How do I get my cat to use the scratching post?
Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at
12:44 pm
I just bought my cat a scratching post, but I don’t think he knows what it is yet. He just kinda sniffs it, then scratches my computer chair again. How do I get him to learn to scratch the post?
(I don’t particularly mind that he scratches the chair, because that’s the only furniture he scratches and it’s already beat up. I just want him to know that the post is there for him to scratch, too!)
Filed under: Cat Furniture
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
The fastest and easiest way to get a cat to use a new post is to play with a toy around the post. When he goes to grab the toy (use an interactive toy that has a long reach to protect your hands) his claws go into the scratching post.
Some posts have carpeting that has too thick a pile and cats cannot get their claws into it. Some scratching posts are put too far out of the way and cats ignore it. It helps to put it where the chair is or right next to the chair. You can move it later after he has started using it.
If your cat like catnip, rather than use the herb loose or soaking it in a spray, you can put some into the toe of a long sock and tie the top of the sock very tightly around the post with a sturdy knot. This helps prevent the herb from falling onto the floor and encouraging your cat to scratch the carpeting instead.
I had that same problem! My cat avoided the scratching post and went straight for my 1000 thread count sheets! EEK! I found that rubbing catnip into the scratching post did wonders! It got him active and once he realized what the scratching post was for he had a field day!
Make sure you get a really good post. For example
http://www.esmartcat.com/shopping/Ultimate_Scratching_Post.htm
That website also has tips on getting the cat to use the post.
Rub catnip on it.
Whenever he uses your chair, carry him immediately to the post and gently encourage him to scratch it by moving his paws along the post.
I purchased a spray catnip product from the pet store, and sprayed the cat condo (a carpeted hollow tower with steps and a hidey hole at the top) with catnip. I touch it up with spray once in a while to keep their interest. Worked like a charm, less messy than rubbing catnip into it. Good luck!
Take his paws and rub them up and down like he would if he was using it. He will get the hang of it eventually.
rub cat nip on it.
show by example….make him watch you scratch it…he will follow suit
if he responds to catnip then you can sprinkle some onto the scratching post (most cats over 6 months old respond to catnip) then you could sprinkle some loose catnip on it, or spray it with a catnip spray
If your cat does not respond to catnip, or if you don’t have any loose catnip in the house right now, then another alternative you can do to show him that the post is HIS is to sprinkle a bit of his dry food around the base of the post. He’ll find the dry food, eat it, then not only associate the post with a good thing (food) but he will also claim the post as his by scratching it (most cats mark the areas where they find food by scratching around the area, they have scent glands in their paws which release their scent when they scratch and it tells all the other animals that this is their territory)
I’m sure he’ll love it once he realizes it’s his!
A good catnip spray should do the trick.
Also, I once purchased one of those cardboard scratching posts filled with dry catnip, and my little kitten took to it immediately without any encouragement. I just left it in a corner of the room and he found it within the hour. He never even considered touching the furniture with that thing around