The Best Scratching Posts for Cats

Your cat scratches furniture and other surfaces in your home to groom its nails and mark its territory with the scent pads in its feet. To prevent this, you must provide your cat with a scratching post as an outlet for this natural behavior. Purchasing a scratching post that your cat will enjoy using rather than your prized possessions will keep both of you happy.

  1. Height

    • Cats enjoy stretching out fully in a horizontal or vertical posture when scratching. Depending on the space you have available, purchase a scratching post at least half as long as your cat so it can feel comfortable when using it. Your cat will prefer a scratching post longer than its own length, so the taller or longer the better. If you lack space for a huge scratching pad, you can purchase smaller ones that hang from a doorknob or mount on your wall. These allow your cat to reach up as high as you hang them eliminating the need for a large one.

    Texture

    • Scratching posts come in a variety of textures for your cat including carpeting, wood, sisal and cardboard. Observe your cat in your home to see the surfaces it prefers to scratch on to select a post it will like best. Cats who usually scratch on upholstery or draperies will prefer sisal, a type of rope that is wrapped around the post. This durable rope catches the front nails of your cat and helps to loosen the nail sheath and reveal the new nail underneath, according to the Petfinder website. Cats who consistently scratch carpeting will prefer a carpeted post. Unfortunately, carpeted posts can also encourage cats to scratch carpeting on stairs, since they can't tell the difference.

    Construction

    • Your cat will use the scratching post only if it is well-constructed and not prone to falling over easily. Poorly constructed posts will only discourage your cat from using it. Check the stability of the post and consider your cat's weight. Find out from the manufacturer how much weight the post can handle. For those who own more than one cat, purchase a larger post appropriate for both cats to sit on and use safely. If you plan to move the post to a different location, check to see if you can take it apart and assemble it easily for convenient transport.

    Considerations

    • Choosing the best scratching post depends mainly on your cat's preferences. Some prefer a vertical post while other enjoy using a horizontal one. To tempt your cat to use its new scratching post, apply catnip spray or sprinkle dried catnip over it. Allow your cat to inspect the post. Never bring it to the post and make it scratch; this will only to scare your cat away from the post. Place the post in an area of your home your cat has easy access to, near to a location or piece of furniture your cat likes to scratch. Put double-sided tape on the previously used surface to discourage your cat from scratching it and encourage your cat to try the new post instead.