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Cat scratch fevah
My humans have this embarrassing story they love to tell--the one about me as a kitten, climbing up the living room curtains and sliding all the way down. And there's that time when in one afternoon my razor-sharp claws completely obliterated the left leg of the couch.
I was young. I didn't know any better. But now me and my humans understand that cats scratch to shed the outer part of our claws, and that it's more or less a force of nature: you can't stop it; you can only redirect it to appropriate surfaces.
And so I offer you my guide to cat scratchers.
Avoid these scratchy surfaces:
1. Carpet-covered cat scratchers can snag claws or turn us kitties so carpet-happy that we'll take attack floors, too. Carpet can also be treated with chemicals to avoid like flame retardants, Teflon, and even antibacterials like triclosan.
2. Scratchers made out of unrecycled or unsustainable materials are pretty wasteful, since the end user (that's me) will be working hard to make sure a new one is needed soon.
3. Your human's upholstered furniture is convenient, but you don't want to get in trouble or have to live down the embarrassing stories. Trust me.
Best ways to scratch:
1. Recycled corrugated cardboard scratching pads are great on the floor or the wall or wherever--especially when sprinkled with some organic catnip. The best part is you can still recycle it when you're done tearing it to pieces, not to mention they're cheap!
If you're looking for a more elegant cardboard solution, check out this fancy schmancy $160 scratcher/lounge.
2. Organic sisal-covered poles can be especially fun when sturdy enough to climb on like a monkey (watch the aptly named Turbo go nuts on his) but the pads work well, too.
Here's an easy weekend DIY for handy humans:
- Cover a wide (at least 18" square) and heavy base (avoiding particle board, which is treated with glues and pesticides) with organic hemp fabric. You can either use staples or wire brads to secure the edges of the fabric on the underside.
- Cover a 3' tall, untreated, renewable wood post like bamboo or douglas fir in organic sisal rope by attaching the free end to the bottom of the post with a wire brad and winding it tightly around the pole as you go up. You can use wire brads every now and then as you go up the pole to keep the rope in place. When you get to the top, finish the rope with another wire brad.
- Attach the post to the base with pre-drilled wood screws or nails.
- Sprinkle on some catnip and get out of the way!
3. Organic, undyed wool or fabric-covered scratchers are good for cats that prefer a softer material than sisal or cardboard, but they can wear out faster under the paws of aggressive scratchers.
What about you, my feline friends? Do you prefer sisal, cardboard, or carpet? Or are you naughty like Deanna's cats whose tattered couch is pictured above?
I like the idea of the homebuilt scratcher but where do I find organic hemp fiber and organic sisal rope???
When I was a kitten, twelve years ago, I used to love climbing the net curtains in the lounge and my favourite scratchers were the couches and stair carpet. I don't think the scratchers could have been invented then because I'm sure my owners would have bought one. What my daughter and I haven't wrecked, Danko, the dog has finished our job by clawing all the doors and has finished off one of the couches by using it as his bed. Now to add to it all, my human mother has brought home a two week old kitten. I think there is going to be a divorce shortly in the family as my "mother's" husband has had enough of us and I fear we are near the time when he is going to say "your animals or me"!
Miss, the internet is a wild and wonderful place. Ebay is a great start, and you should be able to find producers of organic materials easily these days with a Google search. It may be harder to find today, but the more we ask for it, the easier it will get.
Puma, that sounds dire. You and your 4-legged brethren might benefit from a dedicated scratching area that's not the furniture. (Eddie might have some tips for Danko.) Unless, of course, you don't like your mom's husband!
Cleo, you guessed right; I can't stand my mom's husband because he keeps chucking me out of the bedrooms, Danko because he slubbers and smells bad, my daughter because she gets at the food dish before me and eats all the goodies and leaves me the pellets and as for the new arrival..... he takes all my mom's atttention. I suppose I must be going through the feline menopause because really I can't stand anyone!
Don't worry Cleo! Its not a menopausal thing. I am having the same trouble here!!! A damn pesky boyfriend of my Mums is equally as evil making me just as grumpy..
Strange thing is that I have my own scratching post much like the one in the instructions above.. but now that I am an 8 year old man I don't use it that much.. Can you suggest how my Mum might be able to reinvigorate it to make it exciting and new and make me want to play with it again. Right now it is just a 1.5 m high post covered with carpet (ball on a piece of string is attached but I am so over that as well!). I used to love it but it just doesnt do anything for me anymore!
Ciao. Tom
Tom, do you like catnip? That might do the trick. Just have your mom sprinkle it on the scratcher. Of course, if you think you'd like a new scratching post, it might be time to switch from the carpet to something like sisal--carpet can lose its scratchiness when you've torn it to shreds. Sisal can last longer and has less chemicals in it. Good luck!
Hi I'm Willow. My mom got one of the recycled cardboad scratchers, but it was a little too small for me, but she finally got one that was bigger and I LOVE it, even my brother Max (previous parents took his front claws, OUCH!) comes and pretends he has claws and scratches on it, we even like to just lay on it, it's wonderful.
Organic sisal-covered poles can be especially fun when sturdy enough to climb on like a monkey but the pads work well, too.
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