Perhaps your cat has been attacking your sofa, and you’re seeking to shortly make a DIY cat scratcher. You may be questioning if sandpaper is an appropriate materials. It’s low cost, you have some mendacity across the house, and logically, it looks as if it would do an excellent job of serving to your cat keep their claws neat. But is that this materials really any good for a cat scratcher?
The quick answer isn't any. Sandpaper is abrasive and could probably hurt your cat’s paw pads. Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at why this materials isn’t usually seen on cat scratching posts.
Do cats like sandpaper scratching posts?
In our experience, no. In fact, each cat is totally different, so there will be some cats out there that don’t thoughts the texture and feel of sandpaper. But given the selection, most cats will give it a large berth. They most likely won’t even walk over a chunk of sandpaper left on the floor!
For those who think that your cat may like sandpaper on their scratching put up, then you possibly can all the time give it a attempt. One reason cats don’t actually like sandpaper on their scratching posts is that it doesn’t actually assist them obtain what they’re attempting to do once they scratch.
Why do cats scratch?
If you’ve ever watched your cat scratch something, you might need noticed that in addition to making an attempt to sink their claws into the fabric, they typically lean down and have a great stretch while they’re doing it. Scratching is actually an instinctive behavior 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 goal does it serve?
It removes the dead outer claw, revealing a new sharp claw underneath. It might probably relieve stress, anxiety, and tension. It stretches their muscles. It leaves pheromone scent marks.
Many cats get pleasure from utilizing a couple of totally different locations to scratch for various causes. One place may feel great for having an upright stretch, the place they will attain up excessive to stretch these muscles. One other might need an amazing materials for sinking their claws into and removing the outer layer of their claws. Yet another could also be good for leaving a pheromone message for the opposite cats in the home!
As a cat owner, you must supply your cat quite a lot of applicable scratching surfaces. This is especially essential if your cat lives indoors, as they won’t have access to any scratching surfaces outdoors.
In relation to which materials you should offer your cat to allow them to carry out their instinctive scratching behaviors someplace apart from your favorite couch, know that it’s unlikely that your cat would select sandpaper as their first possibility.
Sandpaper is simply too abrasive
As a cat runs their claws down a scratching publish surface, their paws normally make contact with the material of the publish as effectively. Cat Scratcher Kitten isn’t an issue with softer materials, like sisal rope or carpet, which are often used for scratching posts. But with sandpaper, the abrasive surface can damage your cat’s paw pads. That is very true if you’ve used one with a coarse grit.
Your cat’s paw pads might turn into painful, and any abrasions may change into contaminated. This will definitely put your cat off from making an attempt to make use of the same scratching submit once more.
The perfect supplies for cat scratching posts
Now that we all know that sandpaper isn’t the perfect choice for cat scratching posts, what’s a better different?
Corrugated carpet Sisal rope or fabric Carpet Wood
Some cat homeowners who have carpeted areas in their houses favor to avoid scratching posts that are covered in carpet. It can be difficult for some cats to comprehend that whereas they’re positively encouraged to scratch the carpet on their submit, all different carpet is completely off-limits!
Corrugated cardboard scratching posts are low cost and most cats really love them. The cardboard shreds satisfyingly under their claws, and as they sink their claws in, the outer dead layer of their claws shall be removed.
Sisal rope or fabric is one of the most well-liked supplies for scratching posts, and the majority of cats completely love it. It’s additionally comparatively low-cost and comes in a wide range of colours.
Wooden is an efficient selection for a scratching publish, though it’s not available as typically as other supplies. Cats within the wild will naturally choose a couple of totally different timber as their preferred scratching posts. Tree trunks permit your cat to stretch their muscles as they lean towards it, as well as help take away the outer layer of their claws.
We have now read of some cat owners who made their very own DIY cat scratchers utilizing a layer of sandpaper lined with a layer of thick corrugated cardboard. This protects your cat’s paws, as only the very ideas of their claws will make contact with the sandpaper. Some cats appear to tolerate this tremendous, whereas others may not like the feeling of the sandpaper on their claws at ask. Also, it doesn’t seem like the sandpaper can have a lot effect on this occasion, because the corrugated cardboard is doing what it ought to: allowing your cat to dig their claws in and remove the dead outer layers.
Sandpaper isn’t really helpful for cat scratching posts
There’s a purpose that you simply won’t see any cat scratching posts in pet shops or on-line that are lined in sandpaper. It isn’t the most interesting material for cats to scratch their claws against, and lots of them don't just like the texture at all.
Softer materials, like cardboard or sisal rope, are far preferable, as cats can sink their claws by way of these, which is what they’re really on the lookout for in the proper scratching post!
For those who do determine to supply your cat a scratching publish made with sandpaper, it’s positively a good suggestion to verify it isn’t the one floor out there. Watch your cat carefully to see how often they use each scratching submit, and you’ll quickly be capable of work out if they like sandpaper or not!
Sandpaper Cat Scratcher: Is It A Good Idea?
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4 min read
