Scratchers

[kookoo4kitties]

I'm working on deterring our cat from scratching the furniture and she seems to be doing so-so, but she is showing not a single bit of interest in her the scratcher I bought her. I spent the money on a good cardboard one (the kind that come with the catnip) that would hold up well, it's not real big because to be honest I can't afford anything too fancy, but it is a S shape that she can explore a little around and under - that sort of thing. But she is totally indifferent to it, the only time she went near it was when I accidentally put too much catnip on it, and then she ended up bouncing off the walls rather than scratching. I know you should offer a variety and I have been looking around, but to be honest, I am disabled and live on a fixed income, in fact my cat is a therapy pet, so I can't afford to try a lot of different scratchers. So I was wondering if anyone could give me some suggestions on affordable scratchers/scratching posts that tend to be high on the kitty most liked list.

Thanks

 

[sonadora]

Hi there!

I'm no expert on cat scratching furniture, but I did have this nugget of an idea that I'd like to share. Let's hope it's a good one!

There's generally only one question to answer when it comes to scratching, and that's horizontal or vertical? ((There are also preferred textures: carpet, sisal rope, cardboard....)) Most cats are indifferent, but I'm sure there's some that prefer one over the other! Both camps have relatively inexpensive options, but the question may be what does your kitty prefer? If she didn't like the S-shape, chances are she prefers a vertical post, but maybe before investing in another big purchase, I would recommend obtaining the most simplest cat scratcher ever: the cardboard rectangle. 

I found a nifty video that demonstrates how to make your own using cardboard boxes: 

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How to embed YouTube Videos

 

[jcat]

That video is really helpful!

Some other cheap alternatives are natural fiber doormats that you can put on the floor or tack to a wall, carpet remnants or samples you can try face up and face down, or a cork tile or bulletin board. Some places that sell carpets have bins where you can help yourself to old samples (or, if you ask a salesperson whether they sometimes do that, will give you a couple).

 

[susank521]

Another cheap scratcher that some of my cats like is a piece of 1x8 rough sawn cedar board. Have only ever used it vertically, but a wider board might work laying down, too.

 

[catspaw66]

 
Another cheap scratcher that some of my cats like is a piece of 1x8 rough sawn cedar board. Have only ever used it vertically, but a wider board might work laying down, too.

Just keep an eye on their paws. Cedar splinters will cause an infection faster than most woods because of the cedar oil they contain. A piece of oak firewood with the bark still on it is the favorite scratcher around my house.

I have cardboard, sisal and wood scratchers in the house also. Both horizontal and vertical.

 

[kookoo4kitties]

Really great idea's, thanks!!! I never even thought about getting a cheap door mat. My last cat was declawed - she was the first cat I ever personally owned, and my landlord would only allow declawed cats. I was a lot more ignorant back then about the effects of declawing on the poor little darlings, so I've never had to go through this before, the only thing he ever clawed was my legs when he tried to climb them when I was wearing shorts. LOL
Anyway, my furniture isn't worth hurting my baby like that, but I also think that cats are highly intelligent animals that can be trained, so there is no reason to just let them scratch away.

I'm wondering - she is pretty young, about five months and she does a lot of kneading. Is there a way to tell the difference between scratching and kneading? Sometimes it doesn't seem like she is scratching, but rather kneading and her claws are catching. I try to keep them clipped, but the first time I did them I got too close and I hurt her, so I am a little skittish, and she is definitely so. My daughter flat out refuses to do it.

 

[catspaw66]

Generally if the kitten is scratching, she is pulling back on whatever she is doing it on, while if she is kneading the paws are picked straight up or not moved at all. 

About her being skittish about getting her nails clipped. Start just handling her paws without trying to clip the claws. Once she gets used to that, handle them with one hand with the clippers in the other. After she stops being scared of the clippers, just clip the sharp tips off. Don't go more than a couple of millimeters (or about 1/16 of an inch). If you clip them regularly, you don't need to take much off them.

 

[susank521]

 
Just keep an eye on their paws. Cedar splinters will cause an infection faster than most woods because of the cedar oil they contain. A piece of oak firewood with the bark still on it is the favorite scratcher around my house.

I have cardboard, sisal and wood scratchers in the house also. Both horizontal and vertical.

 

[sarahliz]

It's not that cheap, but I love the Ultimate Scratching Post. I got mine from Drs. Foster and Smith for $29. Worth every penny! It's durable and looks nice.