Training Cats Not To Scratch Furniture - How Do You Choose The Best Scratching Post For Kitty?

Training cats not to scratch furniture is not rocket science. But there are still a lot of little details which can trip you up. Your little feline friend is not scratching your expensive furniture because he is a bad boy. He actually has good reasons for his destructive behavior. There are three very good reasons why he has to scratch your furniture:

• Marking territory


• Maintaining his claws


• Stretch and tone muscles

Scratching things is just part of his natural instinct. But this doesn't mean you need to replace your sofa every 6 months. You can train him not to scratch your furniture. But first, you need to get him a scratching post which he enjoys using. This is where many cat owners fail - they choose the wrong scratching post for their cat.

Just because you buy an expensive scratching post does not mean kitty will use it. But this doesn't mean you should buy the cheapest one either. There are some rules to help you choose the best scratching post for your little tiger.

When your cat marks his territory, he is not going to just scratch one piece of furniture. You'll probably find scratches not only on your sofa, but your dining room chairs, your carpets and anything else your little psycho kitty sets his beady eyes on. This means you will need to get many scratching posts - one for each piece of furniture you want to protect.

Because kitty scratches your chairs, table legs and wardrobes to stretch his muscles and maintain his claws, you need to get a scratching post tough enough for him to really sink his claws in. This is why experienced cat owners prefer to buy sisal scratching posts. Many cats prefer them to other types of commercial scratching posts, and many models can be bought for under $30. If you are on a really tight budget, just buy 100 feet of sisal rope from Amazon for $4 and make your own scratching posts for kitty.

Whether you buy or make the cat scratching post, it needs to be high enough for kitty to stretch his muscles when clawing it. Make sure you compare its height to the height of kitty's existing claw marks. The post also has to be heavy and stable. When your little tiger leans into the post, it must not shake or fall over. If your cat is big and heavy, it may not be possible to find a suitable scratching post in the shop. You will need to get a little creative - maybe build a scratching crate instead of a scratching post.

Experienced cat owners build their own cheap scratching posts. How?

• They recycle their wrecked furniture


• They use two by fours or get the packing crates from their neighborhood shops


• They pick up logs and thick tree branches


• They save their thick cardboard cases (or ask for the packing cases from their local grocer)


• They buy cheap squares of carpet from Walmart or ask their local carpet shop for leftovers

The first step of training cats not to scratch furniture is to choose or build the perfect scratching post for kitty. Only after you clear this hurdle can the proper training begin.

Do you want to learn more about cat scratching problems? Click here to learn more about training cats not to scratch furniture.