Here’s Why Your Cat Will Benefit from a Scratching Post

The list of supplies you need when adopting a new cat or kitten can be intimidating. Food, bed, littler, toys, nail clippers, cat grooming products, a scratching post… it’s overwhelming. Let’s take the scratching post for example. When buying pet supplies online, you will come across scratching posts in a variety of sizes, shapes and materials. With so many options, you can easily end up making the wrong choice. However, choosing the right scratching post for your feline is more important than you may think.

Cats must have a way to relieve their urge to scratch, so providing a post for that purpose can help save your furniture, drapery and carpeting from being destroyed. Cats also use cat scratchers for stretching and exercise, so getting a suitable post is vital to your cat’s health and well-being. Here is how a scratching post can benefit your furry friend.

Scratching Helps Eliminate the Outer Coating of The Nails

Technically, cats don’t scratch to sharpen their claws. Under the old, outer shell of cats’ nails are new, healthy, full-grown sharp nails. Because cats don’t have a way to cut their nails, they’ve found their own way to get the job done. So what scratching does is it helps cats get their healthy nails underneath back to being sharp.

Sharp nails are vital for cats, as they use them to dig into wood and other materials when trying to climb difficult-to-jump locations. Cats can jump very high, but their ability to claw their way up things like fences and tree trunks is also incredible. And of course, cats also use their nails as weapons when they hunt, allowing them to catch and hold onto prey. Scratching helps them keep their claws sharp, allowing them to climb after and keeping a tight grip on their prey.

Cats Scratch to Scent Mark Their Territory

Cats have scent glands in their paws. By kneading, they release their smell onto the object they are kneading, and with this scent, they mark their territory. When cats scratch, their scent is also released onto the scratched object, which also helps them mark their territory. But scratching has an additional benefit to marking territory that kneading doesn’t have. Scratching helps cats visually mark their territory.

A Stress Relief Mechanism for Cats

Cats tend to place their claws along the top and drag when scratching a post and there are a lot of movements that happen in the cat’s body before the scratching takes place. All that stretching helps increase blood flow to muscles, which in return increases the cat’s flexibility, range of motion and even relieves stress. The scratch ritual helps felines to calm down, keeping their anxiety at bay.

What Is the Best Cat Scratching Post?

One common mistake cat owners make is choosing a post that appeals to them, rather than thinking about what cats like. A little knowledge goes a long way in finding the right post for your cat. The trick is to choose a post from your cat’s point of view. The main characteristics to look for when choosing a good cat scratching post are:

• Height and sturdiness
• Good material for scratching
• Variety of materials and surfaces
• Vertical and horizontal surfaces

Cats Like Tall Scratching Posts

Choose a post that is tall enough to allow your cat to fully extend while scratching. She should be able to stretch her body fully and pull those back and shoulder muscles, which is beneficial for her health and flexibility.

Cats Need Sturdy Scratching Posts

The sturdiness of the post is of critical importance for several reasons. First, if the post wobbles, your cat won’t use it. This is one of the reasons cats love to scratch dressers and couches – they are extremely stable. Second, a wobbling post might be unsafe, and your cat knows this. An unstable post can flip over and fall on your cat. Third, the taller the post, the studier it needs to be. Cats can be injured or even killed by a large, unstable scratching post falling on them. So, make sure you look for posts that have extra-heavy bases.

Cats Prefer Sturdy Materials

You will find cat scratching post models in a dizzying array of materials. However, most of these aren’t attractive to them. You may want to consider getting a post with a cover that is different from the material you already have in your home, for example, carpet. Your cat may not understand why it’s fine to scratch some carpeting in the post but not on the floor. Plus, the carpet isn’t rough enough and the loops tend to catch their claws and yank on toes. Sisal fabric is a good option to consider. It is a heavy-duty material that feels great for cats and shreds under their claws in a pleasant way.