Buying a cat scratching post for your favorite feline can sometimes be difficult. There are a lot of options out there and some can cost quite a pretty penny. But you don’t have to buy the most expensive one on the market. There are lots of alternatives to buying an expensive cat scratcher just because it is nicely advertised. But whatever you decide to do about it, avoid trying to improvise your own, especially out of unsafe materials you don’t know where they come from. You might end up putting your pets; life in danger or seriously hurting them.
Why You Should Avoid A DIY Cat Scratcher?
Your feline friend needs to be entertained in order to unwind after a log day of being the apex predator that he is. But you might not always have time to play with him. Cats can’t really be put on a leash and taken to a park to throw the ball around for a bit. But they do require attention and involvement from their owners. Granted, cuddling, brushing and petting might do the trick for a while, but cats can get bored really fast. So you need something that will be engaging t the for a long time. You could invest in sophisticated toys, but some of them have a lot of dangerous parts that can harm your kitty. So the best option for you and your tabby is a scratcher.
But a lot of people think that a cat scratcher can simply be anything that a cat uses to sharpen its claws and play with in order to burn some of that energy. That’s why they might sometimes replace a store-bought scratcher with something else. That’s not always a good idea. Improvising a scratcher can have some very bad consequences for your cat. That’s because the materials used to make these substitutes aren’t always of the highest quality. Also, making a scratcher out of things that don’t usually belong near a cat can make the develop some very bad behaviors.
For instance, most people that don’t want to buy a cat scratcher think that a simple piece of wood with some string can be used just as well by their furry friends. In theory, they’re not wrong. Cats in the wild do use wood to sharpen their claws and to play. But not just any wood is right for this. Dried up wood can splinter and get under the cats’ claws. That can lead to painful wounds that can get infected if left untreated. Also, using string made out of artificial materials, or using artificial dyes, can lead to the cat inhaling or ingesting them and causing her to have serious health issues after.
Most people that use a DIY cat scratcher think that by using it they can save some money. Sure, you can save a few bucks now by not buying a scratcher from a pet store. But just think about what medical expenses and vet bills mean in the long run, if your cat gets injured while using that scratcher. You could end up spending a lot more money than you would have initially if you just bought the right scratcher for your cat. Also, you might end up having to buy one anyway because cats do need something to entertain themselves with. So you are better of just buying a scratcher in the first place and avoiding any dangerous scenarios that might involve your kitty.
Where to Buy the Right Cat Scratching Post?
The obvious option when wanting to buy a cat scratching post is the nearest pet store to you. There you can find a wide selection of posts that come with various accessories and have a lot of features to them. your cat will love them and you can rest assured that they are made with the right materials. Also, this way you can verify the company that makes them. you can always go online and check what kind of elements does the company use in their products. You can check to see if the accessories the shops sell are right for a cat of a certain age or if the components of the post are safe to be used by any cats. Furthermore, you can check with store employees in order to get an idea about what the best post is for your cat. Some stores even let owners bring their pets in, just so they can test the sits for themselves and pick the right one.
Another great place to by a cat scratching post is online. This option however implies a little more research in your behalf. That’s because there are a lot of options out there, and you need to be sure that you are making the right decision before pressing that “add to cart” button. The best way to do this is to read up on the comments other buyers left. That way you can get an idea about what the trend is and what other people are buying. Also, you can check out other sites and blogs especially made for cat owners and lovers. There you can find valuable information about scratching posts and which ones are the bets and why.
You can always buy a cat scratching post at your vets’ office. Many veterinary offices and clinics also have shops for various animal supplies, including toys and other accessories. Scratching posts are among the many things one can find at such a shop. And the best part about buying from you vets’ office is that you can be sure that what they have is surely the best. No vet would ever sell anything that might endanger a pets wellbeing. Also, if you don’t find anything you like, they can order it for you. Suppliers tend to work faster and better when vets are involved. That’s because they know that if a vet orders a certain product, they will surely recommend it to others.
