Things Cats Need: Scratching posts and mats
Cats need to scratch on rough textured items for several reasons. It is not an optional thing for them. Their claws grow in layers, like onion skins, so the cats periodically need to scratch to work off the dead outer layer. Cats also scratch for exercise. They will often hook their claws into something and pull, being able to work out kinks and stiffness in their muscles. Plain scratching does not result in that deep muscle toning. In addition, cats scratch to deposit their scent from their paw pads, marking territory, making the area familiar and comforting to them. And, cats use scratchers to work of some stress.
Some of what humans call "behavior problems" are due to the cats not having the correct things they need, such as scratching posts. The cats will still need to scratch to work off the dead outer layers of their claws, and will be compelled to scent mark their territory, so without acceptable items provided for them, they will have to make due with items in your home, such as scratching on your furniture.
Cats need both horizontal scratchers and vertical scratching posts. It is never too soon to introduce scratchers into the environment, even if you have tiny kittens, so they get used to them as the thing to dig their claws in and scratch on. The 7 week-old kitten on the left is interested in exploring the flat corrugated scratcher. Of course, at that young age, the kitten does not need to shed any outer claw layer, but she is learning that the corrugated cardboard is good for gripping with her claws. If you start cats out at a young age with various kinds of cat scratchers to explore and climb on, they will keep using them as adults because they are used to them.
Scratchers need to be in the rooms the cats spend a lot of time in, which is usually the rooms the humans spend a lot of time in, such as the living room and bedroom. This is because, as was said above, cats also scratch to release scent from their paw pads, to mark their territory and make their preferred areas have their scent around. Do not replace a well worn scratching post or flat mat until it really is far gone. The cats like their "personalized" scratchers, full of their scent. Introduce a new scratching item before the old one is removed.
If you are concerned about appearances, there are many stylish flat scratching items for sale for cats, as well as beautiful and unique posts and towers which cats can scratch on and use for climbing and napping.
Horizontal and Inclined Scratchers
Scratching Posts
Horizontal and Inclined Scratchers
A favorite horizontal scratcher for most cats is a corrugated cardboard scratcher. They are sold in pet stores, department stores such as Target and Wal-Mart, and even in many grocery stores.
A variation of the corrugated cardboard flat scratcher is the inclined model. One is sold as the Cosmic Alpine Scratcher. Kittens really love playing on the Cosmic Alpine Scratcher, and in the cutout hole which has a dangling toy. This early play gets them used to realizing how good the corrugated cardboard is to dig their claws in, which they remember when they get older and need to groom their claws.
Adult cats love the inclined scratchers too. Adult cats can be tempted to use the corrugated cardboard scratchers at first by putting catnip underneath the corrugated cardboard, but once they have used them, they just keep using them without any catnip as they discovered how good they are for scratching on. We have two Cosmic Alpine Scratchers and they have been used daily by our cats for many years- the same two Cosmic Alpine Scratchers, since they last for years! (Though the one our 15 pound cat uses the most has lost some of it's incline.)
With both the flat and inclined corrugated scratchers, you get long use out of them as the corrugated cardboard is reversible. Also, you can buy refills for the frames.
Cats also like to scratch on a flat sisal wrapped board . These are usually sold to be hung on a door knob, but are used more by cats when placed flat on the floor, since many cats don't like their scratcher to move while using it. Simply cut off the hanging cord so a cat doesn't wind up with it's head stuck in the hanging loop. Sisal wrapped boards can be found in pet stores, as well as on-line pet stores. The sisal boards can also be screwed onto a vertical surface, which we did in our former outdoor enclosure.
There is a sisal mat sold for cats with the fun name of Fat Cat Kitty Hoots Big Mama's Scratch-O-Rama Scratchy Mat. It is 14 Inches by 17 inches, and is infused with catnip. Also good for horizontal scratching is a textured welcome mat made of sisal sold for humans to wipe their shoes on.
Scratching Posts
A scratching post needs to be very stable, with no tipping or wobbling when the cat uses it. A post also needs to be high enough so a cat can get in a full body vertical stretch when digging in it's claws. Most scratching posts sold in grocery stores and department stores such as K-Mart and Wal-Mart are only tall enough for kittens. For an adult cat, the post should be at a minimum of two feet tall, but that is really too short to avoid some cats from being tempted to use that nice, tall back of your stuffed chair for a real good full body stretch.
You might find some tall enough single posts in some pet stores. For a great selection, including a whopping 50" high post, you can order from http://www.angelicalcat.com/c1_scratch_posts.shtml. Some cats like to scratch on carpet posts, especially if that is all they have, but sisal allows better gripping and pulling to help get off the old outer layers of the claws, and many cats prefer the sisal over carpet.
The Smart Cat Ultimate Scratching Post,
A great option to wind up with a very tall scratching post, plus high perching areas that cats love, is to get a cat tree or tower. www.angelicalcat.com has a very large and unique selection. Some pet stores also have cat trees and towers. Many have at least one sisal wrapped part, which many cats prefer and is also neater, since carpet posts wind up with little bits of carpet fibers on the floor around the post.
You can also make your own scratching post by affixing sisal rope around a post.
