You’re relaxing, spending some quality time with your favorite cat. She silently disappears from view (like cats do). Then, you hear a sound...Scratch! Wait, was that the couch? Uh oh! You’d better get that kitty a cat scratching post!
Cats are determined to scratch, and they will scratch whatever meets their fancy if left to their own devices. In fact, scratching is a natural instinct that keeps cats’ claws in tip-top shape as well as marks territory, so you might as well go with the flow and provide a scratching post made just for cats. Further, giving your kitty an appropriate scratching post is much preferred over the harsh solution of declawing. Read below for answers to common questions about buying a scratching post, a detailed buying guide, and suggestions for specific cat scratching posts.
While your cat stretches around the post, its broad foundation keeps it from swaying. Available in a neutral colour with a compact structure, you can set it in any area of your home, and it will blend into your decor.
This sturdy post comprises unpainted MDF wood and is thirty-two inches in height, allowing your cat to stretch vertically. It contains a fibrous and long-lasting woven sisal pillar encasement, naturally encouraging scratching. Because of its vertical build, you won’t have to worry about the structure toppling over, and the pillar is solid and robust.
Because the base is light, fasten it with weights or tucked beneath furniture to maintain a solid balance. This scratching post is best compatible with kittens, adult cats have more weight, and the post may topple over.
This sturdy post comes with a comfortable plush grey base and an integrated dangling ball for more fun and interest. It has a sisal braiding that allows kittens to maintain claws while scratching and is approximately eighteen inches in height. The scratching post is simple to assemble: screw the post into the base, and your cat will have a secure area to stretch and scratch.
The scratching post is suitable for all cats as the construction is sturdy. Assembly time is fast, and the process is easy: screw the scratching post onto the base.
This cat tree is comfortable for cats to play with and rest. It has a plush covering around the base, and the scratching post comes pre-wrapped with sisal material. The base measures twenty by twenty centimetres, and the post is sixty-two centimetres in height. It comes in two neutral colours: beige and grey, which will blend into most home theme decor.
The post’s components connect with screws for sturdiness and rigidity, and installation is simple. The package contains all the tools needed for assembly.
The design is perfect for all medium-sized cats, from kittens to adults, because the base measures thirty by thirty centimetres, and the scratching pillar extends to forty centimetres. The base tower comprises durable chipboard upholstered in comfortable plush. This scratching pillar has a strong cardboard tube encased in sisal, making it secure and stable with minimal tilting or wobbling.
The post is easy to install, and the parts attach with screws for stability and firmness. As a bonus feature, it comes with a hanging play-ball.
The base measures thirty-nine centimetres long by thirty-nine centimetres in width, and it has a height of seventy-eight centimetres. The scratching post is detachable, offering the option of a tall or short scratching post to better suit the dimensions of your cat. It uses a glued sisal base to cover both post pieces, and the base and pillar caps comprise plush fabric.
There’s something about buying new items for your pets that just feels so good, doesn’t it? You’re excited because you know your cat will love a new toy or scratching post that’s all their own. Choosing the best cat scratching post can be not quite as easy as you might have hoped. There are so many types and brands to choose from. To help you narrow down your choices, here are some key features to consider when selecting a new cat scratching post:
A: Some cats like to scratch down at their level, and for these cats, a horizontal or low-level scratcher doesn’t need much height. However, many cats like to scratch vertically, and they reach upward, extending their front paws up into a nice, feel-good stretch. For these vertical scratchers (which most cats are), a scratching post that’s at least 30 inches tall is best. Ideally, up to 32 or 33 inches is tall enough for any cat, even the big ones.
A: Cats like the resistance of a rough material for scratching, maybe because the friction created as they pull their claws over it is effective at removing the outer, dead parts of the claws. Top choices in materials for cat scratching posts include natural sisal or jute in either a tightly wound rope or a woven form, cardboard (which is replaceable) and the old standby of carpet. Sisal is a tough, durable natural fiber from a plant that many cats take to intuitively.
A: Yes! There’s always hope! The Humane Society has a few suggestions about getting your cat accustomed to using a scratching post. First, it’s important that you place the scratching post in a good place. Somewhere that you’re both frequently in, like the main living space, is ideal. Next, you should play with your cat near and with the scratching post. You can sprinkle catnip on the post, and press it into the length of the post. You can also play with toys at the post, making the scratching post part of the play. These things will help your cat to know that the post is a safe, good place. Finally, you can even model the behavior by scratching it a little bit yourself, so your cat gets the idea. Hopefully, these techniques will get your kitty scratching where they should in no time.
