A scratching post is a

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of ligni ...

en post covered in rough material that

cat The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...

owners provide so their pets have an acceptable place to scratch. Cats have a natural urge to scratch: the action helps them remove old material from their

claw A claw is a curved, pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most amniotes (mammals, reptiles, birds). Some invertebrates such as beetles and spiders have somewhat similar fine, hooked structures at the end of the leg or tars ...

s, and they mark territory with scent glands in their paws. Indoor cats may be prevented from exercising this urge on

furniture Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., stools, chairs, and sofas), eating ( tables), storing items, eating and/or working with an item, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks) ...

if they are provided with an acceptable scratching post. Homemade scratching post

The most common type of post consists of a wooden post, roughly 60–90 cm (24–36 inches) tall, covered in rough fabric or

sisal Sisal (, ) (''Agave sisalana'') is a species of flowering plant native to southern Mexico, but widely cultivated and naturalized in many other countries. It yields a stiff fibre used in making rope and various other products. The term sisal may ...

. The post is mounted vertically in a wide base, which allows the cat to stretch upward on its rear legs and scratch freely without tipping it over. A post that is unstable or does not allow a cat to fully extend its body might put off the cat from using it. Surfaces vary: the post may be covered in sisal rope, upholstery fabric, or the

jute Jute is a long, soft, shiny bast fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus ''Corchorus'', which is in the mallow family Malvaceae. The primary source of the fiber is ''Corchorus olit ...

backing of a piece of

carpet A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyester hav ...

. Many pet owners say they have to experiment with different surfaces to find one that their cats will scratch reliably. Experts say that cats generally prefer sisal or corrugated cardboard surface

Other kinds of scratching posts are more elaborate, with several levels of horizontal platforms for climbing and cozy cave-like areas where cats may hide. Very tall ones are often called "

cat tree A cat tree (also referred to as a cat tree house, cat condo, kitty condo, cat stand, cat post "catbox" or cat tower) is an artificial structure for a cat to play, exercise, relax and sleep on. Cat trees vary in height and complexity, with most ca ...

s." These may have a vertical tension rod that extends to the ceiling to provide extra stability. Smaller scratching surfaces may consist of something as simple as a piece of carpet turned upside down, or a flat pad of woven sisal with a loop to allow it to hang from a

doorknob A door handle or doorknob is a handle used to open or close a door. Door handles can be found on all types of doors including exterior doors of residential and commercial buildings, internal doors, cupboard doors and vehicle doors. There are many ...

. Others are made from

corrugated fiberboard Corrugated fiberboard or corrugated cardboard is a type of packaging material consisting of a fluted corrugated sheet and one or two flat linerboards. It is made on "flute lamination machines" or "corrugators" and is used for making corrugate ...

. Scratching posts may be purchased at most stores that carry pet supplies and online, like Amazon, Walmart, target and other stores. but many people build their own.

Types

Image:Corrugated fiberboard scratch pad with cat.jpg, A corrugated fiberboard scratching pad Image:WickerCatPole.jpg, A wickerwork cat pole Image:MTP Cat Show 2230206.JPG, A variety of scratching posts for sale at a cat show Image:3 maciatka.png, An actual tree trunk used as a scratching post File:Cat tree with 2 cats.jpg, Cat tree with 2 cats

References

Cats as pets Cat equipment {{Cat-stub

Types

See also

References