the cat tree and get stuck. Me, never!
Mr. Jack’s diary
Cats are natural tree huggers. Scratching is a ‘cativity’ that is essentially written in a cat’s DNA. It makes them feel confident, happy and is beneficial to a cat’s overall wellbeing. With so many cat trees available for indoor cats there is something to suit every furry tree hugger’s taste as well as every indoor space. But there are some cats that didn’t quite get the memo, and totally ignore their cat tree, preferring the couch instead.
Learning to scratch the tree is fun!
Six years ago Kevin decided to adopt three younger cats. My two older cats were well trained and I was not used to having a bunch of delinquents determined to scratch up our house. So action was needed and I decided to clicker train these juveniles to use their cat tree.
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George the Tree Hugger
When I started the training George was rather indifferent and sat on the far side of the living room, just quietly observing. He watched every move as I rewarded his friends Scout and Mr. Jack with a click and treat as they would do a half-arsed scratch on the tree. After about three minutes of observing the failings and ineptitude of his housemates, he scampered over excitedly and proceeded to hug the tree, looking up at me as if to say:
“I’m surrounded by amateurs! Guys, this is how it’s done!
George the Tree Hugger
I apologize for these somewhat grainy photos taken with an old iPhone and they were captured on that first day I started the training. But it captures the level of interest and expression on George’s face as he took over the clicker training session and owned it. It didn’t even matter that he was hugging rather than scratching. It was just precious to see how engaged George was after figuring it all out. It was amazing to watch how a simple food motivation exercise such as clicker training provided a positive form of confidence-building in a normally shy wallflower cat.
Mr. Jack the Ground Scratcher
In contrast, Mr. Jack’s life goals were less lofty and more grounded. His bad habit was scratching on any horizontal surface such as the area rug or the kitchen seats. He, unlike George, excelled at scratching various kinds of horizontal cardboard scratchers or those covered in carpet. Not that he doesn’t like the cat tree. In fact, after supper, he perches on the very top of the cat tree but prefers to do his main scratching workout on the horizontal scratchers.
In the 2013 video below, skip forward to 1:16 to see George owning his tree and hugging it! This still makes me laugh because he still does it today.
Why is my cat not using his scratching post?
This is one of the most commonly asked questions by new cat owners. They’ve bought a cat tree and the cats are not using it, preferring the furniture instead. Sometimes a slight adjustment in the way the cat tree has been set up is all that is needed. Perhaps you’ve positioned the cat tree in a space that is more appropriate for the humans and not the cats. For instance, you might have placed it at the back of or the periphery of a room, away from a window. Observe your cat’s rituals for clues on how to merge the positioning of the cat tree in line with how your cat or cats are communicating and connecting with their environment. There are many factors that might make the newly bought cat tree unattractive or even unpleasant to the cat.
Location, location, location!
A good idea is to make the cat tree the center of the cats’ living space i.e. the cat’s ‘home base.’ This is a cat’s central territory where they eat, sleep and interact with their fellow cat clan, which includes the humans too! This is a cat’s core ecosystem where they leave little invisible post-it sticky scent notes for each other, through scratching and rubbing on certain household objects. This action is very comforting and reassuring to the cat that he belongs in and owns his territory.
Place the cat tree in the core space where the cats and the humans are going about their daily routines. This would usually be the living room where the humans are relaxed or between adjoining living spaces such as the kitchen or living room. Even the most couch potato of cats enjoy ‘judging’ their humans’ activities from atop the cat tree and being immersed in the buzz of daily life. Avoid putting the cat tree or scratching post in a quiet low-traffic corner. That’s just no fun at all!
Who is on guard?
In a multi-cat home, conflict may arise when one dominant cat is guarding a particular space such as a litter box or the cat tree in the main living area. This cat thinks he owns everything and is unwilling to share. Set up more cat trees in various locations, but not too far away from the prime ‘cativity’ spots.
Is there an escape route?
If the top of the cat tree does not lead to an exit route then your cat might feel like the outdoor cat trapped on top of a tree. Move the cat tree to a location where the cats are able to jump from the cat tree up or down onto a landing, whether it’s on top of the fridge, onto a flight of stairs or a floating shelf.
One of our cat trees is located in the corner of the living room next to our couches, with the top perch leading onto the floating shelves in two directions. The other tree located next to the stairs provides a nice escape route onto either the central bridge or the top of the stairs. Both cat trees are situated in prime real estate and are easily accessible to the cats.
Anti-scratch solutions for furniture
There are many products on the market that will make your furniture unpleasant to your cat. One such product is Sticky Paws which you can apply to furniture to deter your cats from scratching it. Another homemade option is to cut out pieces of aluminum foil and stick it onto the arm of a couch or wherever the forbidden areas are. Cats do not like the sticky feeling on their paws or the feeling of the foil when scratching on these surfaces so they will be forced to look elsewhere.
And where would that be? On the scratching post or cat tree, of course!
And don’t worry, the above solutions are only temporary. Your couch won’t forever look like it’s covered in band-aid or getting new highlights at the salon! Because your cat will soon learn that the scratching post right next to it or the cat tree near the window is much more appealing!
When your cat still insists that his claw art belongs on the leather couch then it’s time to get clever and think like a cat.
Use Positive Reinforcement
If you’re signaling to your cat that the furniture is off-limits, you have to offer an alternative. Place the desired scratching post next to the forbidden surface and give treats as a reward each time your cat uses it.
Make the cat tree a point of interest for your cat
Cats are sometimes like kids and love little surprises. And because they are so receptive to scents and textures, adding something new and interesting to explore around the cat tree that they cannot resist might just turn your couch carver into a tree hugger. Think of the cat tree through the eyes of a cat out in the wild.
Not every cat will be a tree hugger like George. But every cat can be trained to express their normal scratching and marking behaviors in desirable ways. By allowing our cats to own their little nooks and mini-ecosystems both cats and humans can live in harmony with the couch intact.
Below is a video of our Tuxedo boy ‘instructing’ his lazy housemate Charlie, on the best technique to use when scratching a scratching post!
And in case you were wondering, I really am a tree hugger!
Be more like George. Hug a tree today, scratch it and mark your territory kitties! You will gain back your confidence and own your space!
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Dad got us hugging early on and has not had a problem for years. Toby is our horizontal scratcher and uses our various cat furniture in his own way. Thanks for a great article that will help many who have a kitty that is just doing what a cat does.
Timmy Tomcat recently posted…Sunday Selfies: Einstein
Oh thank you! That’s great you got your training early and I hope you have many years of happy tree hugging! You are very lucky kittie 🙂
We are are good tree huggers here too, some that were here before, not so much. Wonderful hugging tips!
Thank you and happy tree hugging to you!
Great info! I like to hug trees too….I’m really good at scratching our big cat tree. Though honestly, just once I’d like to get outside and hug a real tree. ~Ernie
The Island Cats recently posted…Easy E’s Pearly Whites Selfie Sunday
Oh I know, wouldn’t it be nice?! A real tree with real bark, ah well, a kitty can dream.
We are lucky, we can hug our cat trees inside, and our apple tree outside ! Great post ! To us, location is the key : we ignored an amazing cat tree for weeks until Claire and Momo decided to put it in another location. Since then, it’s our favorite ! Purrs
The Swiss Cats recently posted…Journée Mondiale des Vétérinaires
Oh how my kitties would love to hug and apple tree! You sure are two lucky kitties. And nice to know that your humans put the cat tree in your favorite spot!
Good info – all are tree huggers in our house!
Catscue Catmom recently posted…I love my boys
Yay, good to know that! Your tree huggers sure are precious!
Having our cat tree has made all the difference for Bear. He doesn’t use it to scratch (we have a love seat for that) – but it makes me feel good to see him enjoying lording over his domain.
mommakatandherbearcat recently posted…Who knew?
“lording” over his domain, I like that 🙂 It’s the best thing to see how a little vertical space can make a difference for the cats.
Great post and tips, as always! I’d say that Harley is our biggest tree hugger here.
Three Chatty Cats recently posted…America’s Family Pet Expo
Harley certainly looks like he could be a tree hugger! 🙂
I need to try this. I just have tree climbers, and Miranda goes so high I can’t reach her for the leaves!
The Dash Kitten Crew recently posted…How Do I Make SEO Work For My Blog or Rescue?
Mom and I are tree huggers like you and George! Mom and dad like to go on trail walks to see nature and her variety of trees. I like to hug, climb an scratch at my carpet tree. It is in the corner of the kitchen so I can see out a windows to the back and front yards and watch my humans cook or do work at the table. When I want down I jump onto the table. I luv my tree, ’cause I know the doggy won’t run me over when I’m up high; she sometimes gets a lil’ goofy when she plays.
Valentine recently posted…Cherry Blossoms and Fur
I can just imagine you hugging your tree and looking super cute doing so too! Yes, it’s the best place to be when the woofies get a little too enthusiastic MOL
Great Post! I like to hug trees too..
Cats view their world on both the ground level and a higher vertical level, called vertical territory. Your cat loves to tower over you because they know they are the boss and you are the fateful human minion.
cat tree recently posted…Charlie’s Condo Deluxe Cat Tree
Awesome hugging tips! We have some tree huggers in the house as well.
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