Managing Cat Scratching - Scratch
Posts
When
you decided to have Kitty live in your house, you took on the responsibility
for her well being and happiness. Part of that is providing her with things
of her own, things that will help her express her natural needs and instincts.
This is particularly important with an indoor cat. So you need some new furniture— for Kitty! And that means— a
scratch post or posts.
There are times when cat scratching appears to be destructive and deliberate.
The most common problem is furniture scratching. It can be greatly relieved
with scratch posts.
A cat will most often prefer a scratch post to your couch. The post looks
like a tree which is more natural for the cat. There are many types of
scratching posts at many prices.
- You should have a post for each cat in your house because of the cat's
need to mark and claim territory. The cats will work it out among themselves
who uses which post.
Even if you have one cat, you may need to have several posts in different
places— especially if Kitty is a particularly intense furniture scratcher.
The object is to provide Kitty with an alternative that she will prefer.
IMPORTANT: The scratching post must have a wide
base, to prevent tipping, and be as tall or taller (from nose to rump-
not shoulder height) than the cat who will use it! Far too many cat posts
are short and these are only good for kittens or very little cats. Cats
need to stretch when scratching-- a tall post ensures this can happen.
- DO NOT rub catnip or other substances in the post to encourage use!
While this may SEEM to work, you want the cat to use the post by
natural instinct, not because it wants a treat or some entertainment. The "substance" trick
will backfire. When the cat wants whatever you rubbed into the post, it will
scratch it (as communication) and when it just wants to scratch, it will
go for the furniture.
Outsmart Your Cat:
Cats are notoriously curious. When you come home with something, to the
cat, it means that you have hunted something and brought it back to the
nest for all to enjoy. Use this thinking to your advantage!
When you come home with the scratch post, make a big fuss about it. Sit
on the floor (if you can) with it and look it over, scratch at it yourself,
examine it and so on. This will excite kitty's curiosity-- which is essential.
Let kitty get involved and sniff and smell the post. If she starts to
scratch right away, Reward by saying praising words such as "Yes,
that's right! What a smart kitty you are!" Don't pet her-- you
might scare her with the hand motion. The words will do fine. Cats may not
understand the content of words, but they do understand the meaning. They
are extremely intelligent and you must treat them as such.
Placement:
Believe it or not, this is important. Put the post in a place accessible
to the cat, near some furniture that the cat has been scratching. The
cat will quickly learn that the post, so accessible, is the preferred
scratching item.
Types of Scratch Posts:
There
are basically three types of scratch posts, and some posts use combinations
of materials. There is also the combination "scratch post and cat
gym"— products that give cats hiding places and perches
as well as posts to scratch. Your budget and particular needs will influence
your decision on style, by your CAT will determine which type you must
buy. And this can be a case of trial-and-error. Unfortunately, once you
buy a post, you usually can't return it. So be prepared for some expense
in the discovery process. However, Kitty's happiness (and your furniture)
should make it worth the effort.
NO MATTER WHAT experts say is the best type of
scratching post, only your CAT will decide what post she will like and
enjoy! You may have to experiment.
- Sisal Scratch Posts - covered with a tough rope-like fiber
with hairy strands. It has a rough surface. Some cats have very sensitive
paws, and the sisal type post is unpleasant to use. Others find the
texture quite delightful and use this type of post avidly! Sisal is
a durable material and sisal scratch posts are usually strong if properly
constructed. Check in the store-- wiggle and lean on the post to make
sure it is tight.
- Carpet Scratch Posts - most common and found even in grocery
stores. It has a soft surface. Some people mistakenly believe
that using a carpet scratch post will encourage the cat to scratch the
carpet as well. Cats aren't that stupid. They know the difference.
Carpet posts wear out eventually as Kitty tears the fibers away, and you'll
probably be cleaning up the residue on some carpet scratch posts because
of the type of carpet used. If you have a carpet scratch post that needs
to be replaced, get one of the same or nearly the same color. Kitty doesn't
like changes, and a replacement of a new color will confuse her! Some cats
love this type of post and really go after it! Check for stability and construction
in the store by wiggling and leaning on the post. Some of these posts have
to be assembled when you get home. Usually, a screwdriver is all you need.
However, you then must ensure you have made a tight and strong assembly.
The assembly time is a great way to get Kitty's interest, so take advantage
of the situation to encourage Kitty to use the post by making it seem very
important!
- Cardboard Scratch Posts - These aren't really posts. They
are cardboard boxes filled with exposed corrugations used to
make heavy duty cardboard boxes. They usually sit on the floor and the
cat can scratch without leaning up. If the post is not secured
in some way on the floor, it may slide as Kitty uses it. This may be
entertaining for both you and the cat, or it may frustrate her.
You should observe and decide accordingly. Some come with a type of hanger
for a doorknob. Many cats find cardboard and the glues used in making it
very attractive and like to scratch it. Some will also chew it. Obviously,
the cardboard material will wear out more than sisal or carpet, but these
types of posts are about 1 to 2 inches thick, so you should get plenty of "scratch value".
- Natural Wood (usually for the do-it-yourselfer). A tree limb
or log that has a base applied (usually with glue and screws) and
often has bark on it. This is very natural but it could contain insects or
mold/algae/moss (which you may not see, but which may be harmful for your
cat) so BE CAREFUL if you go with this type of scratch post! Not all indoor
cats will "get it" with this approach. It's completely
natural, of course, but sometimes, Kitty will not find the natural
way appealing.
True
Story: Clyde Big Paws always used a simple carpet scratch post that I
got at a discount store. He really tore into it and was quite content.
When Gertrude and Eddie came to live, I got them a new carpeted scratch
post and a sisal scratch post. Gertrude prefers the carpeted post while
Eddie loves the sisal one.
They both used to scratch the big chair in the
living room, even though they had a scratch post on the far side of the
room. When I moved the post next to the chair, the chair scratching stopped
and the post scratching started. They don't bother with the chair anymore!
You can see it in the picture. Note how I slipped one corner of the base
under the chair for added stability.
You don't have to spend a fortune or buy the most "stylish"
scratch post. Kitty doesn't care, she just needs something "tree-like"
to scratch. THERE IS NO "TRUE" SCRATCH POST. Every cat
is different and has preferences. Try different ones and stick with what
your CAT likes!
About
the Article Author:
Tim
Thompson, author of this article, has been living with cats for many years.
As a student of behavioral statistics, he has learned the importance of observation
to understanding behaviors in humans and animals. He has served as a member
of the Board of a local rescue shelter and worked with their foster care givers for 8 years. On the home front, he is the human companion of Gertrude
and Eddie, two tiger tabbies who are constantly teaching Tim new things about
living with cats.
