What Does It Mean When Cats Dig Their Claws Into the Carpet?

When your adorable cat digs her claws into your prized teal blue living room carpet, she's not trying to annoy or upset you -- she's simply being a feline. Scratching is a normal and innate kitty behavior, whether done as a means of sending a message or out of tedium.

  1. Claw Maintenance

    • By digging her claws into your carpet, your pet may just be engaging in a little routine upkeep of them. Just like you trim your nails, your cat needs to maintain hers too. In claw digging, your cat gets rid of their dead surface coverings -- and as a result reveals sharper and healthier ones. Older fragments of claws can be physically uncomfortable to cats, as well.

    Claiming Turf

    • Cats are not unfamiliar to territorial and protective behaviors in any way, especially if they share a roof with other pets. If your cat digs her claws into your carpet, she may be trying to send a message -- both through visible and scent hints -- that by being in that specific spot, another individual is boldly encroaching on her specific territory. Remember, cats possess scent glands in their paws. She's basically saying, "Go away. This is my spot." You may notice this type of scratching behavior reaching a fever pitch if you just adopted a brand new pet, as cats can be very competitive despite their cute and unassuming appearances.

    Stretching

    • Exercise is key to a happy and content feline, and stretching is a vital component of it. A cat digging her claws into the carpet may simply be stretching out her body -- nothing much more complicated than that. Kitty needs her physical fitness.

    Play

    • Cats sometimes scratch when they're feeling lighthearted and playful. If your cat scratches your carpet, it may just mean that she's feeling bored and wants to have a little fun. Remember, scratching things feels calming and pleasant to cats.

    Expression

    • A cat digging her claws into the carpet can also be expressing some big and overwhelming emotions. If she's feeling particularly stressed out, nervous or scared, she may scratch the carpet, among other things. This also applies to other types of "roller coaster" emotions -- think giddiness, for example. If your cat is very happy about something, scratching may just be her first reaction.

    Scratching Post

    • If your cat seems to have a penchant for digging her claws into things that feel like carpet, you're in luck. Scratching posts come in a variety of different textures and types, from wood to cardboard. If you place a carpet scratching post near your pet's favorite carpet spot, she may just be inspired to change her clawing target. Remember, where scratching posts are concerned, "more is more" not "less is more." Diversity is imperative too. Although your cat may enjoy carpet textures, she also may like wood and other kinds too.

    Caution

    • By digging her claws into carpet, your cat runs the risk of getting them caught -- not good. Try to prevent this from happening not only by investing in some handy scratching posts, but by also frequently trimming your pet's nails.