One of the first things many people buy when bringing home a cat is a cat scratching post. This is because it gives the little fur-ball something to do and keeps him entertained and off your furniture. But not everybody understands why a cat scratcher is such a good investment. Some even consider it a source of potential danger for their pet.
What Is a Cat Scratching Post Used for?
Although cuddly and very nice company to have around, especially on cold winter nights, cats are among the fiercest hunters in the animal kingdom. They are known to hunt both for food as well as for sport and amusement. That is why cats have to keep their senses and weapon finely tuned at all times. That includes their claws. In the wild, cats would normally sharpen or dull their claws using trees or rocks. But when living indoors, they don’t have those options. So they need alternatives. Some of them take it out on furniture and drapes or carpets. So, cat owners had to come up with a solution in order to safe their belongings.
This is how the cat scratching post came to be. Think of it like an all-inclusive exercise machine and relaxation unit for your cat. They can play and work on their claws at the same time, without doing any damage to the other stuff in a room. This is why many cat owners buy these posts. Scratching posts are a wonderful solution to giving your cat something to do while indoors. Granted, nothing really beats the great outdoors, and some cat owners do let their cats roam freely, but it’s always nice to have something to offer them when they are looked inside for longer periods of time.
A cat scratching post, at its most basic form, usually resembles a tree trunk. That’s because, although they live indoors, cats need to have things that remind them of their natural habitat. Also, seeing a tree trunk, even an artificial one, will help keep them interested in it for a long time. But if you’re looking for something more than just a brown cylinder with some rope wrapped around it, you can always choose form the variety of models pet shops have to offer. They come in literally all shapes and sizes, with numerous accessories, ranging from the very common to the outrageously comic.
Buying a cat scratching post for your little hunter will help him with more than just keeping his claws ready for any prey he might encounter. It also gives him a space of his own where he can be totally comfortable and relaxed. Cats are very temperamental creatures. That’s why it is wise to give them space. Sure, they like to play and chase after feathers on strings, but they also need their alone time. They like napping a lot and also bath quite often. And they only do this when they are perfectly relaxed. Many scratching posts come with little perches or crawl spaces where they can hide, curl up and do their thing. It provides them with a safe space that lets them do what they need to in order to relax and unwind.
What Are Some Common Misconceptions About Having a Cat Scratcher?
Although owning a cat scratcher is widely endorsed by many cat owners and even veterinarians. There are still some people out there who might not actually see what all the fuss is about. More so, some even have some wrong ideas about what a scratcher can do to their cat. For instance, there are those that believe that having a scratcher indoors will make the cat more prone scratching and attacking. They think that if the cat has access to a scratcher, it will become more violent or aggressive. Nothing could be further from the truth. Scratchers help cats let go off stress, not built it up. True, some younger felines might spend a lot more time with the scratcher than older ones, but that’s just because they have more energy to burn. Owning a scratcher won’t make your cat more aggressive.
Others think that scratchers aren’t good for cats because it dulls their natural senses. They fear that if a cat gets used to using a scratcher, instead of going out to find a tree or something else, they might lose their instincts and become too docile. This is in some part true. Cats are creatures that enjoy comfort. They will usually choose the easiest way of doing something, or even doing nothing, if that’s an option. But having a scratcher indoors doesn’t mean that they will ultimately give up on their natural instincts. A cat scratcher is just a substitute. It is an option many people enjoy having when they cannot offer their pets the real thing. You can always alternate between letting your cat go outside and letting it use the scratcher. The point is that a scratcher helps it keep his instincts, not lose them.
Some people believe that buying a cat scratcher can even harm you cat. This isn’t necessarily wrong, but it doesn’t mean it is ultimately right. Yes, there are some companies out there that might make scratchers using harmful materials, such as lead based paints, cheap plastics and synthetic threads. But there are also those companies that understand how precious pets can be and always make sure to use only the best materials for their products. This is where the owner has to be careful when choosing the right scratcher. Always check the label before buying anything and, if possible, check online with other owners or on blogs and forums for recommendations. Also, you can ask your local pet shop keep for any suggestions. If those don’t help you as much as you’d like, you can also ask your vet. He will surely know what to recommend so that your animal friend doesn’t get hurt.
