Selecting the Right Scratcher for your Cat
If you’re a pet parent to a feline fur baby, chances are your companion has taken a few scratches to your furniture at some point. While no one wants to have their beautiful furniture ruined, it’s hard to get mad at our cats for simply exercising their natural instincts. Scratching allows a cat to condition their nails by removing the outer layer, while simultaneously marking their territory. Luckily, scratchers offer a great outlet for cats to satisfy their natural instincts, and with a wide variety to choose from there’s something for every cat!
If you’re considering purchasing a scratcher for your four-legged friend, it’s important to first observe their behavior to ensure you select the most appropriate one. By watching where, when and how your cat prefers to scratch at home, you’ll be able to pick out a scratching post that will allow them to fully satisfy their need to scratch.
Style
Once you have an understanding of your cat’s scratching style, you’ll be able to select the scratcher that is best suited to them. From inclined and curved scratchers to cat trees and condos and more, there’s something to please your cat no matter their scratching style!
If you’ve caught your cat scratching on the carpet, chances are they’ll enjoy a horizontal scratcher. If you’ve noticed that they prefer scratching at the sides of furniture, they’ll likely enjoy a vertical scratcher more. Whether you’re considering purchasing a vertical or horizontal scratcher, it’s important to make sure that the scratcher is either tall or long enough to allow your cat to properly stretch out their muscles.
Available in flat and curved styles, horizontal cat scratchers can help encourage appropriate scratching behavior in your feline friend. Many scratchers have reversible surfaces to provide your cat with double the fun, and a lot are infused with catnip to motivate your cat to play.
If your cat prefers to scratch vertically, a post, tree or condo can help keep them happy! Cat trees and condos not only provide your cat with a fun outlet for scratching, but also a place to lounge and relax afterwards. Available in a variety of shapes, sizes and heights, your cat is sure to enjoy these multipurpose products!
Material
Just as the style of scratcher you choose needs to be properly suited to your cat, it’s important that you select one with a material that they will be able to really sink their claws into! Durable materials like seagrass and sisal are commonly used on cat scratchers as they offer a tough surface so your cat can scratch as much as they’d like. Another common material found on cat scratchers is corrugated cardboard, the shape of which provides a great outlet for your cat to groom their nails.
Sturdiness
No matter what cat scratcher you ultimately decide on, one of the most important things to consider is the sturdiness of the product. As the goal is to allow your cat to scratch as hard as they’d like to satisfy their instincts, it’s important to make sure that the scratcher isn’t wobbly and will not fall over.