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More information about cat scratching and our posts The "declawing" question The first question I always ask someone who is considering having their cat declawed is “why”? The usual reply is, “So my cat won’t scratch the furniture”. Many people are unaware that in most cases, cat scratching problems can be eliminated without declawing. Scratching is an essential part of normal cat behavior and providing a scratching surface that is more appealing than furniture is usually all that is needed to solve the problem. How to solve the problem If you are bringing a new cat into your home, having an appropriate cat scratching post from the very first day is essential. It will become the focus for all scratching activity and prevent problems from developing. If you already have a cat that has started scratching your furniture, simply placing a scratching post close to the spot where it scratches will most likely solve the problem. For aggressive scratchers, you may need more than one post. Purchasing a couple of cat scratching posts is less expensive than declawing and far more “cat friendly”. Don't waste your money on carpet covered scratching posts available at your local pet store. They simply will not work. Trim your cats claws every two weeks. If you haven't done this before it may seem a little intimidating but with a pair of cat nail clippers, it is not very difficult. It is much easier if you do the nail trimming in a small room such as a half bath. Your cat will realize that escape is not an option and will be more cooperative. Cover the areas where your cat scratches the furniture with a towel, a sheet or double sided tape. This is a temporary measure and should be necessary for only a few weeks. If your cat spends a good part of the day alone, boredom may be a factor. This often leads to excessive scratching since scratching is a stress reliever. Fifteen minutes of serious play activity on a daily basis (preferably with a string toy to encourage jumping and running) will reduce aggressive scratching. Contrary to what many cat related web sites recommend, do not force your cat to scratch by forcibly placing their paws on the scratching post. This is a stressful situation for your cat and often will create real dislike for the scratching post. Instead, use a string toy to lead your cat to the post. Move the toy up the sides of the post and bounce it on top. This will encourage your cat to climb and scratch. About our scratching posts When we designed our TopCat Sisal Scratching Posts, our goal was to create a cat post that would be sturdy, provide a substitute for furniture and become an incentive for frequent scratching. We chose the best features from other posts and then added several improvements. The woven sisal cover we use is by far more expensive and difficult to apply than regular carpet or sisal rope but proved to be the most appealing to cats. We weren’t trying to save money or effort; we just wanted to build a cat scratching post that would really work. Our design is so effective, other companies have attempted to produce copies of our original design. There is no need to spend more for one of these copies. All our cat scratching posts are manufactured by us at our facility in Tennessee. No "middle man" is involved which means you get the best scratching post at the best price. Why "woven" sisal rather than sisal rope? As sisal rope frays from scratching, the fibers become sharp and pointy. Many cats find it unpleasant to scratch on the frayed post and will abandon it all together. The woven sisal that we use on our TopCat Post is made from smaller fibers and actually becomes softer with use. How does TopCat compare with the Felix Katnip Tree or Karate Kat Post? While our TopCat scratching post is similar to these two posts (covered with woven sisal and contains catnip), we have added several significant improvements. TopCat uses a heavy metal screw and internal metal fastener rather than a wooden dowel and wedge to attach the post to the base. Our "metal to metal" system is much more solid and is very easy to assemble and disassemble. The top of our scratching post is recessed (about 1/2 inch) which is a great place for cat toys. Putting your cat's favorite toy on top provides an incentive for your cat to climb and scratch. Also, the top is covered with sisal which gives additional scratching area for those really "long" kitties. Our vinyl covered base is finished on both sides which prevents warping and rocking. Both the vinyl and sisal bases have nylon buttons which prevent scooting on hardwood or tile floors. Other companies have tried to copy our design by wrapping woven sisal or rope around a wooden post. Most of the weight is in the vertical post making it "top heavy". TopCat uses a hollow tube and a thicker base which concentrates more weight where it is needed, at the bottom of the scratching post. Our round design is larger than the square posts which provides more surface area and distributes scratching activity more evenly. When we assemble our posts we don't just wrap them with sisal and drive in a few nails, we have a machine that actually stretches the sisal fabric around the post for a tight fit just like the upholstery on your furniture. You won't find a better constructed cat scratching post anywhere. Questions? We will be happy to offer further advice with your individual cat scratching problems if you contact us at our e-mail address: topcat2@comcast.net or call us at: 615 874-1221.
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Web sites with additional declawing and cat related information: The declawing information site Pam Johnson-Bennett, feline behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant and the author of a number of award-winning and critically acclaimed books. She is one of the country's most well-known and popular experts on cat behavior.
Lots of cat stuff An organization whose members enjoy collecting cat related items A nonprofit organization that is trying to end the practice of declawing. A
large site containing cat related links, an advice column KittySites.Com - The Cat Lover's Online Directory! |
