Love it or hate it (or have very valid concerns about it), AI and AI powered chatbots are becoming a regular part of many of our lives. It may be in the form of a very useful tool to help you take notes or the familiar chat bot, ChatGPT. Back when ChatGPT first was released, I tested it to see how it did giving advice on cat behavior. If you want to see what the OG ChatGPT suggested, you can read the original results and my analysis. The current model was recently updated so it’s time to retest old Chatty to see if you can really trust it to help you with your cat.
How I Tested ChatGPT’s Advice
For this test, I wanted to keep it close to what I did originally. I’m using a slightly easier to fix behavior concern that the average user seeking advice about their cat’s behavior may ask ChatGPT about. To test it, I removed my own instructions for personalization so it’s closer to what someone else may get should they put a similar prompt to the one I use.
In my original test, I asked it about stopping cats from scratching furniture so we’re sticking with that. Litter box usage problems, intercat conflict, and aggressive behaviors are much more complicated to resolve so I want to give it a fair shot with something easy.
Because ChatGPT has notoriously been prompting people to keep asking questions, I also want to evaluate its ability to give me more specific advice and follow up with personal recommendations like what I do for clients. This tests, to some degree, how well it can offer a more specific behavior plan for people whose cats have more severe behavior concerns or multiple behavior problems.
Results
I used the prompt “How do I stop my cat from scratching my furniture?” to get started. I am fairly confident that my personalization was turned off because I instruct it to not use emojis.
ChatGPT’s First Response
Here are the most effective, evidence-based strategies to stop your cat from scratching furniture — without making them stressed or fearful:
🧠 Understand Why They Scratch
Cats scratch to:
- Mark territory (both visually and with scent glands in their paws)
- Stretch and exercise
- Shed old claw sheaths
You can’t stop the instinct — but you can redirect it.
🪵 1. Provide Irresistible Alternatives
Your cat needs appropriate things to scratch. Try:
- Multiple scratching posts in key areas, especially near places they already scratch.
- Variety of textures: sisal rope, corrugated cardboard, carpet, or wood.
- Sturdy design: posts that don’t wobble or tip over (cats avoid unstable ones).
- Different orientations: at least one vertical post and one horizontal surface.
💡 Pro tip: Rub catnip, silvervine, or Feliway® Feliscratch (discontinued, but similar products exist) on the post to attract them.
🚫 2. Make Furniture Less Appealing
While you redirect them:
- Cover favorite scratching spots with double-sided tape (like Sticky Paws®)
- Use furniture scratch guards, plastic protectors, or throw blankets temporarily
- Try a citrus-scented spray (cats dislike it) or a Feliway® diffuser to reduce territorial stress
🏆 3. Reward Good Choices
Every time your cat uses the post:
- Praise them warmly or give a treat
- Use a clicker or soft marker word like “good”
- Consistency is key — reward immediately after scratching the right spot
Never yell or punish — it can make them anxious and scratch more for comfort or attention.
🪶 4. Keep Their Claws Healthy
- Trim nails every 2–3 weeks
- Consider soft nail caps (Soft Paws®) if trimming isn’t enough or if you have expensive furniture
- Provide regular play sessions — a tired cat is less likely to seek stimulation through scratching
🏠 5. Manage Stress or Territory Issues
If your cat scratches near doors, windows, or after seeing outdoor cats, it could be territorial marking.
- Use Feliway® Classic diffusers in those areas
- Block outside view or provide a higher perch to make them feel secure
Would you like to tell me where or what kind of furniture your cat is scratching (e.g., couch corners, leather, etc.)? I can tailor exact solutions (like best post placement and texture) to that situation?
A Second Test
At the end, it asked me if I wanted more information so it gave me the opportunity to test if it actually built upon the first response. I told it it was the corner of my couch. Here is its response:
Perfect — that’s one of the most common spots cats pick because it’s vertical, high-traffic, and holds their scent well. Here’s how to tackle it specifically:
🪵 1. Put the Scratching Post Right at the Couch Corner
Cats often scratch to mark territory near where people and cats gather, so don’t hide the post in a corner of the room.
- Place a tall, sturdy vertical post (at least 32″ high) right next to or slightly in front of the couch corner they scratch.
- Ideal materials: sisal rope or sisal fabric — cats love the resistance and texture.
- Bonus: angle it a bit or use a corner-shaped scratcher that wraps around the couch edge.
🧩 Once they’re using the post regularly, you can gradually move it a foot or two away from the furniture over time.
🚫 2. Make the Couch Corner Unpleasant (Temporarily)
While they learn the new habit:
- Cover the scratched area with Sticky Paws® tape, plastic corner guards, or a throw blanket.
- You can also tape aluminum foil or a piece of cardboard over it short-term.
- Cats dislike unstable or tacky surfaces and will naturally turn to the better scratching post nearby.
🏆 3. Encourage the Right Behavior
- Rub catnip or silvervine on the post daily at first.
- When your cat scratches it, praise them or offer a treat right away.
- If they go for the couch, gently interrupt with a clap or “ah-ah,” then immediately guide them to the post.
✂️ 4. Maintenance & Prevention
- Trim claws every 2–3 weeks.
- Keep at least one post per room your cat hangs out in.
- If you have a leather or fabric couch, a sisal-fabric post often feels like a perfect alternative to your cat.
Would you like to tell me what kind of material your couch is (leather, fabric, microfiber, etc.)?
I can recommend a specific post texture and product type that tends to work best as a substitute for that.
Professional Assessment
Compared to when I first tried this experiment, ChatGPT did improve! It’s not suggesting a spray bottle and suggests focusing on encouraging wanted behaviors for the most part. On a personal note, I’m a big fan of silver vine so I like that it encouraged using that!
That said, it was far from perfect. Let’s look in more depth at what it got right and what it didn’t.
Good Information From The First Response
ChatGPT started out including why cats scratch furniture. While most people are looking for practical information, understanding the why is critical to solving the behavior concern. You won’t get anywhere if you think your cat is scratching your couch because they’re “naughty.”
It included a lot of great advice about picking out a good scratching post (using a sturdy post, picking one that has a material the cat likes, and trying different orientations/one) and I appreciated that it mentioned location as being a factor in destructive scratching. I wish it would have suggested scratchers that have multiple orientations as that covers all angles, but that’s a minor quibble.
I like the suggestion of using furniture scratch guards that allow cats to still scratch as I use them myself. There were a few problems with some suggestions, but overall providing your cat with a scratcher that also protects your furniture? Awesome idea.
Encouraging wanted behaviors is great, though I wish it went into more depth about how to do clicker training as there’s a bit more detail required to get clicker training correct. Silver vine or catnip can also be a great, naturally reinforcing way to get your cat to use a scratcher.
Then there’s play: always a good suggestion! Play can help with most behavior concerns so it’s not going to hurt to play with your cat more.
First Response Problems
While the response included good information, there were a few details it got wrong. A few things I would have skipped:
- I have never recommended using a pheromone based attractant. I am skeptical of pheromone products in general so I don’t love that it suggested this, but it’s better than suggested deterrent sprays. Still, it’s not usually super helpful.
- I don’t encourage the use of deterrents, especially as a first intervention. This usually just results in the cat scratching somewhere else and creating more damage. That said, this is complicated. Deterrents that also act as a scratcher are acceptable because your cat can still scratch in that location. You’re less likely to have your cat scratch elsewhere.
- I’m not opposed to nail caps, but they’re not great for all cats.
- It doesn’t list how to use a clicker to best get your cat scratching.
- The territorial section is a very good thing to consider. However, the answer doesn’t go in depth enough to actually address territory related problems.
- The goal of playing with a cat to prevent scratching is to mentally stimulate them and prevent boredom. Trying to wear a cat out often doesn’t accomplish this goal.
Good Information From The Second Response
The second post is supposed to give more individual information. I like that it did provide more specifics, but the advice wasn’t necessarily individualized to my cat (more on that in a bit).
It still encouraged using silver vine and reinforcing a wanted behavior which is great. The suggestions were still a bit simplistic and seemed to just be the first suggestions rephrased, but there was an emphasis on encouraging wanted behaviors.
The suggestion of at least one post per room is great. One per room isn’t always enough, but it’s a good start.
Corner shaped scratchers are one of my favorite products you can get because they protect part of the couch that cats really seem to love without encouraging them to scratch another part of the couch. They meet the needs of your cat and keep the couch safe!
Second Response Problems
The second response is meant to build upon the first. The explanation is actually pretty good and most of the response is helpful, but again there were a few problems with the suggestions.
- I usually don’t advise putting something right in front of where a cat scratches until you know the cat will use that item. The reason is similar to avoiding deterrents: the cat will just scratch somewhere else.
- Moving the scratcher away from the couch or furniture might work, but it might result in the cat just scratching the furniture again. It’s better to find a scratcher that can stay permanently in that spot.
- Sisal isn’t always a great alternative for leather or fabric. It’s closer to fabric, but getting a scratcher made of a material your cat is scratching may be more effective. A cat scratching leather? Sisal may be a bit too different
- Tin foil… Sigh, must we perpetuate that myth? It doesn’t work as well as claimed and it’s got all sorts of problems. Just skip the deterrents.
- This second response was subtly but noticeably more focused on using deterrents and other methods that don’t work as well. The advice got a bit worse this time!
- I don’t recommend doing anything to startle or scare your cat as this can reinforce the behavior. If your cat wants attention, they may learn to scratch when they want attention. Interestingly, it acknowledged this problem earlier, but seemed to not carry that over for the whole response.
- Guiding your cat to the post implies that you should carry your cat over or put your cat right next to the post, though some people go so far as to put their cat’s paws on a post. None of these will do a ton, especially anything your cat may find uncomfortable. Putting your cat’s paws on a post can make them less likely to use a scratcher because they associate it with an unpleasant experience. If your cat doesn’t like being picked up, it will have the same effect.
- The first response says to never punish a cat, but the second one suggests startling them. It’s not clear if it’s suggesting this as a punishment (which doesn’t do much for stopping scratching) or to interrupt the behavior, but it seems to contradict itself between responses without explaining why one is acceptable and the other isn’t.
Should You Trust ChatGPT To Help With Your Cat?
So is ChatGPT going to solve all of your cat’s behavior problems? It might help as a starting point, but it was far from perfect. There were a lot of sound suggestions, but there were also suggestions that are unnecessary, potentially could backfire, or were outdated. It can be hard to evaluate what’s trustworthy if you don’t have a solid baseline knowledge of cat behavior and up to date knowledge of recent scientific studies on the topic.
Outdated Advice
As someone who creates a lot of written and video content on cat behavior with the goal of helping people with their cats, going back to update outdated advice is part of the process. I absolutely have changed what I advise people to do since I first started (I am a bit ashamed to admit I told clients to feed their cats near each other during introductions. Hopefully now I’m making up for it!), but that requires constantly keeping up with new information as it becomes available.
ChatGPT’s training dataset may not include up to date info (though there are ways it can access recent information) and even the most recent model may be using data from a few years prior. If we learn something new, it means the advice it gives may not change or be incorporated into the response you get.
Advice Is General
Lastly, but potentially the most important problem, is that the model doesn’t have the same capacity to analyze and think critically as a person would. Once again, when I am creating educational content for my blog, I have to write it about cats in general. There will always be cats that do strange things or that like things other cats don’t like. They may seem to “break the rules” of being a cat. ChatGPT may not be as great at helping people in these situations compared to a person.
It Doesn’t Ask Enough Information
While ChatGPT could provide you with more individualized information, one thing I noticed as a professional is the information it asked for more information about: the couch and object being scratched. It didn’t ask about the cat’s breed, age, learning history, day to day life, or any other information I ask of all clients. This additional informations is a crucial part of figuring out how to solve a behavior problem.
Even the second response asked about the material of the couch and if I wanted product recommendations. It didn’t try to do an in depth, holistic assessment of the behavior.
If you are looking for advice with your cat and decide to ask Chatty, ChatGPT should be considered a starting point. You shouldn’t rely on it to solve more complex situations involving your cat. Confirm any information it gives you with a reliable source in case it’s totally made up or not the best way to go. And if you want individual advice? You’re better off working with a professional who can do a better job thinking critically about your situation.
