Scratch post problems

[pamela81]

Having scratch post problems with Harris. He has never seemed to like his scratch post. He used it a few times but now he prefers door frames and my pine (unvarnished) chest of drawers eventhough we sprayed catnip on it. We have come to the conlusion that maybe he feels the post we have is too small for him to use so are going to buy him another 1 which is bigger. Does anyone have any ideas on how we can gt him to use a new 1 when we buy him it?

[angieh]

I would place the new post near an object he currently scratches, eg. the door frame and then when he starts to scratch the post instead begin to move it little by little to where you want it to be. Praise him every time he uses the scratch post.

With Pip, if I caught him scratching something he shouldn't, I just moved him in front of a scratch post and put his paws on it, then when he started scratching again I gave him plenty of praise.

[dandysmom]

That's the theory; hope it works for you.

[wilbar]

In order to get a cat to use a scratching post, you need to understand the motivation for the scratching in the first place.

Scratching leaves big olfactory cues (from the scent glands in their paws) to mark their territory (this is mine!!) plus it also leave a big visual mark for other cats. This is why scratching posts (or bits of furniture that they scratch) must be made of a shreddable material that will leave visible scratch marks.

Because the scratches are territorial marks, they will be made in very visible places, e.g. doorways, entrances, main thoroughfares around the house & garden.

Once they've started using a piece of furniture it can be quite dificult to get them to break the habit, & the longer it goes on, the more difficult to stop.

Cats can be vertical or horizontal scratchers & often both, but for vertical scratchers, the post needs to be tall enough for them to stretch full length & stable enough so it doesn't wobble.

It's good advice to place the post in front of the object they're already scratching but you'll need to cover the scratched item as well, possibly with something like tin foil or cling film, held on by blue tac or something.

Also you should make sure the post is placed in a very visible location, e.g a doorway. This may be inconvenient to start with, but better that than a ruined sofa! Once the cat is regularly using the post, then you can very gradually move it, inches at a time, to a more convenient place.

Hope this helps & good luck

[dandysmom]

Very helpful post! Thanks.

[calismum]

If possible as well as the great advice given above. I once moved the bit of furtinurer that was being used, covered it with a blanket and put the scratching post in its place.

After a while gradually moved it to where it was to go and put the chair back in its rightful place.

Good Luck

[pamela81]

thanx for all the advice, we are going to get his new scratch post and see how he gets on with it!!