Cat Ripped Up Carpet in Apartment (What now? + Tips)
Once you have noticed your cat has ripped up your carpet you may be looking for a way to repair it, then prevent it happing again (Click here for the best solution, on Amazon).
How can I repair my ripped up carpet?
To repair your carpet you will need a piece of paper to draw an outline template of the damaged area. Make the damaged area fit into a square because it will make it easier to replace. Use this template to measure a replacement piece of remnant carpet. Then cut out and replace it.
3 Best ways to prevent your cat from ripping up your carpet
Description | Image | My Rating |
01. PetFusion Cat Scratcher (Best Option) Click here for the price on Amazon |
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02. Feliway Cat Pheromone Diffuser Click here for the price on Amazon |
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03. 4 Paws Stuff Scratching Post Click here for the price on Amazon |
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Regarding the repair, If you don’t have any remnant carpet, visit your local carpet store and get a close match.
So, now you know how you can repair your ripped up carpet. But, how can I prevent this happening again? Why is your cat doing this? Should you discipline her for it? Keep reading to get these answers, and so much more.
How can I prevent my cat from ripping up my carpet?
Once you have repaired your carpets you may be looking for ways to prevent your cat from doing this over and over again, right?
The best way to prevent your cat from ripping up your carpet is to use one of the following methods:
- Cat scratcher (Best option)
- Pheromone diffuser
- Replace the carpet
Use a cat scratcher (Best Option)
A cat-scratcher is a great way to prevent your cat from scratching your carpet. Often your cat is looking for a suitable surface to groom & sharpen her claws. And, if there is not one available she will use your carpet instead. That is why a cat scratcher is a good way to stop it happening in the future (Click here to check the availability, on Amazon).
Pheromone diffuser
A pheromone diffuser (Click here to see why I rate this one, on Amazon) is a good option to control the behavior of your cat. They’re great for aggressive cats (Click here to see which of these 3 are best for them) or cats that are typically misbehaving. In this context, it may add assistance.
Replace the carpet
Another more drastic option is to replace the carpet with another surface. Such as vinyl. However, this is not always desirable for the cat owner and can be a massive hassle to switch considering there are other suitable alternatives.
So, now you know a few options to prevent your cat from scratching your carpet in the future.
Why has my cat started scratching the carpet?
If you have noticed that your cat has started to scratch your carpets all of a sudden you may be looking for reasons as to why this has happened, right?
Your cat has just started scratching your carpet for one of a few reasons: Territory marking, stretching herself, or an attempt to sharpen her claws. Marking territory is quite common, especially with neutered male cats. Stretching, again, is also quite common. If your cat has no other alternatives she will sharpen her claws on your carpet.
So, now you know a few reasons why your cat might have started scratching your carpet.
Should you physically discipline your cat for ripping your carpet?

Should you physically discipline your cat for ripping your carpet?
If your cat has destroyed your carpet you may be tempted to get physical and move her away or position her next to the damage to try and discipline her. But, is this the way forward?
It is not a good idea to physically discipline your cat for ripping up your carpet. This is because cats find it hard to associate your “discipline” with the problem. This will usually end up with a confused cat that will either retaliate with anger or become scared of you.
To avoid this the best practice is to stay calm and reward your cat with a treat for her achievements (Click here to see the ones I prefer, on Amazon) rather than using negative reinforcement.
So, now you know that you should not use physical discipline for your cat ripping up your carpet
Do cats know when you’re mad at them?
While you are frustrated with your cat destroying your carpet you may be wondering if they know when you’re mad, right?
According to this site, cats have been proven to understand facial expressions. A study concluded that cats read facial expressions well. This was tested by using the same human behaviors for two groups of subjects. One group used a smile, while the others used a frown. And, it concluded that the cats could read the facial expressions.
So now you know cats do you know when you’re mad, but, they may not understand why you are mad, hence the reason physical discipline is not recommended.
Should you shout at your cat for damaging your carpet?
But now you have learned that you shouldn’t physically discipline your cats but what about shouting at your cat is that any better?
It is not a good idea to shout to your cat for damaging your carpet. cats May notice the change of the volume in your voice but they will not understand the words that you are saying. So this is more likely to confuse your cat and will not get you the results that you were hoping for.
And now that you know that you should not shout you account for that I’m itching your carpet for
Will trimming your cat’s claws help your carpet?
You may be wondering if it’s a good idea to trim your cat’s claws (Click here to see why I prefer these, on Amazon). And, if doing so will help you prevent your cat from damaging your carpet. right?
Trimming your cat’s claws will help it keep your carpet from being damaged. This is because the cat’s nails are known to snag on carpets if they have not been well-maintained. as their nails grow long they become bent. This makes it hard to retract them properly. This then causes your carpet to get snagged.
So, now you know that trimming your cat’s nails can help to stop your cat damaging the carpet.
Does your carpet choice make a difference?
If you have noticed that your carpet is getting damaged and you are looking at other flooring options to get around it. You may be wondering if your choice of flooring will make any difference.
Your choice of carpet does make a difference. However, each cat has their preference. Meaning there is no way to tell which carpet will work with your cat. The only thing you can do is a test to see how she will respond to it. For example, some cats like deep pile carpet, while others do not enjoy it and won’t tear it.
Also, some cats have preferences in the direction of their scratch, specifically horizontal or vertical. All of these things factor into which carpet they are likely to scratch, are you with me?
So, now you know that your choice of carpet (New carpet smelling? Click here) does make a difference. But, it varies from cat to cat.
You may have heard of stropping before and wondered what exactly it is and how it is related to your carpets, right?
Stropping is another word for cat scratching. Cat’s scratch to remove the surface layer of their nails and sometimes they will dig their nails into your carpet (cat pee in your new home? Click here) to drag their bodyweight for exercise and to strengthen their upper body to improve their hunting efforts.
So now you know what stropping is and why cats do it.
When are cats likely to scratch?
You might be interested to know when your cat is likely to scratch to work out how to catch them.
Cat’s tend to scratch when they first wake up or a method to mark their territory to fend off other rival cats, or animals. They are even known to scratch when they are expressing their excitement. For example, when you return home from a long day out.
So now you know when cats are likely to scratch.
Is your carpet the most appealing surface for your cat?
You might be wondering while scratching your head to understand why your cat has chosen your carpet to scratch, is it that great for them?
Cats do not find your carpet the most appealing surface. In fact, they prefer rough surfaces more. Such as a cat scratcher (Click here to see the price on Amazon), your walls (Click here to see how to stop this), your leather sofa (Click here to see the solution), or even hardwood floors. But, if they have no other options available they will happily scratch your carpet.
Hence the reason why it’s important to offer them a better alternative to save your carpet. So, now you know that cats do not prefer your carpet by in some cases they have no other option.
Why removing her scent can help your carpets
You may have noticed that your cat loves to damage the same spot over and over again. But, is there a way to mitigate this?
Removing your cat’s scent can help to save your carpets. This is because cats tend to form a habit of scratching the same area over and over again. This is linked to the scent that they leave behind on the carpet. Therefore, if you remove this, for example, using some cleaning spray (Click here to see the price on Amazon), it can help your chances of them not coming back to the area to scratch.
So, now you know why removing her scent can help your carpets.