Choosing the Right Scratching Product for Cat

For the last couple of days I have been watching the rescue cats to determine their individual scratching needs. I found that they all scratch different. One of the kittens likes to lie on their back and scratch under the sofa, then the other one likes to sit in front of the sofa and scratch, the smallest kitten likes to scratch with paws stretch to an object above her head like the wood trim that goes around the doorways or my drapes. All of the kittens claws have been clipped so they have not damaged anything, but my observation was needed to determine their scratching habits.

Once I figured out my kittens scratching needs, I knew that a single sisal post was not going to entertain them and a cat that lies on back will not use the upright scratching post. I needed to shop at PETCO.com and choose the right scratching post or tree for the cats. 

I have also found quality cat trees and scratching posts at Petsmart.com and Bizrate.com and overstock.com  If shopping online pick out a tree with many stars and read the reviews.

TIPS

1. Getting the right scratching post is a way to provide the cats with entertainment for hours, tons of fun for the felines. They can scratch according to their needs and play in the carpet covered cubes.
2. Know that cat trees can be expensive but I think they are worth it because once you set up the tree the cat goes to the tree without hesitation. It is their special place where they can climb, scratch and sleep. 
3. If you buy a less expensive cat tree that is not sturdy, then I would recommend that you attach it to your wall and to the floor so that it is permanent. Make the cat tree a permanent structure that does not move around and your cat will be safe and happy. 
4. Buy a quality tree that will not fall over and may hurt your cat, especially if they are older and cannot move fast. 

When Kittens Bite and Scratch

When you look at my hands you will see scratches. Know that these scratches are from the kittens that I care for.   When the rescued or abandoned kittens get to be a certain age they tend to play a little roughly by scratching and biting. Their  sharp little teeth hurt and sometime the scratch or bite gets infected.

Generally this rough playing with the biting and scratching occurs when kittens are about 7 to 8 weeks old. One day your kitten is sweet and the next morning something is different because your adorable kitten has discovered that her teeth hurt and she wants to bite everything and she also discovered that she has claws.

Discourage your kitten from playing with your hands or feet. Instead buy dabird (bird with feather on a stick) and run the bird across the floor. Your kitten will chase after the bird and find this to be amusing. If there are no litter mates for kitten to play with then buy your kitten a stuffed toy. Spray the toy with catnip and now you have a toy that kitten can play with and you hands are not their source of entertainment. 

 In addition to the cat toys, now is the time to teach your baby cat to use a scratching post.  I recommend buying a medium sized cat tree that is covered with carpet.  This tree will provide your kitten with hours of entertainment plus the cat tree will be their place a safe area to scratch.

Note:

Sometimes those dagger claws will puncture the skin and let me tell you this darling kitten’s playful behavior is not fun at all. So clip those claws so that they will not scratch you.  

I recommend that before you handle any stray or feral kitten that you make sure that you have on protective clothing; arms and legs covered with long sleeve shirt and if possible a jacket plus leather gloves to protect your hands.  Helpful to be current with your tetanus shot. Other than than enjoy the kittens as they are babies for only a short time.

Kittens Need a Cat Scratcher

The kittens that I rescued three weeks ago are at the age where they need to learn how to scratch on a post.  So we went shopping at PetSmart today to get some ideas.

Let me tell you, there are so many scratching posts that come in a variety of styles and sizes.  Normally we buy a scratching post that fits our adult cat’s needs; the cats that scratch our Berber carpet do well with the cat scratching trees that are covered with carpet.   My one cat goes after the side of our sofa so we bought a silsal robe covered post and this style satisfied my furniture scratching cat.

The five kittens that we rescued are climbers as they will climb up my body to stand on my shoulder and purr in my ear.  This behavior is a good sign that they need a cat tree or a cat scratcher that is mounted over the door like SmartCat Muliti cat climber at amazon.com.


Now that we have an idea as to what cat scratcher would be best we are going to watch for pet product sale.