Why do cats scratch? It can be very frustrating to find your new sofa scratched to pieces and your drapes shredded. However, this is normal cat behavior. Your cats aren’t doing this to be awkward or to punish you for not getting them their favorite food.
Cats scratch to mark their territory and this is not only by leaving their claw marks. Their paws have scent glands which leave a special odor which tells other cats to keep away. Scratching is also a form of exercise for cats. It works the muscles which is important for health and flexibility. Claws grow quickly and start bending easily so cats scratch to avoid this and to get rid of the old layer of nail. Finally, they simply enjoy it.
So how do you stop them from scratching? Punishing them won’t do any good. They don’t understand the concept at all and it would more likely drive you and your cats apart.
Well, the answer is to get a scratching post, or even multiple posts which you can put in different areas of your house. It may take a little while for your cats to get used to them, but once they do, you will be delighted with the result.
Cats need sturdy scratching posts. You don’t want the posts falling over and hurting them. A post with an extra stable base is an excellent choice, preferably double thick.
Avoid carpet as the material on the posts as this may encourage your cats to scratch your carpets. Sisal rope or sisal fabric are the best choices, but high density cardboard also works well.
It is a good idea to provide both horizontal and vertical scratching posts so that your cats can exercise all their muscles.
So you’ve decided to invest in a scratching post and you’ve looked online. You have probably been overwhelmed. There are so many out there and you don’t know which to choose. Well, we’re here to help. Read on to discover our choices for the best 10 cat scratching posts out there.