By : Paulina Jenkins
For a cat owner, a scratching post is an absolute necessity. It is likely what will stand between the cat and the total destruction of your couch, chairs, rugs and drapes. It is a natural inclination for cats to stretch and scratch, many of them also like to knead their front paws on something as well.
Many cat owners do not realise that they need to provide their pets with a scratching post so the cats can satisfy their scratching needs and to sharpen their claws. You cannot change the scratching instinct of your cat therefore it is best to provide an alternative scratching surface for your pet to scratch on. A scratching post must be an essential part of any cat care program for your feline.
Generally a cat scratching post is made up of a base, a post structure all exposed surfaces covered with a layer of woven material such as carpet for the scratching surfaces. A cat-scratching post is not always vertical; it can be horizontal on the floor. The base of the post should be big enough so the cat can stand on it and scratch and the structure will not topple.
There are all sorts of scratching post designs with a variety of colors and heights. Some posts have lures and others don't. One design is quite different with a flat or slanted scratching surface that is on a frame-like structure and has strips of corrugated cardboard situated vertically in the frame so that a side of each strip has exposure to the top of the post's surface.
With frequent scratching by the cats, the cardboard strips have to be replaced regularly. The continual scratching tears the cardboard strips into shreds in no time at all. The most common scratching post design is the one with a base and a vertical post scratching surface. These upright styles of scratching posts are well liked by many cats because they resemble tree trunks. Tough or woven materials such as the rope or carpet are often used to cover the areas that the cats would scratch.
It is not difficult to make your own cat scratching post. Find a piece of wood that is about 2 ft long and 6 inches in diameter. Cover this with a woven material such as the carpet and secure it to the wall with screws. Another option is to hang a piece of 17 inches long carpet down from the ceiling to a level where your cat can reach and scratch. A cat tree with a sturdy base always makes a great scratching post that the cat loves as it is more like a tree.
The best type of material to use for a scratching post is any durable fabric with a pile, like carpet. The post itself can be made of solid wood or plastic. The under side of the base is usually sisal or vinyl with nylon buttons to keep the scratching post from sliding around on a hard surfaced floor such as hardwood or tile. Sisal is also a good option for wrapping the scratching post as cats enjoy the coarseness of the fibrous rope and it is very durable. It is great for conditioning the cat's claws.
With so many different sizes and styles available on the market it is not a problem to select a cat scratching post to suit your cat's preferences and needs. Try placing the scratching post close to a window or a draft-free corner and you will find your cat will stop scratching your furniture. If your cat had already begun scratching your furniture, then you can place a cat scratching post in front of the furniture and then your pet will most likely scratch on the post and not your possessions.
Article Source: http://www.articlerampage.com}
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins has a website that is dedicated to all cat owners with informations on cat breeds, cat supplies and products. Why cat scratching post is a necessity if you own a cat? Do you know what is the purpose of a cat scratching post?
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