Kittens for cats own hands
Making a scratching post for a cat with your own hands -This is a great way to save money on buying a store-bought equivalent. In addition, you can make a homemade scratching post exactly the way you like, rather than choosing from ready-made options that may not suit you. Well, in terms of quality, home-made products will be an order of magnitude better than the incomprehensible China, which is mainly sold in zoological stores. I hope we’ve persuaded you and you can’t wait to make a scratching post for your beloved cat with your own hands. But first, let's spend a little time on theory.
What are scratching sticks and why are they needed?
Scratching posts are somewhat of a replacementsofas, wardrobes and carpets. Cats periodically sharpen their claws on them, leaving all other interior items alone. But only if you teach them to sharpen their claws in a certain place, which in principle is not difficult, but will require a certain patience. That is, just making a scratching post is not enough. Although there are cases, quite often, when cats get used to them on their own and there is no need to accustom them. But you shouldn’t hope that you’ll be lucky either. Flaws. The main disadvantage of store-bought models is their rather flimsy coating. Cheap cat models break quickly enough and you have to repair them or replace them with new ones. The second noticeable drawback is that scratching posts take up space in the apartment. Not very much, of course, but they often get in the way. When making scratching posts for cats with your own hands, you need to try to avoid these shortcomings. This is quite possible and we will show several interesting options that do not take up space and fit harmoniously into the interior. Types of scratching posts. Stores mainly sell floor-standing models consisting of a base and a rod covered with soft material. Homemade scratching posts can have many more implementation options.
Making a cat scratching cat for yourself
So, we come to the most interesting part, namelyto the manufacturing process. We will look at several options so that you can choose the most suitable one for your apartment or house. But remember that the proposed options can be modernized and adapted to suit you. A scratching post made from table legs. Almost every apartment has a table with long legs - kitchen, computer, dining or any other. Bar counters for the kitchen with round metal legs are also suitable.
Insulation for heating pipes is put on the legs/ DHW, cut lengthwise with a utility knife. It is secured with double-sided tape, regular tape, glue or any other available method (it is better to use options that make it possible to remove the insulation without damaging the table legs). A thick rope (string) is wound over the insulation and secured on top with glue or just some tricky knot.
The result is a cool homemadea scratching post for a cat that doesn’t take up a centimeter of space, which is especially practical in small apartments. We have already considered this method in detail, if you are interested in the step-by-step manufacturing process, see it here. Wall-mounted scratching posts Wall-mounted scratching posts are good for the same reasons as the previous option - they do not take up space in the apartment and do not get in the way. First, we select a board made of soft wood (it should be easy to saw with a regular hacksaw - pine is the best option). Size 35-40 cm in length and 20-30 cm in width. You can do less, but it’s better to do it with a reserve. The board is attached to the wall so that its lower edge touches the floor (5-6 cm from the floor is also normal) and so that it can be removed for replacement, but it should not dangle. A piece of dense material (carpet, thick felt, etc.) is glued on top of the board.
Attach with screws or other metalelements should not be made of material, as the cat can damage its claws on them (it is better to glue or staple them on the back side of the board). It is best to install a scratching post in a place where the wall has already been damaged by a cat. You can replace the material with the same thick twine, wrapping it tightly around the board and securing the ends with glue or otherwise.
For greater reliability, it makes sense to glue the entirerope with glue. It should last for six months, after which it will have to be replaced by cutting it off with a knife and gluing a new one. By the way, you can make floor scratching posts for cats with your own hands in an angular shape, as shown in the photo below.
The manufacturing process will be somewhat more complicated, butsimilar (you just need to glue two boards at right angles or fasten them with screws, recessing the caps a few millimeters so that the cat does not damage its claws on them). Floor scratching posts There are endless options for making a classic floor scratching post for a cat with your own hands. Naturally, we won’t talk about them all. You just need to understand the general principle of the design in order to make it without difficulty. To make it, you will need a board of rectangular, square, round or even oval shape (20x20 cm or more). A long block 40-50 cm long. Thick twine, dense material (carpet is the same), stapler, screws, screwdriver and glue. 1 step. A long block is attached to the board with screws. The joint should also be glued or reinforced with corners.
Step 2. The upper part of the base is sheathed with thick material using a stapler or glue.
Step 3. The stand is wrapped with twine, which is glued so that the cat does not tear it off.This is the simplest option for making a floorDIY scratching posts. There are also more complex ones with a top bar, multi-colored twine, various decorative elements, etc. If you don't feel like reading, just watch the video.
How to train a cat to scratch
There are two ways to accustom a cat to a homemade scratching post:
- Put it in the immediate vicinity of the place where the cat used to sharpen its claws (wallpaper on the wall, a leg from the couch, a piece of carpet, etc.).
- Apply to scratching a little fragrance, who love cats (valerian and others).
It is best to combine these two methods, plus avoid sharpening your claws on furniture, walls and carpets. If you take this issue seriously, then quickly accustom your cat to the new scratching post.
