# Kneading vs clawing?



## amy22 (Jul 5, 2013)

My cat often likes to work her claws, but its hard to tell when she is "kneading" in pleasure or clawing because she needs something to scratch. 
Sometimes I'm pretty sure she's kneading because the claws aren't out, but the rest of the time its trickier (she purrs anythime I'm around)
She loves my furniture and shows no interest in the scratching post I bought her - I'd like to try to coax her into sharpening her claws on the scratching post but I don't think i can do anything about the kneading. 

Is there an easy easy way to tell when she needs to scratch so i can break out the scratcher and try to coax her to use it?


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## PumpkinPot (Jun 5, 2013)

Clawing the claws are fully extended and will dig into whatever they are on. Kneading only the tips of claws are extended and might leave a few nicks but won't do near the damage clawing does.


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## Jakiepoo (Jan 5, 2013)

No way I know of to stop kneading, just like there is no way to stop clawing of course, but there is a way to deter clawing to more human friendly objects!

A lot of cats are different when they go to claw something, but the difference is usually pretty obvious. Kneading is working their paws on something (imagine little kittens massaging their mothers belly for milk, because that's where the kneading action comes from) most anything other than that is clawing, at least from my experience.

The best way to get a cat to use their scratcher is to rub some cat nip on it, and to put it next to the places they usually go to scratch, so they have an alternative right there. Make sure it's a material they like (if they enjoy scratching carpet, get a scratching post with carpet on it ect.) and constantly deter them from scratching surfaces you don't want them too. I'd generally pick my cat up and place him next to his scratcher every time I saw him go for the furniture.


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## tezster (Jun 4, 2013)

The most effective method of deterring clawing of furniture is to place a scratching pad right next to the piece of furniture the cat is clawing (or as close as possible). The more scratching posts and pads are around, the better. I live in a small, apartment-style townhouse, and between my cat condo and cat perch, there are a total of 5 scratching posts. I also have 3 cardboard scratching pads placed in strategic locations around the house. They all get used frequently


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## Cats in the Cradle (Jun 28, 2013)

I have a cat who religiously kneads us when she's settling for sleep and especially loves our faces but sticks her claws out pretty far... She doesn't seem to realise that claws hurt. She seems genuinely surprised and slighted when we recoil. I wish she'd understand that claws equal pain because we only offend her when we try to redirect the claws towards something less... skin and flesh. 

I think she does it so compulsively because she was an orphaned kitten and never got experience a cat mother's love and the inevitable snipping of the apron strings so she's forever trapped in a state of arrested development. She's clingy to the point of being neurotic. On the plus side, I'm never wanting for cuddles around her.


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

Stephano is always kneading on our lap or chest, and those little claws get us, and you will hear us going "ouch, ouch, ouch", but he is so sweet, we usually make sure we put a blanket underneath us, we don't want to give him a complex, yelling at him


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