“Save the couches” is Ceva Animal Health’s rallying cry for a new product formulated to move feline scratching behavior away from furniture and curtains to where it belongs: the scratching post.
The Lenexa, Kansas, company is counting on drug-free, pheromone-based Feliscratch by Feliway to ultimately reduce the numbers of felines that frustrated owners put up for adoption or choose to have declawed.
“Feliscratch … will compel cats to scratch where the product is applied instead of their favorite place to scratch, which often happens to be their owner’s favorite chair or couch,” said Ceva veterinary services specialist Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, DACVB.
Containing a territory-marking scent, the liquid formulation should be applied to a scratching post for seven consecutive days and then once at the start of weeks three and four.
According to Ceva, clinical studies found that more than 80 percent of cats started to use their scratching posts within the first week of application.
The American Association of Feline Practitioners takes a hard line on declawing cats, saying in a position statement that it “strongly opposes” onychectomy as an elective procedure.
“Scratching is a normal feline behavior,” said AAFP’s CEO, Heather O’Steen. “It is veterinarian’s obligation to provide cat caregivers with education on normal scratching behaviors and options for cats to exhibit appropriate scratching behavior in the home.”
The Ceva website www.savethecouches.com promotes Feliscratch as a declawing alternative and outlines numerous reasons why onychectomy should be avoided.
“Declawing is an extreme measure to address normal behavior in cats,” Dr. Tynes said.