Author: Stan Beck
Cats are highly physical creatures that need plenty of healthy physical outlets. Often, cats are adopted with the new owners not fully appreciating the real needs of our feline friends. It is natural for cats to climb, stretch, scratch and pounce. Any owner not understanding this sets up their household for real potential problems.
The happiest cat owners are those that work in concert with their pet's genetic predispositions. Bringing a new kitten home and expecting it to restrain its natural, God-given urges is a recipe for frustration for both pet and owner alike.
Cat Trees are often made of wood and range in size from 2 to 8 eight feet. The 'tree limbs' are typically covered with bark, sisal or carpet. Although they come in many designs from Rustic to Modern, from single piece to modular, they all have the goal of providing 'Fluffy' a safe place to romp and play. There is typically a scratch post or posts built in. Some have tunnels which allow the cat to hide. Most have perches so that a cat can watch and observe from on-high. Some of the large units have cat beds for sleeping.
Many owners, frustrated with the expensive cost of their cat clawing the furniture often purchase expensive Cat Tree apparatuses out of desperation. However, they many times find that their cat does not like the Cat Tree, at least not at first (at least not for scratching). Cats that are used to clawing the furniture often resist changing their old habits. There is an element of transition that needs to be planned for to assist 'Fluffy' in making the change.
How do you wean a kitty from scratching your furniture to using the cat tree? One suggestion is to do something to start the scratching instinct - pay close attention to their scratching habits during the first few days. Attract your cat's attention to the cat tree by running a string with a small toy on it up and down the lower part of the cat tree - enough to get their attention. Praise your cat lavishly if he catches on quickly and grabs for the toy, then starts to scratch. Another option is scratch with your own fingernails thereby demonstrating the desired action. Most important, be patient - you cat will get the hang of it.
In summary, Cat Trees are a great tool and if used correctly, will help to bring peace and harmony to your home for you and your kitty. It is my advice to shop around and try to buy an apparatus that will fit in your home and also provide enough variety for your furry pet.
Copyright 2006
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