A Cat Scratching Board is a great way to help your cat to stop scratching furniture, rugs and carpet. Many pet stores carry them, as well as department stores and even some supermarkets. They are usually made from a rubber material that will not harm your cat and that will allow him or her to climb on the board without hurting themselves. These boards are great for indoor cats that scratch furniture because of the traction they offer. You will have a better chance of keeping your cat scratching furniture by buying one of these instead of trying to punish him with a metal claw.
Before you buy a cat scratching board, you will need to decide what type of adhesive you are going to use to attach it to the furniture. The two most popular are silicon based and oil based. You can choose one of these based upon which one is easier for you to clean up. Be sure that you only use a small amount of adhesive to cover the entire surface of the board, as you do not want to get any of it on your catnip or other things that he or she might eat. Be sure that you keep the catnip away from the adhesive so that it does not hurt your cat.
If you are going to buy an outdoor cat scratching board, you should be sure that it comes with a non-skid surface. Since cats are skittish about things that are sticking out of their paws, they will often avoid scratching on a rough or non-skid surface. You should also check to see if the boards have a built in cover so that your cat's claws will not scratch up any of the non-catnip tiles. Many pet stores carry these, and you can also purchase them at many online retailers.
When choosing catnip, be sure to pick out a color that your cat will like. If your cat likes the scent of the catnip, then you should introduce some into his or her environment. It is not always possible to completely remove the cat scratching post, and you should give your cat encouragement by offering more catnip as he or she scratches the post. This will encourage him or her to continue scratching the post, since they will see how much fun they can have flicking at the catnip.
If you decide to buy a cat scratching post, you may also want to consider getting multiple scratching posts for different areas of the house. In addition to keeping their paws busy, cats like to exercise their claws, so providing them with multiple scratching posts throughout the house is a great way to accomplish this. Be sure that you buy boards that have non-toxic and non-staining material. It is best to avoid rubber and plastic materials, because not only can they easily cause your cat to get scratched, but they can also make your house smell musty.
Finally, you will want to invest in a good cat scratching post. Look for products that will allow you to trim the wood any way that you want, so that you can shape it into the perfect cat scratching surface for your precious pets. Also, be sure that the posts are sturdy enough that your cat will be able to climb them and scratch away. Some cats prefer to do this while lying down, and if yours does this, be sure that the surface is firm enough so that he or she doesn't have any problems rising up. Once you've found a cat scratching board that is right for your home, you'll find that your cat has plenty of fun scratching away!