While Congress retains its inherent contempt authority and may exercise it at any time, this inherent contempt process was last used by the Senate in 1934, in a Senate investigation of airlines and the U.S. Postmaster.
To make a scared cat feel more comfortable, set up a covered cave for them to retreat to. Line it with soft bedding and partially cover the entrance so that the cat will feel safely obscured inside. In the same vein of thought, you can purchase a cat tower for the cat to lie on top of.
If your cat is clawing away at your patience and leaving the edges of your furniture in tatters, your best strategy is to follow the 3 D's: Deter, Displace, and Dull. DETER scratching with unpleasant tape and sprays. First, you need to make the areas you don't want your cat to scratch less inviting.