One of the most identifying elements of cats are their nails, with permission from their intricate whiskers. Keeping them sharp is an essential part of your well-being. And it is that their instinct encourages them to do so in order to better hunt prey, as well as to mark the territory.
Consequently, your furniture and decorative elements in the house may suffer unwanted scratches. The sofa and the curtains are his most common targets. If you do not want it to destroy them over time, you must remedy this habit. That's what cat scratchers are for.
In the market you will find a wide variety of scratching posts for cats. With flat or curved designs, original shapes, emulating a little house or towers through which, in addition to scratching, it can climb. But while most cats will go to them intuitively, some kitties need you to teach them how to use them.
First of all, you have to choose the corner where to place it. If your cat goes to a specific place to scratch -like the sofa-, put it in that location. On the contrary, other cats prefer more secluded areas where they can enjoy their privacy.
Whenever you see your cat scratching a piece of furniture, don't scold him. Instead, say emphatically no and lead him over to the scratching post. You should use positive reinforcement, so that every time he uses it you reward him, be it with caresses, words of encouragement or a candy.
You can precisely attract him to the scratching post by placing sweets that he likes around or on top of it. It is also a good option to add hanging toys to the scratching post that amuses him, such as mice, pompoms or feathers.
Another method with which you can show your cat how to use the scratching post is to bring it closer to it and carefully take its paws, teaching it the movement it has to make to scratch it. In this way, it will impregnate the scratching post with its scent and will attract it, associating it as its property. You can even scratch him yourself and call him to imitate you or play with you.
It is also possible to transmit its smell to the scratching post by rubbing it with an object that your cat uses often. For example, his bed or a blanket in which he usually covers himself. If you have multiple cats, it may be necessary to have individual scratching posts for each one so there are no territorial disputes.
In either case, despite your efforts to teach her, the cat may continue to ignore the scratching post. In this case, the best thing to do is to try buying a different model, until you find the one that you like best.
