SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post - Cat Scratchers and Cat Scratching Post from petco.com

Winner of the 2004 Cat Fancy Editor's Choice award!

Developed with a cat's innate scratching behavior in mind, the SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post makes for an excellent way to keep your favorite feline friends actively engaged, happily occupied and away from clawing up your furniture. Made with fibrous and durable sisal material, this cat scratching post naturally inspires feline scratching and clawing. These types of cat scratchers are perfect for conditioning feline nails and properly helping with nail sheaths (superior to carpeting, which merely snags feline nails and encourages scratching on other carpeted home surfaces). Featuring a sturdy 16" by 16" base that helps to eliminate wobbling and tipping, this scratching post has been designed to stand tall and steady as well as not tip over, which helps to encourage cats to feel comfortable using it, opposed to being afraid of using it in the future. The 32" post height allows your precious kitties to fully stretch vertically, when they are utilizing this scratching post (important for territorial marking purposes and for toning muscles). Made with the finest materials and workmanship, this scratching post is guaranteed to remain attractive and useful.

Why do cats scratch?

• To remove old nail sheaths from the claws.
• To exercise and tone muscles.
• To relieve stress, frustration and boredom.
• To warm up for a vigorous play session.
• To mark territory.

SmartCat Training Tips

• Place the post in a room where the cat spends a lot of time. Cats often like to stretch and scratch when they wake up from a nap.
• To introduce the post to your cat try using catnip as a lure (for most cats a lure is unnecessary, but fun).
• Rub catnip onto the sisal material and call the cat over to the post.
• Scratch your nails along the surface of the material. This will attract the cat and at the same time teach him where to scratch.
• After your cat begins to scratch, praise him and give him a food treat. (Small kittens can be trained to climb the post by showing them food treats and placing it at the top of the post.
• If your cat has already been scratching a piece of furniture, place the post directly in front of it.
• Temporarily cover the previously scratched areas with a few strips of double-sided carpet tape or clear double-sided tape strips that are designed for this purpose. This will help redirect your cat's scratching activities to the post.
• Most cats are easily trained but if your cat is the exception, please see catsinternational.org for free behavior counseling.

Manufacturer's Important Note About Declawing: Scientific journals refer to declawing as elective mutilation. It is an amputation of the cat's toes comparable to the removal of the human finger at the first knuckle. It handicaps the cat physically, socially, and psychologically for the rest of its life, predisposing the cat to certain temperament and behavior problems such as shyness, biting and litter box avoidance. By regularly trimming your cat's nails and offering a suitable scratching target you are providing a natural outlet for a normal, healthy behavior and you will be rewarded with a content and confident companion.