Cat Scratching
Cat Scratching: How To Protect Your Furniture!
One of the most frustrating things that many cat owners go through is having their cats scratch the furniture in their home. Cats love to scratch, it's instinct, it's how they stretch, it's how they sharpen their claws, and it's how they show dominance. So if you're wondering why they always seem to scratch your favorite piece of furniture in your living room, that's why! The places where you spend the most time are the types of places your cat likes to scratch. It is possible to curb cat scratching in a number of ways. The most popular is to get a cat scratching post that your cat enjoys scratching.
Finding The Right Post!
There are many different types of cat scratching posts. There are cardboard boxes you lay in the ground, there are posts that stand upright, and there are even some you hang from your doorknob. The materials the posts are made out of vary as well. There are fabric posts, carpeted posts, and there are even posts made out of a material like twine called sisal. There are cat trees, cat condos and much more. Also the prices for these posts vary widely. You can get a cardboard one for as little as five or ten dollars or you can get an entire cat condo for as much as two hundred dollars. The bad news is that your cat post may not do a thing for your cat and in this case his or her cat scratching habits may not cease until you find one he or she likes.
Start Small
Before you spend a lot of money for a cat scratching post try to find the material your cat enjoys. Cats like to scratch carpets because it's readily available in your home and they enjoy the fabric of your couch or your nice wicker furniture because it's up high and it's in a prominent place in your living room. However, carpet can snag their claws and your couch rips too easily. So try sisal. Cats love it because it's strong and durable, it won't snag their claws and they won't be able to get enough of it. Start small, however, and get a little post to see if your cat likes it first.
Cat Nip
To make your cat attracted to the post you've chosen, try to put cat nip on it. You can sprinkle cat nip all over it or you can try cat nip spray, which is concentrated cat nip that you can spray on pretty much anything. Cats love cat nip and they'll instantly go to the post and they'll likely begin using it instead of your furniture.
