Kitten Doesn't Like Sisal Rope?

[ArtNJ]

Our 11 week old kitten is super cute, and a normal mix of playful and sweet. She, however, is not really taking to our scratching posts. Even when using the laser pointer, I can't get her to touch the Sisal. She will certainly attack the laser blip on the carpeted portions, but seems actually adverse to touching the Sisal. It seems like this is going to make it harder to train the kitty on what to scratch.

We have no other scratchers right now, and I'm not really sure what else there is that is effective.

Advice?

 

[verna davies]

Cardboard cat scratchers are a favourite in my house.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=cardbiard+bat+scratchers&ref=is_s&tag=&tag=thecatsite

 

[ArtNJ]

Wow it never occurred to me that there would high quality cardboard ones that would have such high ratings. I've always found the $5 cardboard ones worthless, but it seems like those are the tip of the iceberg. I guess we'll try em!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Our 11 week old kitten is super cute, and a normal mix of playful and sweet. She, however, is not really taking to our scratching posts. Even when using the laser pointer, I can't get her to touch the Sisal. She will certainly attack the laser blip on the carpeted portions, but seems actually adverse to touching the Sisal. It seems like this is going to make it harder to train the kitty on what to scratch.

We have no other scratchers right now, and I'm not really sure what else there is that is effective.

Advice?

Besides the fact it takes some kittens a while to learn how to use a scratch post, some of them can have some pretty sensitive or tender pawpads and don't like the pokiness of the sisal material. It could also be that the scratch posts have too much of the smell from other cats and them seem too territorial? (not sure if or how many other kitties you have at the moment)

If it's because the kitten doesn't like the feel of the sisal post, maybe you could try what we did on one of our cat posts (which also might have the benefit of toning down the scent markings from other cats that might be on the current posts). We covered one of Milly's posts in a heavy-duty twill fabric, using long screws and grommets. It took her some weeks to start to mark the post, but she uses it now. The fabric we used is pretty durable and is only starting to have its threads pulled up a bit. It can easily be replaced, or just reverted back to sisal. The best thing is that the fabric is soft on her pawpads (cannot feel the sisal underneath), but her toenails can dig in past the fabric level and catch on the sisal for a good scratch.

 

[fionasmom]

I have never had a cat use the sisal part of a scratching post. Never and no one, so it is not just your baby.

 

[ArtNJ]

I have never had a cat use the sisal part of a scratching post. Never and no one, so it is not just your baby.

Ha, cats are so different! I have 3 posts and the sisal is not in good shape for the most part its been used so much. Indeed, I was wondering if that might be the problem, that the sisal was too fuzzed from heavy use.

 

[Columbine]

Another option is sisal fabric, rather than the actual rope. It's used a lot on wave type scratchers and in scratching mats, and even on posts like this one:

 

[basscat]

I built it for the tabby, but he prefers scratching anything and everything...except the post.
So, I introduced it to the other one. He won't scratch anything BUT this post.....This post may actually be his best friend.
I guess some cats like it and some just don't....

 

[Hellenww]

Columbine thank you for the link. It looks like the perfect thing to repair my couch.

For 12 yrs Yoshi refused to use any scratcher. About 6mt ago I put a cardboard scratcher in front of the couch and he no longer uses the couch. I had the same scratcher next to the couch, against where he scratched. Yep, cats are weird. Not only do they want what they want but it was to be in the perfect spot.

Cardboard scratchers are basically disposable.Yoshi destroyed both sides of this type in about a month. https://www.chewy.com/catit-lounge-scratcher-catnip-jungle/dp/49891 He's a big cat and likes to sleep on his scratcher so I bought one of these because it was the largest I could find. https://www.chewy.com/kh-pet-products-ez-mount-window/dp/148502 I've had it 4mts, he scratches several times a day, and it barely shows any wear. It was more expensive but worth it.

 

[SpecterOhPossum]

We use adhesive carpet tiles; I just slap em on the wall or on a table or anywhere really. Though, specter is a girl of CULTURE and prefers ........................................................... Old cardboard. Very cheap so that's okay. I just take old boxes; break them down (or not, they're good for enrichment as well) and take a knife to make slices for her nails to catch on. Then just toss them when they're annihilated.

 

[maggie101]

 

[maggie101]

I have this one plus the loungers by perfusion which my cats love! They like to stretch so not the circular posts. They do not like sisal either. The triangle scratcher lasted a year. The others 3 years

 

[She's a witch]

You could also attach a piece of carpet to one of the posts; I actually attached the simple 1$ IKEA doormat with good glue and nails and it is greatly appreciated. One of my cat prefers scratching carpets than sisal, although he accepts sisal fabrics (indicated above) as opposed to sisal rope.

 

[Etarre]

Juniper will use two scratchers-- a vertical sisal-covered pole that's part of her cat tree and a small cardboard that's in the center of a ball tray toy. However, she will not touch for love or money the 'alpine' scratcher that's on an incline, which is too bad because she could get her back paws on it, too, whereas the other are forepaw only.

She also loves nothing more than to scratch up yoga mats, so if you strike out on all other options folks are mentioning, you could try a rubber yoga mat covering. We could not get her to stop scratching our spare bedroom couch until we covered it with a yoga mat. Problem solved....until anyone wants to do some yoga.

 

[raskolnikov]

My cat also will not touch sisal, but loves seagrass and distressed wood. We ended up buying seagrass online, pulled the sisal off the scratcher we bought, and replaced it with the seagrass. The only problem with seagrass is that it shreds very quickly, but I think thats part of why kitty likes it. For the wood, we made our own wooden post cat tree and put grooves in the wood for her to sink her claws in.

I hope you can find something your kitty likes!

 

[susanm9006]

If the kitten doesn’t like sisal, carpet or cardboard, try a piece of rough wood like cedar. You have try the materials both upright and horizontal to figure out what appeals to your kitten, and rub catnip on them to attract scratching.