When deciding to have a cat at home, we must remember to provide appropriate equipment for it. In addition to basic things such as good quality food, litter box, carrier, toys, it is important to invest in an appropriate scratching post or even two scratching posts, because it is assumed that there should be at least two such scratching posts for one cat in the house. Today I will answer the question which cat scratcher is best to buy.
Cat claws…
Before I start writing about scratching posts, it is worth remembering some cat anatomy and writing about how important claws are to a cat’s body. Domestic cats have retractable and retractable claws, which means that they are normally retracted and, in appropriate situations, extended by muscles that tighten tendons. Claws are a basic tool for defense and hunting, which is why cats use them especially when playing. They also use them for climbing and to communicate with their feline companions. It is also worth mentioning that you cannot teach a cat to use its claws, as it is in its nature. However, we can direct him to use his claws for specific objects, and this is where scratching posts come to our aid.
Why does a cat need a scratching post?
As I wrote earlier, in addition to meeting natural behavioral needs, it is also worth remembering that, just like human nails, cats’ claws are constantly growing, so they need to be worn down. Additionally, a cat scratches objects to mark its territory thanks to the glands at the end of its paws. When sharpening their claws, cats stretch their muscles and remove the dead, exfoliating layers of their claws.
Which cat scratching post should you choose?
This is quite an individual matter. For example, my cat once had a rocking horse toy as its best scratching post. Until it fell to pieces, it was perfect for grinding his claws 😀 . However, when we decide to buy a scratching post, there are a few aspects that are worth looking at. First of all, the stability of the scratching post. Here you also need to take into account the size of your cat. A small and light scratching post will not work for an 8 kg Maine Coon. On the other hand, it is also worth paying attention to the base of the scratching post, because it may happen that the object itself is heavy and high, and the base is unstable, which may result in it falling on the cat and causing unnecessary injuries. The assortment also includes very large scratching posts that can be attached to the ceiling, which guarantees stability and also allows the cat to climb. It is worth paying attention to the material, i.e. whether the posts are tightly wrapped with string and hold on to it properly, or whether it is a material from which cat hair can be easily removed. When it comes to the size of the scratching post, it is assumed that a 30 cm scratching post is suitable for young cats, and a scratching post at least 1 m high is suitable for adult cats.
What types of scratching posts do we have?
Horizontal scratching posts – lying
Vertical scratching posts – standing and hanging
Small – up to 100 cm
Medium – 100 to 160 cm
Large – over 160 cm
Then we have more decorative issues – we can choose a scratching post that matches our interior or is equipped with toys, such as a ball with a string attached to it.
To sum up…
There is no doubt that a scratching post is an indispensable element of every cat’s home. These are times when the choice is really huge and we can choose the right scratching post for our cat and for us to match our interior design. Finally, I would like to mention one more quite important thing, remember that our cats grow and the old scratching post wears out over time, so sometimes it is worth replacing such a scratching post with a new, better model 😉 .
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