All cat owners know it's natural for cats to scratch.
This is because cats like to keep their claws sharp - they need sharp, pointed claws to keep them surefooted for climbing, grasping prey, and defending themselves in fights.
Cats also have great grooming habits.
They take care of their claws by cleaning them with their front teeth - they literally nibble out the dirt that clings between their toes.
Cats sharpen their claws by scratching to get rid of outworn claw husks to reveal the latest growth of sharply pointed claws.
To loosen the claw husks, cats prefer to dig their claws into soft wood and pull hard along the grain.
Outside, cat finds a tree trunk or post.
Indoor Cats Must Have a Suitable Scratching Post Please don't consider declawing your cat for scratching your furniture.
Cats need to scratch for a number of reasons, primarily for exercise.
A cat who isn't allowed to scratch will develop soft, atrophied muscles, and lack the suppleness so necessary to the feline.
Other benefits of scratching, include, relaxation, marking his territory, and shedding those old sheaths.
To keep your cat healthy, happy, and your furniture off-limits, be generous with scratching posts - cats love and need a variety of surfaces and planes, so scatter a few throughout the house.
Scratching posts provide the ideal format for them to stretch and pull against the scratching surfaces to limber their bodies and sharpen their claws.
Declawing is a Form of Amputation In a few countries, especially the United States, removing the front claws from indoor cats has become popular.
However, in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, declawing is legally prohibited and the consensus among most animal activists and animal shelters is that declawing is harmful to the cat's psychology and physical health.
Suitable Scratching Posts: Try a Real Tree If you don't mind "rustic decor," consider giving your cat a natural tree log for a post.
They love the rough bark texture, and wood gives exactly the amount of resistance they need.
(Be sure to knock off any pests first.
) Stand it upright or lay it down and let them roll it while scratching.
A wooden sawhorse also provides hours of play fun and scratching opportunities.
Commercial Scratchers Commercial scratchers come in all sorts of designs, planes, and surfaces, and range from inexpensive corrugated cardboard scratching pads to complex, expensive "Cat Condos.
" Make sure your cat's scratcher gives your cat the opportunity to really reach and pull when scratching - vital for the stretching they need.
Make sure the post is stable and is surfaced with sisal fabric which is considered superior to sisal rope.