Have you noticed your cat scratching the couch, the bed or other furniture? Make sure you get some type of scratch post for your cat. Scratch posts are important and your cats have a natural instinct to scratch for many reasons like maintaining their nails, stretching, and even marking their area.

Even if you are cutting their nails regularly, your cat will still need to have something to scratch. But where do you start to help them scratch something that is actually meant to be scratched and save your furniture at the same time?

Picking the right scratcher

There are different types of scratch posts or mats. Every cat may have a different preference so you might have to test out a few different options before knowing what your cat prefers. There are also products that are versatile and could be used as both an upright scratcher or a horizontal scratcher but generally these are the three different types of scratchers. We’ll go into each of the following in more detail. Flat scratch posts or mats

• Horizontal or flat scratchers
• Diagonal scratchers
• Upright scratch posts

Flat scratch posts or mats

This option is great for travel as it’s space-efficient and light weight. Note that flat scratch posts can also come in different textures and materials. Many cats may prefer upright scratch posts and additionally flat scratch is not as stable as it can move while a cat is scratching depending on the grip and whether it’s more heavy or if it’s more of a mat.

Diagonal scratch posts

This is a great middle option between both flat and upright posts. Diagonal scratch posts will usually provide a slanted area for your cat to stretch and also scratch. Given that it is a larger scratch post, it will definitely take up more space compared to the flat option and the upright option.

Upright scratch posts

Lastly this is the most common option and what comes to mind most of the time when talking about scratch posts. The upright scratch post is stable and more durable than the flat scratch post and you can find them already included with a lot of cat trees.

How to get your cat to actually use a scratch post

Now that you have a scratch post, how do you get your cat to use it?

First make sure the scratch post is visible and located in a spot that they visit often. You’ll want to get your cats familiar with the scratch post first.

Next time you see your cat scratching the couch or another piece of furniture that you want to preserve, bring their attention to the new scratch post. You can pick them up and place them in front of the scratch post so they’re aware and start learning.

You may have to repeat this a few times. When you see them using the scratch post, remember to give them a treat as positive reinforcement.

One scratch post may not be enough if you have a large apartment or house. In that case, make sure there are multiple scratch posts for your cats to easily access.