best scratching posts?

**babolaypo65** · 01-03-2003, 12:05 AM

hi. some of you have been following my now two month journey with clive the homeless cat (he was sick, is doing better!) now, on to the next adventure: scratching. I havent owned a cat in about ten years, and the last one i had came to me declawed (not an option here).

can anyone make suggestions about the most "desirable" scratching materials?
clive tends to do two things:
1: stretch on my finest chair
2: scratch on the loopy carpet in my bedroom

I'm assuming ill need to get both an up right, and horizontal "post", and one that will not fall over. is there a preferred material? brand?....

i dont think i can use soft paws yet, as clive doesn't use a cat box, and doesn't tolerate being inside well yet.

thanks in advance!

**AmberLee** · 01-03-2003, 01:18 AM

Hmmm, yes, scratching posts are desirable, highly desirable. The tricky part is that different cats have different things they like to scratch. My dynamic duo both prefer scratch posts made out of carpet the most, then (distant second) those made out of sissal. I've never seen them use the cardboard ones that hang from doors, although the one in the bathroom 'self-destructed' a month or so ago -- it was 3 years old. It had some use, but I never saw any of them at it.

I have a cat tree with a built in post, some kitty condos, and a couple stand alone posts, and a few that hang from door knobs. How old is Clive? If he's 6 months or older and likes catnip, there is a spray you can use that will make the posts more attractive to him, works pretty well here at least.

Good luck!

Oh, Cassy adores stretching and scratching combined in one. I'm planning on getting a super-size post once my employment situation settles down.

**wayne0214** · 01-03-2003, 05:28 AM

bobalaypo 65, I made a vertical one from an oak log- about 3" in diameter, cut to about 4 ft. in length and screwed to a ply-wood platform. it should be tall enough for the cat to entirely stretch out while scratching with their front paws. You can use most anything for a post, including a 2 X 4 or some other piece of lumber. I am finding that they will scratch on most anything that they can dig their claws into. Also, to keep them from scratching on good furniture or a rug, spray some cologne on it.

.........wayne

**jenluckenbach** · 01-03-2003, 06:19 AM

different cats do like different things. Sisal is very popular with my cats. They also like carpeting. Besides the posts and trees that I have, I buy those small carpet squares and just lay them on the floor. They know that they can use those to scratch on. Outdoor kitties might liks a post of wood or bark covering (not as readily available, but they do make them). I've not tried this yet, but I know someone whos cat likes the kind that is made from layers of corregated cardboard and it sits horizontally on the floor. And then to encourage its use, rub catnip on in.

**smokey the elder** · 01-03-2003, 07:48 AM

I have different types of scratching surfaces. I have a Natural Scratch made of cedar, that Diamond and Smokey like. I have a 4 foot high sisal post that a lot of the cats like. Bosun loves the horizontal cardboard pads, especially spiked with fresh catnip. Tictac likes wood from outdoors.

Fortunately, a lot of these can be made for a lot less than what they cost to buy. Someone on a cat site, I forget where, had a whole LADDER covered in sisal! Ambitious or what?

Good luck!

01-03-2003, 08:24 AM

This is a picture of our 2 scratching posts (Maya & Inka are looking for the "red dot")

This is the best thing for cats ! But of course , it is easier to teach a young cat ...!
Good luck !!!!

**babolaypo65** · 01-03-2003, 09:14 AM

I'm going to get on this task today. so far clive has been very well behaved (for a homeless cat!) about the furniture. he has stretched out on one chair leg a number of times but so far no terrible damage. i covered that with tin foil.

im going to work on a cat post-like-thing today. first will go to the pet store and look at choices and costs, then k-mart for comparison, then knowing me i'll likely build something. thanks for all the advice on that too! i suspect clive will like sisal, and i know he likes carpet, so ill start there!
thanks again!

**emily_the_spoiled** · 01-03-2003, 10:21 AM

Hi, depending on how much you are interested in spending you can get some nice scratching posts on Ebay. For Christmas I bought my two a corner unit completely covered in carpet with four layers for them to crawl into.

I have also put a number of pieces of carpet remnants around the scratching post so I have had almost no trouble with the issue of scratching on furniture (although the Christmas tree is a different matter

)

**babolaypo65** · 01-03-2003, 04:19 PM

ok! and now the experimentation begins! i bought a sisal rope door hanger thingie and screwed it into the side of the cabinet clive eats on (a utility cabinet). i bought one of those cardboard thingies (but not the one at the angle. hmmm. and i bought a low end carpet post (because it was four dollars) and attached it to a much bigger and heavier base ( a big square hunk of particle board i was saving for just the right project.)
i sprayed cat nip on the post and the sisal and the cardboard thingie has it inside. i introduced him to all three. he seems most interested in rubbing against the sisal right now.
then, i covered the corner of the chair he likes with foil (attached with carpet runner tape, the stuff that makes rugs not slip).... and sprayed some perfume on it (the pet place was out of the citrus stuff and i wasnt up for a long drive to the pet smart).

thanks again for all your suggestions!

**AmberLee** · 01-03-2003, 04:36 PM

Originally posted by babolaypo65
...thanks again for all your suggestions!

Do let us know how it all works out for you both, okay?

(Great idea about the aluminum foil, by the way. I'll try that on the corner of my platform rocker that's attracted Cassy's attention (and maybe try some cologne, too).)

**NoahsMommy** · 01-03-2003, 04:46 PM

Sounds great! Let us know what he ends up liking best.

All our cats seem to differ on this issue....Basil LOVES sisal. Noah and Noel prefer carpet (Noel likes to scratch on a flat surface) and Olivia seems to like our kitchen and bathroom rugs...

**babolaypo65** · 01-03-2003, 08:08 PM

a colleague suggested the foil. she said it scares them once and they never go back. she said her kids developed a disliked for furniture in a weekend. heres hoping.
the rug tape seemed good because it stays, but doesnt mar.

clive is sitting on the cardboard thing right now. here's hoping!

**babolaypo65** · 01-11-2003, 01:44 PM

its been a week now, since i got the various scratching objects for clive.

so far he likes sleeping on one (the cardboard box thingie) and has ignored the others.
however, spraying the citrus/garlic stuff on the furniture has worked wonders!
he has to have a place to scratch, so i bought him cheap small rug and put cat nip on that too. THAT he loves and is making great use of.

he's not really straying from that to other carpet/rugs... so far. i put it on a wood floor, where there was no rug before, so it shouldnt be associated with the bedroom carpets or other rugs. i hope!