 That type of training is much more effective than yelling at your cat or trying to chase them away from the couch or squirting them with water. All methods I do not recommend. But one of the biggest drivers of cat scratches could be you. Professor Demirbash says the way owners play with their cats can be counterproductive. Yeah, if they don't get to catch their prey, all that pent-up energy can turn into claw marks on your sofa.