Cat People - scratching post recs?

hoffse · June 2012

Hi ladies,

I posted a couple of weeks ago about a new cat FI and I just adopted (Lady). She's adjusted beautifully, but she's begun scratching up the carpet in our apartment. We don't let her in our room at night because we're afraid we'll step on her when we get up in the middle of the night (and she gets WILD at about 3 am, and we want to sleep), but she scratches at our door for a solid hour or so each night. Luckilly we caught it before the carpet became really visibly damaged - it's visible if you get on your hands and knees and take a close look, but nobody would really think to do that - but we want to attract her with something else.

We've tried the cardboard box things that Petsmart sells - but she doesn't like it, because I think it moves on her. Does anybody have a rec (with a link, preferably) to a very sturdy scratching post that your kitties love? Budget isn't a huge issue as long as it works - if we get dinged for the carpet here it will be waaaaay more expensive than any scratching post we could buy.

Also, if anybody has any suggestions about calming a wild cat in the middle of the night - I'm all ears. We haven't been able to think of anything. She basically wipes herself out so she sleeps most of the day, but at night we hear her running in circles around and around the apartment. We've thought about putting her in the guest bathroom at night, but then she won't have the space to run, and she will probably be wild while we're gone at work. Any thoughts on this?

TIA!

hoffse · June 2012

Thanks! that carpet sort of looks like the carpet in our apartment... so that's a great idea!

Habs2Hart · June 2012

My cat will only scratch our wicker hamper. I'd get her some old piece of wicker. She will claw away at that thing, but not at anything else (other than climbing our screens)

daubachsgirl23 · June 2012

My cats have something like this http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12791354&lmdn=Price except that the "scratching" part is cardboard, not carpet. The perch is heavy enough that it doesn't move, and we put some cat nip in the scratching board so that they'd use it. Something like the product in the link might be a good option because your cat has already started scratching carpet, so they are comfortable with that as a scratching aid.

As for calming a wild cat at night, I think this article was very helpful: http://shine.yahoo.com/pets/cat-sleep-night-170300102.html

runpipparun · June 2012

This one has held up to my two guys for for six YEARS. It's like a friggin' tree. Cats like it because it doesn't move on them when they go to scratch it. It's called the Purrfect Post, I think. And when it gets torn up, I think you can replace the top poart.

MyUserName1 · June 2012

My cat loved the sisal rope ones, but I don't have a specific rec.

I will say though, when you first get it, when you see her scratching it, put a couple of treats at the base of the scratching post to encourage her to continue to scratch that. It'll help her know that this is the place to scratch.

runpipparun · June 2012

For the playing at night, do you try to engage her during the evening? Try wearing her out with a chase toy, like one of those little cat fishing poles. Play with her for awhile before you go to bed. Also, I know this sounds NUTS, consider getting her a playmate. There are somes states that don't even allow you to adopt out cats singly because they tend to behave better in pairs and have a lower "return" rate that way. I don't know how old she is, but younger cats do better in accepting buddies than older cats.

kikirst33 · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-people-scratching-post-recs?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:f3a1ca2a-534a-4db8-aa7f-284668f5124bPost:5a378248-12e9-457e-8e32-8e3a09bf20e5">Re: Cat People - scratching post recs?</a>:
[QUOTE]For the playing at night, do you try to engage her during the evening? <strong>Try wearing her out with a chase toy, like one of those little cat fishing poles. Play with her for awhile before you go to bed.</strong> Also, I know this sounds NUTS, consider getting her a playmate. There are somes states that don't even allow you to adopt out cats singly because they tend to behave better in pairs and have a lower "return" rate that way. I don't know how old she is, but younger cats do better in accepting buddies than older cats.
Posted by runpipparun[/QUOTE]
This.<div>
</div><div>I try to make a point of playing with my cats. Helps them (and us) sleep. Laser pointers are also good to get our cats going.</div><div>
</div><div>There is also a hormonal spary (Feliway) that can help calm cats. I would try the playing at night before going this route.</div><div>
</div><div>Last question... have you fixed the cat yet? The activity could be a result of hormones. Fixing the cat may help.</div>

rlavach · June 2012

For many many years my cats refused to scratch the carpeted scratching posts, but they seemed to enjoy scratching the couch! I got them THIS scratching post and they seem to really like it. It's got a spot for them to sleep in & a toy to play with. It seems like the more they can interact with it in other ways, the more likely they were to eventually scratch it. Now all 3 use it. I did lure them over with cat nip.

hoffse · June 2012

Thanks ladies! Yep she's fixed - we chase her around and around the apartment before we go to bed and feed her then also to try to get her to sleep. She seems to sleep fine until about 3 and then she is AWAKE and going until 6 or so when we finally emerge. Then we chase her for another 20 min or so and she is wiped out for the rest of the day.

runpipparun · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-people-scratching-post-recs?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:f3a1ca2a-534a-4db8-aa7f-284668f5124bPost:894afbad-6be5-4a55-91ef-bf19a5958525">Re: Cat People - scratching post recs?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Cat People - scratching post recs? : This. I try to make a point of playing with my cats. Helps them (and us) sleep. <strong>Laser pointers are also good to get our cats going. There is also a hormonal spary (Feliway) that can help calm cats.</strong> I would try the playing at night before going this route. Last question... have you fixed the cat yet? The activity could be a result of hormones. Fixing the cat may help.
Posted by kikirst33[/QUOTE]

<div>Laser pointers are great for my cats (and my dog).</div><div>
</div><div>Feliway... I can't tell if it does anything, and I burn through it really quickly. I'd have to ask FI (the vet) if he thinks it's useful.</div>

runpipparun · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-people-scratching-post-recs?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:f3a1ca2a-534a-4db8-aa7f-284668f5124bPost:f20b52cb-101c-4028-af59-72545f7c41a0">Cat People - scratching post recs?</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi ladies, I posted a couple of weeks ago about a new cat FI and I just adopted (Lady). She's adjusted beautifully, but she's begun scratching up the carpet in our apartment. <strong>We don't let her in our room at night because we're afraid we'll step on her when we get up in the middle of the night (and she gets WILD at about 3 am, and we want to sleep), but she scratches at our door for a solid hour or so each night. </strong> Luckilly we caught it before the carpet became really visibly damaged - it's visible if you get on your hands and knees and take a close look, but nobody would really think to do that - but we want to attract her with something else. We've tried the cardboard box things that Petsmart sells - but she doesn't like it, because I think it moves on her. Does anybody have a rec (with a link, preferably) to a very sturdy scratching post that your kitties love? Budget isn't a huge issue as long as it works - if we get dinged for the carpet here it will be waaaaay more expensive than any scratching post we could buy. Also, if anybody has any suggestions about calming a wild cat in the middle of the night - I'm all ears. We haven't been able to think of anything. She basically wipes herself out so she sleeps most of the day, but at night we hear her running in circles around and around the apartment. We've thought about putting her in the guest bathroom at night, but then she won't have the space to run, and she will probably be wild while we're gone at work. Any thoughts on this? TIA!
Posted by hoffse[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>I would TRY letting her in on a night when you can sleep in, or you don't have to go to work the next day.</div><div>
</div><div>Who knows? She may just curl up in bed with you? One of mine whines at my door if we shut it, while the other sleeps in our bed. But I got them as kittens from a shelter, and they went through a wild period.

</div>

mari0225 · June 2012

My cat likes a small cat tower, or one of those that hangs on the door. We have one like this that she loves.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10845099

raes19 · June 2012

My cat has THIS and loves it. The posts are wrapped in rope, which he loves to scratch on, along with a place to hide and a little hammock thing on the side he sleeps in all the time. He also likes the rope hanging down the middle and will sometimes swing on it like Tarzan.

NicoleSahara · June 2012

My cat used to scratch the carpet too and was not interested in any kind of post. We got her an emery cat board:

http://www.amazon.com/All-Star-Emery-Cat-Board/dp/B0033RCUAU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340981920&sr=8-2&keywords=emery+cat+board

I'm not sure if that's the one you were talking about from Petco that didn't work for you, but our cat LOVES it. I think because she was in the same kind of position she was when she'd scratch the floor, if that makes sense. Also it took her about a month or two to start using it. When we put catnip on it at first she'd just lick it. I think she thought she'd get in trouble for scratching it. But now she goes crazy with it. Just another alternative in case your cat doesn't like a scratching post.

rlavach · June 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_cat-people-scratching-post-recs?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:f3a1ca2a-534a-4db8-aa7f-284668f5124bPost:6bc16190-071f-4433-9a0d-01362e026a8a">Re: Cat People - scratching post recs?</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks ladies! Yep she's fixed - we chase her around and around the apartment before we go to bed and feed her then also to try to get her to sleep. She seems to sleep fine until about 3 and then she is AWAKE and going until 6 or so when we finally emerge. Then we chase her for another 20 min or so and she is wiped out for the rest of the day.
Posted by hoffse[/QUOTE]
Yep, my cats too. They're nocturnal, so they just go crazy at night & then sleep the whole day. Thing is, I have 3, so they can entertain themselves. When we don't have the A/C on, we can hear them running up & down, tearing the place apart. I'd much rather them doing that when I'm sleeping than when I'm awake & trying to get some work done. Maybe your kitty needs a friend?

HandBanana · June 2012

http://www.petco.com/product/6221/PetmateCrazyCircleCatToy.aspx these are amazing but could be loud if you don't have a side room to put it in. For the carpet try the Whisker City No Stay! We have been using it on our couches for two weeks and it works. Sorry I couldn't find a link but we got it at Petsmart. I was really sceptical because we tried a spray before but H and I just noticed our two cats aren't on the couches anymore which was their favorite place.

HandBanana · June 2012

In Response to Re:Cat People scratching post recs?:[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Cat People scratching post recs?:Thanks ladies! nbsp;Yep she's fixed we chase her around and around the apartment before we go to bed and feed her then also to try to get her to sleep. nbsp;She seems to sleep fine until about 3 and then she is AWAKE and going until 6 or so when we finally emerge. nbsp;Then we chase her for another 20 min or so and she is wiped out for the rest of the day.Posted by hoffseYep, my cats too. They're nocturnal, so they just go crazy at night amp; then sleep the whole day. Thing is, I have 3, so they can entertain themselves. When we don't have the A/C on, we can hear them running up amp; down, tearing the place apart. I'd much rather them doing that when I'm sleeping than when I'm awake amp; trying to get some work done. Maybe your kitty needs a friend?nbsp; Posted by rlavach[/QUOTE] I must have read the post wrong. I thought OP had two cats. Definitely getting a second cat helps. Our older one use to cry at our door all night. We let him in. He would get on the bed, sit on you, and cry. Now with kitty 2 they chase each other around and play fight. He still cries at our door every once in a while but he is super affectionate. If you sit on our couch and "present a lap" he will be sitting in it in 5 minutes.

hoffse · June 2012

Hmm - well our apartment has ridiculously high pet fees, so a second kitty is sort of out until we are out of here (probably another 2 years), but we definitely want two once we get a house. I will try that stay off spray and a couple of scratching posts to see if she'll take to it - if not, we'll try a more horizontal thing.

Thanks so much!

SpartanCat · June 2012

I vote second kitty if possible

i was watching my cat from helll with jackson galaxy and he advises people against keeping cats out of your bedroom at night. i think i remember it was because it tends to be the center of your territory with the strongest smell since you spend several hours every single night in the bed. if she gets used to be letting in, maybe she'll settle down once she gets a bit older.

another thought, if you look into a product called 'ssscat' you could keep her away from the door when it's shut. it's a motion sensor that shoots out a blast of air when it's triggered. i use it for my counter tops. when you go to bed just set it up by the door and close it. everytime she comes close to scratch it will startle her so she can't start the scratching.

i also agree with playing with her right before bed. one comment i would add is that once you play with her good and hard (fifteen minutes or whatever tires her out) give her a little treat or bed time snack or something. Cats generally have a hunt-eat-sleep pattern so if she does the playing (hunting) and the eating, it might stimulate her to sleep through the night.

my boys used to wake me up consistently between four and five am, mainly to be fed. i started giving them a light meal before i went to bed and not giving in to them when they wanted food. now that they're two years old, they're much better behaved.

I don't personally have one but i've heard that amarakat makes very good quality scratching posts.

good luck!

Cat People - scratching post recs?

Re: Cat People - scratching post recs?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards