November 17th, 2011
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So you just bought a great scratching post, but if you don’t put it in an appealing location it will probably just become a dust collector. Find a spot your cat likes — which isn’t necessarily where you would put it.
Look at where and when your cat likes to scratch. If she does it when she gets up from a nap, place the post near her bed. If she likes scratching near her litter box, that’s the perfect location. It’s important that it be convenient for kitty when she has gets the urge. Scratching posts are not the most beautiful addition to your decor, but if you keep yours hidden away, your cat may forget it’s there and head straight for your sofa. Spend time observing her patterns and you’ll find the perfect spot for her scratching post. Pam Johnson-Bennett, CABC, is a certified cat behavior consultant and author of seven best-selling books. Her website is www.catbehaviorassociates.com |
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and doesn’t stop. She starts meowing and then cuts it off xD
I had to put our scratch post/tree right beside my arm chair so my elderly could jump into the sleeping tray. Looks pretty unsightly but I have the happiest kitties.
I wanted to mention something too…anyone buying a new tree with lots of hanging things on it, make sure they aren’t fastened on with beaded chains with their own joiners like a key chain. Twice my cats have gotten their nails caught in the joiner which caused a lot of pain & upset getting them free. My 10 week old kitten got caught so badly it caused bleeding. I now remove them & fasten them on with strips of leather.
Thank you, Ginger, for the tip! The feather sticks that have bells by the feathers can catch a cat’s claw badly in the wire that holds the bell.
My favorite scratching post is the Turbo Scratcher. It can be taken apart and cleaned if need be, and the cardboard circles inside can be replaced. Every cat needs one!! The ball provides added enticement, you can sprinkle catnip in the cardboard middle–plus you can put it under a chair with enough clearance or under an end table. I have not seen a cat yet that will not respond to it! (No, this was not a paid advertisement. Just my own experience and enthusiasm!)
When I had to move into a new mobile home (my old one caught fire from lightning), I got a nice carpeted scratching post for the bedroom and a carboard one for the livingroom. I also bought a rattan type chair made of wood of course. The cats really like the legs and arms of my chair best but that’s okay. It keeps them from scratching the wood trim in my new house and the chair now has a lovely “lived in” look about it. That’s okay. The chair can be replaced someday but their love and devotion are irreplacable.
Total agreement with Sue on the Turbo Scratcher…a great 2-in-1 toy…cat scratcher and solo-play cat toy.
Another handy “scratching” option is the sample size carpet square. We have one (carpet side up) that is just around the corner from our laundry room…Britches, our Siamese has her nighttime bed set up in there…when she comes out in the morning the first thing she does is stretch and pull her claws on that carpet square.
The back-side of carpet samples make excellent scratching surfaces for cats as well…and again, inexpensive!