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If you own a cat then a cat scratching post is a MUST. It is very useful in stopping your cat from scratching and ruining your furniture, drapes and rugs. It is a natural act of all cats to scratch, stretch and to knead with their front paws. Unfortunately many cat owners have no idea that they should provide their cats with the necessary products to scratch on. Scratching is a born instinct and we are unable to change this type of behavior, it is therefore best to give your cat alternate surfaces to scratch. A standard cat care program must include the cat scratching post. This product will give your cat an area to do its scratching, stretching, sharpening claws and marking territory. A quality cat scratching post should have a solid base and a heavy duty carpet covered post that serves as the scratching surface. All exposed surfaces are covered in woven materials such as carpet. A scratching post can be vertical or horizontal on the floor or slanting at an angle. It is important that the whole frame and structure must be sturdy and stable so it does fall over when the cat does its scratching on it. A cat scratching post can be of various colors, heights, designs some with lures such as toys. One type of cat scratching post has a flat or slanting scratching surface on a frame. Strips of corrugated cardboard are then placed vertically inside the frame so all the strips have one exposed side for the cat to scratch on. With frequent scratching by the cats, the cardboard strips have to be replaced regularly. The continual scratching tears the cardboard strips into shreds in no time at all. The most common scratching post design is the one with a base and a vertical post scratching surface. These upright styles of scratching posts are well liked by many cats because they resemble tree trunks. Tough or woven materials such as the rope or carpet are often used to cover the areas that the cats would scratch. It is not difficult to make your own cat scratching post. Find a piece of wood that is about 2 ft long and 6 inches in diameter. Cover this with a woven material such as the carpet and secure it to the wall with screws. Another option is to hang a piece of 17 inches long carpet down from the ceiling to a level where your cat can reach and scratch. A cat tree with a sturdy base always makes a great scratching post that the cat loves as it is more like a tree. The best type of material to use for a scratching post is any durable fabric with a pile, like carpet. The post itself can be made of solid wood or plastic. The under side of the base is usually sisal or vinyl with nylon buttons to keep the scratching post from sliding around on a hard surfaced floor such as hardwood or tile. Sisal is also a good option for wrapping the scratching post as cats enjoy the coarseness of the fibrous rope and it is very durable. It is great for conditioning the cat's claws. As there are such a wide range of designs, prices and sizes to choose from finding the right scratching post that suits your cat's preferences is easy. If you place the cat scratching post close to a window or a corner away from the drafts your pet will leave your furniture alone. In cases where your cat has already been scratching your furniture, place a scratching post at the spot where it has been scratching. Direct your cat to the new scratching post and show it where the scratching should be done.
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About the Article Author
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins has a website that is dedicated to all cat owners with informations on cat breeds, cat supplies and products. Why cat scratching post is a necessity if you own a cat? Do you know what is the purpose of a cat scratching post?
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