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#1
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Encourage scratching on post?
I finally got my cats a real scratching post -- Bear (adult) and his
sisters has always loved cardboard flat on the ground, so it's never been an issue, but my kitten (Maxx) is a vertical scratching. I'd rather accommodate his needs then try to convince him to do it my way That being said, Bear has figured out the scratching post and he uses it occasionally, but he mostly just plays going in circles around the bottom of the post. Yay! Maxx plays with it, but doesn't really scratch match. In general Maxx likes scratching on cardboard and on fabric, but only as long as he's reaching up... The scratching post is something my parents built, it's built tough, the base is heavy enough that it doesn't wiggle, and the fabric is almost identical to the one carpet that Maxx does like scratching on, so we figured it's a good candidate. I've tried catnip spray, Bear licks it, Maxx paws at it but doesn't scratch. I'll pick up some dried catnip and put it on the scratching post and see if that helps. Any other suggestions? Interestingly enough, one of my roommates' cats who happens to be declawed has figured out the scratching post, she goes nuts doing the scatching motions. -- A well-dressed man walks into a bar and asks a woman to sleep with him for $1M. The woman is excited and she gives immediate consent: "Of course I'll sleep with you!". Then the man asks, "will you sleep with me for $5?". The woman indignantly replies, "Of course not! What do you think I am?". The man replies, "We've already established what you are; now we're merely haggling over the price." |
#2
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"DevilsPGD" wrote in message ... I finally got my cats a real scratching post -- Bear (adult) and his sisters has always loved cardboard flat on the ground, so it's never been an issue, but my kitten (Maxx) is a vertical scratching. I'd rather accommodate his needs then try to convince him to do it my way snip I've tried catnip spray, Bear licks it, Maxx paws at it but doesn't scratch. I'll pick up some dried catnip and put it on the scratching post and see if that helps. Any other suggestions? Tie a small toy (or even just a piece of fabric) to a string or cord, then slowly run that up and down the scratching post. You cats will probably grab for the toy, and eventually their claws will dig into the post. Praise them *effusively* every time they start to scratch. Likewise, scratch the post with your fingernails or even tap it and call to your cats. Again, *much praise* when the scratching begins. They will soon get the idea. Incidentally, catnip works for many people, but I have found that it actually causes my cats to lick and rub the posts but not to scratch on them. You should have posts with a variety of coverings. Some cats prefer sisal (that seems to be the favorite), some like carpeting, some like corrugated cardboard, and some prefer plain wood. All should be sturdy enough not to topple over, and they should be tall enough so the cat will get a good "stretch" while scratching. MaryL Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o' http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") |
#3
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In message uHD0f.2233$xE1.292@okepread07 "MaryL"
-OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "DevilsPGD" wrote in message .. . I finally got my cats a real scratching post -- Bear (adult) and his sisters has always loved cardboard flat on the ground, so it's never been an issue, but my kitten (Maxx) is a vertical scratching. I'd rather accommodate his needs then try to convince him to do it my way snip I've tried catnip spray, Bear licks it, Maxx paws at it but doesn't scratch. I'll pick up some dried catnip and put it on the scratching post and see if that helps. Any other suggestions? Tie a small toy (or even just a piece of fabric) to a string or cord, then slowly run that up and down the scratching post. You cats will probably grab for the toy, and eventually their claws will dig into the post. Praise them *effusively* every time they start to scratch. Likewise, scratch the post with your fingernails or even tap it and call to your cats. Again, *much praise* when the scratching begins. They will soon get the idea. Incidentally, catnip works for many people, but I have found that it actually causes my cats to lick and rub the posts but not to scratch on them. You should have posts with a variety of coverings. Some cats prefer sisal (that seems to be the favorite), some like carpeting, some like corrugated cardboard, and some prefer plain wood. All should be sturdy enough not to topple over, and they should be tall enough so the cat will get a good "stretch" while scratching. I've had some luck with the catnip being too high for them to lick or rub against, but Maxx is small enough to sit on the top (there is no top shelf) so he sits there and gets the catnip and plays with any toys I attach. I've tried toys, but so far the cats have proved better at removing toys then I am at attaching them. I'm working on some different surfaces, I have a flat sisal thing which I can mount somewhere once I find a good place to mount it. If that doesn't work then I'll do a cardboard one too, but I'd like to discourage Maxx from shredding every cardboard box in the house. -- It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it. |
#4
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"DevilsPGD" wrote in message ... In message uHD0f.2233$xE1.292@okepread07 "MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote: "DevilsPGD" wrote in message . .. I finally got my cats a real scratching post -- Bear (adult) and his sisters has always loved cardboard flat on the ground, so it's never been an issue, but my kitten (Maxx) is a vertical scratching. I'd rather accommodate his needs then try to convince him to do it my way snip I've tried catnip spray, Bear licks it, Maxx paws at it but doesn't scratch. I'll pick up some dried catnip and put it on the scratching post and see if that helps. Any other suggestions? Tie a small toy (or even just a piece of fabric) to a string or cord, then slowly run that up and down the scratching post. You cats will probably grab for the toy, and eventually their claws will dig into the post. Praise them *effusively* every time they start to scratch. Likewise, scratch the post with your fingernails or even tap it and call to your cats. Again, *much praise* when the scratching begins. They will soon get the idea. Incidentally, catnip works for many people, but I have found that it actually causes my cats to lick and rub the posts but not to scratch on them. You should have posts with a variety of coverings. Some cats prefer sisal (that seems to be the favorite), some like carpeting, some like corrugated cardboard, and some prefer plain wood. All should be sturdy enough not to topple over, and they should be tall enough so the cat will get a good "stretch" while scratching. I've had some luck with the catnip being too high for them to lick or rub against, but Maxx is small enough to sit on the top (there is no top shelf) so he sits there and gets the catnip and plays with any toys I attach. I've tried toys, but so far the cats have proved better at removing toys then I am at attaching them. I'm working on some different surfaces, I have a flat sisal thing which I can mount somewhere once I find a good place to mount it. If that doesn't work then I'll do a cardboard one too, but I'd like to discourage Maxx from shredding every cardboard box in the house. -- It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it. I wasn't talking about attaching toys to the post. In fact, that can be dangerous. I once had a cat that managed to get that little cord twisted tightly around her leg, just above the paw. I believe she would have lost her leg (or even her life) if I hadn't been home, and since then I have removed *every* toy on a dangly string or spring. No, I meant for *you* to attach a toy to a string and *drag* it slowly up and down the post. All the while, tap on the post and/or call to get your cat's attention. It is important for this to be an intractive activity while the cats are still learning -- that is, you should also be involved and turn it into a game. When you are not using it, *put the toy* (and *every* toy on a string) carefully out of the reach of your cats, preferably in a drawer that the cats cannot open. You need a little time and patience, but I have found that it is a simple process to train cats to use a scratching post. However, you *do* need to be consistent for awhile. Any time you see your cats starting to scratch on another object, distract their attention, call them to the scratching post, and tap or scratch on the surface. There is a cardboard scratcher that is available in pet supply stores -- and on the Internet -- that many cats love. It has a sloped surface, and is called Cosmic Alpine Scratcher. You can see a picture of one he http://cats.about.com/library/review... smic+cowboys If you get one of these scratchers, you probably will not need to worry about your cats scratching all your cardboard boxes (as you described) because they are smooth, and the surface of the corrugated cardboard scratchers are rough. Incidentally, my Duffy also likes to climb scratching posts and sit (or "perch") on top. That is perfectly natural, so don't worry about it. You can see a variety of scratching posts if you look at some of the pictures in the links below my signature. MaryL Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o' http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") |
#5
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On Tue 04 Oct 2005 06:51:10p, MaryL wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav (news:uHD0f.2233$xE1.292@okepread07): Tie a small toy (or even just a piece of fabric) to a string or cord, then slowly run that up and down the scratching post. You cats will probably grab for the toy, and eventually their claws will dig into the post. Also, if kitty likes chasing a laser dot, use that to encourage digging claws into a scratching post. Praise them *effusively* every time they start to scratch. Likewise, scratch the post with your fingernails or even tap it and call to your cats. And, if kitty doesn't mind you holding their paws and helping them make the scratching motion on the post along with them, that's been a big help in training my cats to use a post. If one starts on the couch, I gently pick her up and bring her to the post, and help her scratch there. All the while talking softly and praising when she scratches the post, either on her own or with my help. Again, *much praise* when the scratching begins. They will soon get the idea. Absolutely! Incidentally, catnip works for many people, but I have found that it actually causes my cats to lick and rub the posts but not to scratch on them. You should have posts with a variety of coverings. Some cats prefer sisal (that seems to be the favorite), some like carpeting, some like corrugated cardboard, and some prefer plain wood. All should be sturdy enough not to topple over, and they should be tall enough so the cat will get a good "stretch" while scratching. Also, some cats prefer a flat surface to scratch, some upright. Provide both. The flat surfaces seem to work well with lots of catnip. -- Cheryl |
#6
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On Tue 04 Oct 2005 07:16:26p, DevilsPGD wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav ): If that doesn't work then I'll do a cardboard one too, but I'd like to discourage Maxx from shredding every cardboard box in the house. I don't think they relate all cardboard surfaces in the same way. The scratchers have cardboard strips that are stacked so the ends are up and make a desirable scratching surface rather than just a flat peice, like a box would be. My cats don't scratch boxes, but they do rub them with their faces. -- Cheryl |
#7
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Ours took to theirs with the help of dry cat nip. That and us pretending to
scratch it. We had almost mummified the sofa in double stick tape so they had no choice. -- ..oO rach Oo. "DevilsPGD" wrote in message ... I finally got my cats a real scratching post -- Bear (adult) and his sisters has always loved cardboard flat on the ground, so it's never been an issue, but my kitten (Maxx) is a vertical scratching. I'd rather accommodate his needs then try to convince him to do it my way That being said, Bear has figured out the scratching post and he uses it occasionally, but he mostly just plays going in circles around the bottom of the post. Yay! Maxx plays with it, but doesn't really scratch match. In general Maxx likes scratching on cardboard and on fabric, but only as long as he's reaching up... The scratching post is something my parents built, it's built tough, the base is heavy enough that it doesn't wiggle, and the fabric is almost identical to the one carpet that Maxx does like scratching on, so we figured it's a good candidate. I've tried catnip spray, Bear licks it, Maxx paws at it but doesn't scratch. I'll pick up some dried catnip and put it on the scratching post and see if that helps. Any other suggestions? Interestingly enough, one of my roommates' cats who happens to be declawed has figured out the scratching post, she goes nuts doing the scatching motions. -- A well-dressed man walks into a bar and asks a woman to sleep with him for $1M. The woman is excited and she gives immediate consent: "Of course I'll sleep with you!". Then the man asks, "will you sleep with me for $5?". The woman indignantly replies, "Of course not! What do you think I am?". The man replies, "We've already established what you are; now we're merely haggling over the price." |
#8
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"Cheryl" wrote in message ... On Tue 04 Oct 2005 06:51:10p, MaryL wrote in rec.pets.cats.health+behav (news:uHD0f.2233$xE1.292@okepread07): And, if kitty doesn't mind you holding their paws and helping them make the scratching motion on the post along with them, that's been a big help in training my cats to use a post. If one starts on the couch, I gently pick her up and bring her to the post, and help her scratch there. All the while talking softly and praising when she scratches the post, either on her own or with my help. I have to agree. This method of gentle direction and profuse praising works for many things--including getting a cat to cover their poos. |
#9
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"Cheryl" wrote in message ... On Tue 04 Oct 2005 06:51:10p, MaryL wrote in rec.pets.cats.health+behav (news:uHD0f.2233$xE1.292@okepread07): Tie a small toy (or even just a piece of fabric) to a string or cord, then slowly run that up and down the scratching post. You cats will probably grab for the toy, and eventually their claws will dig into the post. Also, if kitty likes chasing a laser dot, use that to encourage digging claws into a scratching post. Praise them *effusively* every time they start to scratch. Likewise, scratch the post with your fingernails or even tap it and call to your cats. And, if kitty doesn't mind you holding their paws and helping them make the scratching motion on the post along with them, that's been a big help in training my cats to use a post. If one starts on the couch, I gently pick her up and bring her to the post, and help her scratch there. All the while talking softly and praising when she scratches the post, either on her own or with my help. [ ] Thats what I have done with every cat I have ever owned, I take them right to the post and take their paws and start scratching them on the post and say good kitty boy and before you know it he started going at it...works for me everytime, hope that helps you out too ) I have also taken some toys that have his scent on them and rubbed them on the post and rubbed my scent on them and he knows it's his~ I keep a couple post around for him to choose Yes he is spoiled! ;-) When I get a chance I will post some new piccys of MoonShadow over in A.B.P.A. He sure is growing so big he is a little over a yr old now. -- CS~ |
#10
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In message Cheryl
wrote: On Tue 04 Oct 2005 07:16:26p, DevilsPGD wrote in rec.pets.cats.health+behav ) : If that doesn't work then I'll do a cardboard one too, but I'd like to discourage Maxx from shredding every cardboard box in the house. I don't think they relate all cardboard surfaces in the same way. The scratchers have cardboard strips that are stacked so the ends are up and make a desirable scratching surface rather than just a flat peice, like a box would be. You'd think -- This is what I used for Bear and his sisters, but Maxx seems to like boxes, although he prefers rougher ones. I'm not sure if it's the surface, the fact that it's a box (play toy) or something in the middle. My cats don't scratch boxes, but they do rub them with their faces. That too And sleep in them, if there isn't any clean laundry around... -- There are two times when a man doesn't understand a woman before marriage and after marriage. |
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