But there’s more to scratching than gating in the spinal cord. Deep brain structures stimulated by touch send signals back ...

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I’ve owned cats my entire adult life, and my furniture bears the proof: Every cat I’ve ever owned has left shredded couch corners, pulled loops on my headboard and ruined door mats in their wake. No ...

Scratching is a natural response to irritation, but when it becomes a persistent habit, it may signal deeper psychological issues. While many dismiss frequent scratching as merely annoying, research ...

Scratching is a natural and instinctive response to the sensation of itching. It plays a key role in many skin conditions and injuries, such as dermatitis and insect bites, where chronic itching can ...

Cats scratch to stay physically and emotionally healthy. Choose one of these cat-tested and pet-parent-approved cat scratching posts to keep felines happy (and your furniture safe). Our editors and ...

Ah, cats. We love our furry feline overlords despite the occasional hairball and their propensity to scratch the furniture to sharpen their claws. The latter is perfectly natural kitty behavior, but ...

In the first study to use imaging technology to see what goes on in the brain when we scratch, researchers have uncovered new clues about why scratching may be so relieving -- and why it can be hard ...

Why does scratching an itch only make it worse? As it turns out, a brain-signaling chemical released in response to scratching has some unintended effects, scientists say. Scratching an itch provides ...

That irresistible relief from scratching an itchy rash comes from the mild pain it causes, which distracts the brain from the itch. This slight discomfort prompts the brain to release serotonin, often ...

It feels like a biological blooper: A persistent itch is made worse by scratching, the one thing that provides instantaneous relief. Evolutionary biologists have proposed that the relationship between ...

Have you ever begged your cat to stop scratching the sofa? If that sounds familiar, Costco’s latest cat find might be exactly ...