Why Cat Scratching Posts Are Important

One of the most common and frustrating problems that cat owners experience is the clawing of their feline friend on furniture, wallpaper, carpets and other items in the home. Before allowing your temper to get the better of you at the discovery of shredded paper, frayed carpets and scratched furniture, it's important to realise that your cat is not misbehaving. Scratching is a natural activity for cats, and no matter how humanised we believe them to be, they aren't aware that they are causing damage or expense, they're simply satisfying a natural desire which won't go away just because they're in your home.

In the wild, cats would claw trees and anything else that appealed, so it's no different in a house, and it doesn't matter to them that you've just bought a brand new sofa or how expensive it was, if it feels good on their claws, they'll scratch away regardless. Many owners make the mistake of trying to scold their cat for clawing around the home, and cats, being the independent creatures that they are, don't really care. We all know it's difficult to make a cat do something they don't want to, and it's just as difficult to make them stop doing something that they love to do, especially something that comes natural to them.

It is therefore important to approach the situation in the right way. Rather than trying to discipline cats for satisfying a natural urge, why not enhance the pleasure that they get from this activity by providing them with something that feels much better to scratch on than furniture? Cat scratching posts are the perfect way to redirect your cat's natural habit rather than trying to put a stop to it. Cat scratchers are specifically designed for felines, with a multitude of designs and textures available, providing the ideal place for cats to unleash their claws.

It is important to make the cat scratching post as appealing as possible, placing it in the area your cat likes to scratch the most, for example, next to the sofa, curtains, or on the most frayed piece of carpet. Base your choice of cat scratcher and the material it features on the piece of furniture which has been clawed the most. To entice your cat, try adding catnip to the post, attracting your cat and encouraging him to play.

There are hundreds of different types of cat scratchers available today, from the most simple to the most innovative, to deter your cat from undesirable scratching, providing him with his very own place to claw and mark his territory. Having the opportunity to demonstrate such natural behaviour keeps cats happy, whereas attempting to punish them and stop them from using their claws properly will only frustrate them and may even damage the bond that you have. Understanding your cat, and why he behaves a certain way will only improve your relationship with him, keeping you both happier.

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