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Cat Scratching PostCat Scratching Post... Does Your Cat Need One?
She looks so forlorn in the shelter’s cage, so you decide to take her home. You couldn’t be happier! She’s affectionate, sweet and best of all, she’s litter-trained! But by week’s end, you can’t help feeling tempted to take her back!
The front corner of your once beautiful chintz loveseat has been reduced to shreds, all thanks to your precious kitty.
Wait! Don’t take her back! There is a solution. What you need to buy, right away, is a good scratching post. After all, she’s doing what comes naturally to her, looking for a strong and stable surface to scratch. Your loveseat is the best available option!
Cats have a territorial instinct that prompts them to place their mark and establish their territory. Since their paws have scent glands that leave a distinctive scent, cats scratch surfaces in your home to let other cats know that they’re wandering into marked territory – even if you don’t have any other cats, your kitty doesn’t know when one might show up!
Cats also scratch simply because it feels good!
A natural behavior in cats is to periodically hook their front claws into suitable surfaces and pull backwards. This marks territory, exercises their legs, as well as cleaning and sharpening their claws. Indoor cats benefit from being provided with a scratching post so that they are less likely to use carpet or furniture which they can easily ruin.
Commercial scratching posts typically are covered in carpeting or upholstery. Some authorities[who?] advise against this practice, although not making it clear to the cat which surfaces are permissible and which are not.
They suggest using a plain wooden surface, or reversing the carpeting on the posts so that the rougher texture of the carpet backing is a more attractive alternative to the cat than the floor covering. Scratching posts made of sisal rope or corrugated cardboard are also common.
Cat Bed
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