Printed by: Ingrid King. Final Up to date on: November 10, 2023 by Crystal Uys
Scratching posts are one of the crucial vital items of cat furnishings, and each cat family ought to have no less than one in each room. Along with offering a pure outlet in your cat’s must scratch, they’ll additionally stop a wide range of behavioral issues.
The 7 Issues to Contemplate When Choosing a Scratching Put up For Your Cat
1. Scratching is a pure conduct
Cats scratch for a lot of causes: to groom their claws, to mark territory with the scent glands positioned on their entrance paws, and to train the muscle mass of their entrance legs and all alongside the again.
2. Shield your furnishings
Whereas some cat guardians have accepted that dwelling with cats can imply scratched furnishings, it doesn’t need to be this manner. By offering loads of engaging cat publish choices to cats, you may enable your cat to train her pure instincts with out sacrificing your dwelling house.
3. Vertical vs. horizontal scratchers
Some cats favor to scratch vertically, others horizontally, and a few wish to alternate between the 2 strategies. Till you realize your cat’s desire, it’s vital to supply each vertical and horizontal scratchers.
4. Measurement issues
No matter orientation, ensure that scratchers are massive sufficient so your cat can absolutely prolong her entrance legs whereas she scratches. Cats are inclined to forego utilizing scratchers which can be too small.
5. Materials
Cat posts are available in a wide range of supplies, starting from corrugated cardboard to carpeted posts to sisal to wooden. Most cats appear to favor sisal to another floor. Present a number of completely different choices till you realize what your cat prefers.
A phrase of warning about carpeted scratchers: in case your cat is a horizontal scratcher, providing a carpeted scratcher might result in her additionally scratching your carpet. Your cat won’t perceive why it’s okay to scratch the carpet on her publish, however not the carpet in your flooring.
6. Make the cat publish interesting to your cat
Place scratching posts in areas the place your cat likes to spend time. Should you’re making an attempt to discourage your cat from scratching a specific piece of furnishings, place a scratching publish proper subsequent to it. As soon as your cat begins utilizing the publish, you may regularly transfer it additional away. Sprinkle cat nip on a brand new cat publish to draw your cat to it, or put treats on or close to it. Reward your cat when she makes use of the publish.
7. Assume twice earlier than changing outdated scratching posts
As soon as your cat makes use of a cat publish, suppose twice earlier than changing it when it turns into worn. A tattered cat publish might not look engaging to you, however to your cat, it would really feel “good.”
You will discover our favourite scratching posts and scratchers in our Product Information.
This text was first printed on Solutions.com and is republished with permission.
Featured Picture Credit score: 5 Second Studio, Shutterstock
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