How to accustom an adult cat or kitten to a scratching post: effective, time-tested measures

Why does a cat tear up furniture?

Cats are used to sharpening their claws. They have no intention of ruining things. The cat sharpens its claws to remove dead particles, smooth the surface and sharpen the tips. This is a kind of exercise for the paw muscles. Surely the owners have noticed how the pet stretches sweetly after waking up and extends its claws to cling to something nearby.

Cats mark their territory this way. The glands located on the paw pads exude a characteristic secretion, the aroma is felt only by animals. Performing a daily “ritual,” cats strive to reach the top mark with their paws in order to create the appearance of a large and scary predator that left this mark.

A scratching post is a useful accessory that can protect furniture and wallpaper from cat attacks. However, in practice, teaching a pet to stand is much more difficult than, for example, teaching a pet to relieve itself in a litter tray. After all, this process involves confrontation with nature itself and is equivalent to training a cat.

Why do cats sharpen their claws?

The claws of most mammals, including cats, serve several important functions. Domesticated individuals also retain the behavioral characteristics of their wild relatives.

For them, sharpening their claws is as natural as stretching after sleep and brushing their fur. This is not a sign of a bad character or a spoiled pet. The main reasons for the daily procedure are as follows:

• the animal needs to improve its health - the cat maintains its good shape by stretching and strength training, sharpening its claws. This is a kind of cat exercise;
• During the sharpening process, the purrs are freed from split or overly long claws. Scratchy feet should be sharp and healthy;
• Cats’ favorite places for claw service are marks of their territory, the “busy” sign. The marking is helped by a special secretion secreted by special glands through the paw pads. A subtle sense of smell helps to detect the smell.

Animals, deprived of the opportunity to sharpen their claws, gnaw on the horny formations. Fracture and separation often leads to inflammation of the phalanges. A good prevention of diseases of cat paws is to sharpen the claws in a certain place, using a special device.

What measures should not be used when training a cat?

You cannot hit or scream at your cat if it has once again tested the strength of the sofa. The pet will be scared, but it is unlikely to understand why they are angry with him. It’s better to say sternly: “You can’t,” and hit the floor with a slipper or clap your hands. The animal will be wary and understand that this is not worth doing.

Attention! Cats are vindictive by nature. For any aggression in their direction, they are ready to commit meanness. If you yell at her or hit her, for example, she may relieve herself on the bed.

You should not spray your cat with water from a spray bottle when it begins to sharpen its claws. Of course, contact with water is unpleasant for a pet, which means contact with a carpet, sofa or something else into which its claws have previously dug will be associated with danger that should be avoided. However, this method can hardly be called humane.

Important! Sometimes cats sharpen their paws not because they feel the need. They strive to attract attention because they remember that after damage to furniture or a carpet, people start yelling at them.

How to accustom a kitten to a scratching post

The first steps in the process of accustoming a cat to a scratching post should be arranged in a certain order.

1. Introducing the scratching post. You need to attract the kitten's attention to the scratching post in a playful way. You should stand near the accessory and tease your pet with a moving toy or any other object that can arouse the animal’s interest. The kitten will play around and wrap its paws around the scratching post.

2. After waiting for this moment, the owner can quietly scratch the counter with his nails. The animal will hear the sound and may want to join in exploring the new thing.
3. If, after the above-described manipulations, the kitten does not understand the purpose of the accessory, it is necessary to place the scratcher in a horizontal position and play with the animal around it. The cat will probe the surface with its paws when it accidentally jumps onto the scratching post while hunting for a toy. After a while, the pet will begin to use the nail clipper without the owner’s prompting or help.
4. As soon as the animal develops the skill of sharpening its paws on a special stand, the scratching post can be returned to its original position, more convenient for the owner.

The best effective method of training a scratching post is to play with the kitten near the counter.

Like many other manipulations with animals, this habit is best developed at a tender age. Especially if the kitten tried to copy its mother and repeated the same actions after her. Therefore, it is good when the baby’s parents are already accustomed.

Six effective tips

Below are some helpful tips that will help you succeed in training your kitten to use a scratching post:

1. Encourage your petwhen he independently approaches the counter and begins to cling to it with his claws. You can praise, pet or give a treat.

2. Do not grab your pet by the paws and force him to scratch the scratching post. Even if the owner does this carefully and gently, the kitten still will not understand what they want from him. He won't like it. The animal will try to escape from your hands, and the scratching post will already be associated with something unpleasant
3. Try to attract your cat with mint. Do not use valerian (valerian), it, like a drug, distorts behavior and dulls the cat's instincts. Take a small amount of catnip and sprinkle (spray) the counter. This product attracts cats well, they begin to rub, purr and release their claws with pleasure.
4. When playing near the counter, be attentive and consistent in your actions so that your pet clearly understands what they want from him.
5. Do not play with the animal near curtains or furniture. By grabbing an object, the kitten will think that it can scratch other nearby things.
6. Cover the corners of the sofa and other furniture with something rustling, such as bags or foil, while training you to use the scratching post. If a cat pulls up the carpet, it should be removed until a useful skill is finally established in the pet’s behavior.

For kittens, it is recommended to buy horizontal scratching posts in the form of boards trimmed with jute or sisal. Wooden ones are not the best option at a tender age, since the paw pads of small pets are too soft and susceptible to mechanical damage.

Recommendations for selection and installation

You can please your pet in choosing a scratching post after observing its habits. If you caught a cat committing a “crime” on the best floor carpet, then a horizontal panel will suit him. Those who like to sharpen their claws on the corners of sofas and armchairs will like the column or vertical design. The most popular columns are those with a bed on top.

Particular attention should be paid to the stability of the scratching post. Once a structure falls on a cat, it will never enjoy the animal’s trust. A wide and heavy base is a mandatory design element, since to accustom a cat to a house with a scratching post provided that the animal is completely safe.

Installation is recommended in places where the pet likes to be most often. If the place for the play complex is not the most convenient for the inhabitants of the home, but the cat has chosen this option, then it is recommended to move the scratching post a little every day in the direction you need. The most fastidious individuals will get used to this scenario and will gradually move to the place you have determined.

The height of the sharpener should correspond to the length of the cat with its paws extended. It’s good if the pet doesn’t reach the top of the post. In horizontal models, the animal itself chooses a convenient distance for the procedure.

How to train an adult cat

Adults are smart, just like kittens, so the process of accustoming to a scratching post will not take longer. You need to act as in the case of a kitten:

1. Bring your pet to the counter; in this case, you can move its paws along the upholstery of the scratching post.
2. If necessary, use additional motivation - play a toy with her, moving the mouse or feather along the surface.

3. You can, as in the case of a kitten, rub the upholstery with catnip leaves, the main thing is not to overdo it, cats have a keen sense of smell and a pungent smell can scare off the pet.

Important! If the previous tips turned out to be ineffective, you can rub the surface of the counter with a rag that you previously stroked a strange cat. The animal, sensing someone else's scent, will begin to mark the territory using its claws. However, it should be remembered that cats can mark in a slightly different way. If urine gets on the scratching post, a clean cat will most likely refuse to sharpen its claws on it in the future.

Impregnations for better training

Smells and treats motivate furry hunters, like good prey. Here are a few ways to train an adult cat to use a scratching post.

Rub the dry collection of catnip in your hands, put it in a linen bag or toy and secure it to a scratching post. The delicate lemon scent of this herb changes the animal's behavior.

The catnip tincture should be sprayed very carefully and do not forget to dilute with water. The dry collection can be poured with boiling water (300 ml per tablespoon) and cooled in a dark place. You also need to apply it carefully: it leaves stains on fabrics. By the way, the smell of catnip is the best antidepressant for humans.

The active substance actinidin (an antidepressant from catnip) is also found in the familiar valerian. Try this herb or its analogues. There is a version that the smell of the plant is similar to the smell of adults ready to mate. This may be why kittens up to five months old and castrated cats are practically indifferent to valerian.

Look for ready-made solutions at the pet store, but beware of low-quality products. It can cause allergies in pets. Vet pharmacies have several types of products that help scare away or attract animals.

Nature's and Beaphar "Stop it Cat" sprays repel adult cats and eliminate urine and claw mark odors.

Ready-made dry herbal mixtures of domestic production containing valerian perfectly attract animals.

Owners know their pet better and intuitively understand how much to spray the scratching post. Usually one or two sprays are enough for the kitty to smell the smell and run to get to know the scratching post better.

What will help attract a cat to the scratching post?

To attract your pet to the scratching post, you first need to wean it from sharpening its claws in the usual way, that is, on furniture, wallpaper, etc.

1. Will help scare your pet away from the sofa or carpet sharp citrus smell. Treat your favorite nail sharpening areas with lemon juice. This will keep the animal away from them for a long time.

2. Cats do not accept polyethylene , because its surface does not leave the slightest chance for claws to catch on. And the bubble wrap actually creates fear in the cat. Cellophane should be used to cover furniture and places (wallpaper and doors) that the pet has chosen. For these purposes double-sided tape sold in pet stores will do. When a pet wants to sharpen its paws, it will begin to stick to the surface, and cats don’t like that.
3. As mentioned earlier, the smell of catnip, toys attached to a scratching post, and rewarding with treats when the cat behaves correctly will help attract a cat.

All protected areas need to find a replacement - a scratching post. You can buy it in a specialized store or make it yourself. It’s better to take or make several and place them in your favorite places, and then begin the training process according to the recommendations described above.

If you can’t train your pet to use a scratching post, you can try the following:

• change the location of the stand, moving it to the corner where the cat is used to getting a “manicure”;
• hang your pet’s favorite toy on the stand (or better yet, a bell or rattle, such things can arouse greater interest in the cat);
• treat the upholstery with catnip powder or solution;
• observe the animal and determine which surfaces it scratches most often: vertical or horizontal and which material is of greater interest. This will help when choosing a scratching post.

Types of scratching posts

Now you can find a scratching post for every taste and please not only the owner, but also his pet. For example, floor and wall scratching posts are a convenient and simple option. They are small planks wrapped in rope or thick fabric. Such products do not take up much space and are easy to install.

A floor scratching post can be placed next to a place that the cat is already trying to adapt for grinding its claws

Scratching posts are made in the form of a round or square column located on a small flat area. Jute rope is used as a winding for the post. It is dense and durable, and therefore suitable for long-term use. One of the advantages of such a scratching post is the ease of installation.

Products with a bed at the top are more functional, since cats will use them not only for grinding down their claws, but also for resting.

In addition, you can find scratching posts that are shaped like a house. They will perform two useful functions at once. Firstly, they will become a place for your pet to sleep and relax, and secondly, they will help the cat sharpen its claws and not spoil the furniture in the house. This is a very convenient option, considering that many cats prefer to sharpen their claws immediately after sleep.

The shapes of the houses can be very diverse: round, wavy or rectangular

If your pet likes to sharpen its claws while playing, then pay attention to scratching posts with toys. They are intended mainly for kittens, but may also appeal to adult animals. Typically, fur balls, balls and toy mice are used to attract the cat's attention.

A fluffy jumping ball on a spring and a ball rolling in a circle will interest many cats, regardless of their age.

Recommendations for choosing and installing a scratching post

When purchasing a scratching post, first of all make sure that it is safe. Natural materials should be used in production: wood, jute ropes, thick fabric without harmful dyes. The base can be made of high-quality plastic that will not crumble and will not harm the pet. The presence of polyethylene and other artificial and easily torn materials is unacceptable, as the pet may accidentally eat them. Usually scratching posts are distinguished:

• jute (environmentally friendly and inexpensive);
• cardboard (cheap and short-lived);
• sisal (very expensive and durable);
• wooden (environmentally friendly, but too hard).

My friends bought a floor-mounted scratching post with a corrugated cardboard insert for their kitten. A beautiful and inexpensive product stood in the house for three days at most. The kitten turned out to be too active and quickly turned the cardboard into dust, which was successfully scattered around the house. Since then, I am sure that it is better not to save on such a purchase.

The stability of the structure plays an important role. It’s good if it is possible to screw the product to the floor or walls. This way you will be sure that the scratching post will not fall on the animal and scare it. When choosing products in the form of racks, make sure that their base is heavy and will not tip over. Pay attention to the height of the product. Cats like to stretch out to their full height when grinding their claws. Therefore, you need to make sure in advance that the height of the scratching post is enough for your pet.

The appearance of the product is more important for the owner than for his pet. Try to choose scratching posts that will fit into your interior in both color and shape. Then they will not stand out from the general style and will not irritate with their appearance. In addition, it is worth considering the dimensions of the product. For example, for one-room apartments and cramped rooms it is better to choose floor and wall products.

In spacious rooms you can install real multi-level castles, equipped with scratching posts, loungers, houses and toys

Useful video

Video instructions on how to accustom a kitten and an adult cat to a scratching post:

Patience, persistence and regular repetition will help train even the most stubborn pets. There is such a procedure in the world as removal of nail phalanges. However, in many countries it is equated with mutilation and is opposed to these actions, and we are of the same opinion.

If you can’t get your cat accustomed to a scratching post, then you can think about using silicone anti-scratch pads or trim your pet’s claws more often, and our article on proper claw trimming will help you with this.

Everyone is responsible for those they have tamed, therefore, when taking a new animal into your home, it is important to understand all the responsibility and natural needs of pets. Accustoming to a scratching post is a complex process that requires a lot of time, but this is the only option when, as they say, both the wolves are fed and the sheep are safe. Leave comments on the article about what methods you know of training a cat to use a scratching post.

Using smells

There are scents that, on the contrary, attract cats.
This is the well-known valerian and catnip. These herbs can be purchased at a pharmacy or pet store https://zoozavr.detmir.ru/. A decoction of these herbs should be sprinkled on the nail polisher. An unusual and attractive smell for cats will attract your pet. Therefore, he will often visit this place. But if you put the owner’s things here, the cat will also visit this place, this smell will be attractive to the pet. For pets living in a large house, it is recommended to use several scratching posts. Usually they are placed in different places. One of them should be in your favorite one.

To train an adult cat it will take about a month, sometimes a little longer in some cases. You can't get upset and give up. The owner's patience and calmness will help the cat learn the new accessory and its purpose.