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Sandpaper Cat Scratcher: Is It A Good Idea?

 Possibly your cat has been attacking your sofa, and you’re trying to rapidly make a DIY cat scratcher. You might be questioning if sandpaper is an acceptable material. It’s low cost, you've gotten some mendacity around the house, and logically, it seems like it might do a superb job of helping your cat keep their claws neat. But is that this material really any good for a cat scratcher? The quick reply is not any. Sandpaper is abrasive and could probably hurt your cat’s paw pads. Let’s take a better take a look at why this materials isn’t usually seen on cat scratching posts. Do cats like sandpaper scratching posts? In our expertise, no. After all, every cat is different, so there will be some cats out there that don’t mind the texture and really feel of sandpaper. But given the choice, most cats will give it a large berth. They probably won’t even walk over a piece of sandpaper left on the floor! If you suppose that your cat might like sandpaper on their scratching post, then you possibly can all the time give it a strive. One reason cats don’t really like sandpaper on their scratching posts is that it doesn’t really help them obtain what they’re attempting to do once they scratch. Why do cats scratch? If you’ve ever watched your cat scratch one thing, you might need observed that moreover attempting to sink their claws into the fabric, they typically lean down and have a very good stretch whereas they’re doing it. Scratching is actually an instinctive habits for our little feline pals. It is a habits that they innately carry out, and there’s nothing that we cat owners can do to stop them! So, what function does it serve? It removes the useless outer claw, revealing a new sharp claw underneath. It could relieve stress, anxiety, and tension. It stretches their muscles. It leaves pheromone scent marks. Many cats get pleasure from using just a few completely different locations to scratch for various causes. One place may really feel great for having an upright stretch, the place they will attain up high to stretch those muscles. Another might have an awesome material for sinking their claws into and eradicating the outer layer of their claws. Yet one more may be excellent for leaving a pheromone message for the opposite cats in the home! As a cat proprietor, it is best to supply your cat quite a lot of appropriate scratching surfaces. This is very vital in case your cat lives indoors, as they won’t have entry to any scratching surfaces exterior. When it comes to which supplies it's best to supply your cat to allow them to carry out their instinctive scratching behaviors somewhere apart from your favorite couch, know that it’s unlikely that your cat would select sandpaper as their first choice. Sandpaper is just too abrasive As a cat runs their claws down a scratching put up floor, their paws often make contact with the material of the publish as effectively. This isn’t a problem with softer supplies, like sisal rope or carpet, which are sometimes used for scratching posts. But with sandpaper, the abrasive surface can injury your cat’s paw pads. This is especially true if you’ve used one with a coarse grit. Your cat’s paw pads might grow to be painful, and any abrasions may turn out to be infected. This will certainly put your cat off from trying to make use of the identical scratching publish once more. The best materials for cat scratching posts Now that we all know that sandpaper isn’t the most effective choice for cat scratching posts, what’s a better various? Corrugated carpet Sisal rope or fabric Carpet Wooden Some cat house owners who have carpeted areas in their homes desire to avoid scratching posts which are covered in carpet. Cat Scratchers may be tough for some cats to appreciate that whereas they’re positively encouraged to scratch the carpet on their publish, all different carpet is completely off-limits! Corrugated cardboard scratching posts are low cost and most cats really love them. The cardboard shreds satisfyingly below their claws, and as they sink their claws in, the outer dead layer of their claws can be eliminated. Sisal rope or fabric is one in all the preferred materials for scratching posts, and the vast majority of cats absolutely adore it. It’s also relatively low-cost and comes in a variety of colours. Wooden is an efficient choice for a scratching put up, though it’s not accessible as typically as other materials. Cats within the wild will naturally choose a number of different bushes as their preferred scratching posts. Tree trunks allow your cat to stretch their muscles as they lean towards it, as well as assist remove the outer layer of their claws. We have now learn of some cat house owners who made their very own DIY cat scratchers utilizing a layer of sandpaper coated with a layer of thick corrugated cardboard. This protects your cat’s paws, as solely the very suggestions of their claws will make contact with the sandpaper. Some cats seem to tolerate this tremendous, while others won't just like the feeling of the sandpaper on their claws at ask. Also, it doesn’t seem just like the sandpaper may have much impact in this occasion, because the corrugated cardboard is doing what it ought to: permitting your cat to dig their claws in and take away the lifeless outer layers. Sandpaper isn’t really helpful for cat scratching posts There’s a purpose that you just won’t see any cat scratching posts in pet shops or online which might be lined in sandpaper. It isn’t the most interesting materials for cats to scratch their claws in opposition to, and many of them do not just like the texture at all. Softer materials, like cardboard or sisal rope, are far preferable, as cats can sink their claws through these, which is what they’re actually on the lookout for in the perfect scratching put up! In the event you do decide to supply your cat a scratching post made with sandpaper, it’s positively a good suggestion to make sure it isn’t the one floor obtainable. Watch your cat closely to see how usually they use every scratching put up, and you’ll soon be able to work out if they like sandpaper or not!

Cat Scratchers