Possibly your cat has been attacking your sofa, and you’re trying to rapidly make a DIY cat scratcher. You might be wondering if sandpaper is a suitable material. It’s low-cost, you might have some lying around the home, and logically, it looks like it’d do a very good job of serving to your cat keep their claws neat. However is this materials truly any good for a cat scratcher?

The short answer isn’t any. Sandpaper is abrasive and could probably damage your cat’s paw pads. Let’s take a more in-depth look at why this materials isn’t often seen on cat scratching posts.

Do cats like sandpaper scratching posts?

In our experience, no. Of course, every cat is different, so there will probably be some cats out there that don’t mind the texture and feel of sandpaper. However given the choice, most cats will give it a large berth. They in all probability won’t even stroll over a bit of sandpaper left on the flooring!

If you suppose that your cat might like sandpaper on their scratching publish, then you possibly can at all times give it a strive. One motive cats don’t really like sandpaper on their scratching posts is that it doesn’t actually assist them obtain what they’re attempting to do after they scratch.

Why do cats scratch?

If you’ve ever watched your cat scratch something, you might have seen that apart from making an attempt to sink their claws into the material, they typically lean down and have a good stretch while they’re doing it. Scratching is actually an instinctive habits for our little feline friends.

It is a conduct 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 useless outer claw, revealing a brand new sharp claw underneath.

It might relieve stress, anxiety, and tension.

It stretches their muscles.

It leaves pheromone scent marks.

Many cats take pleasure in utilizing a few different locations to scratch for different reasons. One place may feel nice for having an upright stretch, where they will reach up high to stretch those muscles. One other may need an ideal materials for sinking their claws into and eradicating the outer layer of their claws. Yet one more could also be just right for leaving a pheromone message for the other cats within the house!

As a cat owner, you must offer your cat quite a lot of appropriate scratching surfaces. This is especially essential in case your cat lives indoors, as they won’t have access to any scratching surfaces outside.

Relating to which materials it’s best to supply your cat so they can carry out their instinctive scratching behaviors someplace apart from your favourite sofa, know that it’s unlikely that your cat would select sandpaper as their first possibility.

Sandpaper is too abrasive

As a cat runs their claws down a scratching post surface, their paws often make contact with the fabric of the submit as properly. This isn’t an issue with softer materials, like sisal rope or carpet, which are often used for scratching posts. However with sandpaper, the abrasive floor can harm 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 out to be painful, and any abrasions would possibly develop into contaminated. This will certainly put your cat off from making an attempt to make use of the same scratching submit once more.

The most effective supplies for cat scratching posts

Now that we know that sandpaper isn’t one of the best choice Catnip Toys for cats and kittens cat scratching posts, what’s a greater alternative?

Corrugated carpet

Sisal rope or fabric

Carpet

Wood

Some cat house owners who have carpeted areas of their houses desire to avoid scratching posts which might be covered in carpet. It may be difficult for some cats to understand that while they’re positively encouraged to scratch the carpet on their publish, all other carpet is completely off-limits!

Corrugated cardboard scratching posts are low-cost and most cats actually love them. The cardboard shreds satisfyingly under their claws, and as they sink their claws in, the outer useless layer of their claws might be removed.

Sisal rope or fabric is one of the most popular supplies for scratching posts, and the vast majority of cats absolutely love it. It’s also relatively low cost and comes in a wide range of colors.

Wood is an effective selection for a scratching publish, though it’s not available as usually as other materials. Cats in the wild will naturally select a few completely different trees as their most well-liked scratching posts. Tree trunks enable your cat to stretch their muscles as they lean in opposition to it, as well as assist remove the outer layer of their claws.

We now have read of some cat homeowners 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 solely the very suggestions of their claws will make contact with the sandpaper. Some cats appear to tolerate this superb, while others might not just like the feeling of the sandpaper on their claws at ask. Additionally, it doesn’t seem like the sandpaper can have a lot impact in this occasion, because the corrugated cardboard is doing what it should: allowing your cat to dig their claws in and take away the useless outer layers.

Sandpaper isn’t really helpful for cat scratching posts

There’s a reason that you won’t see any cat scratching posts in pet stores or online which can be lined in sandpaper. It isn’t probably the most appealing material for cats to scratch their claws in opposition to, and a lot of them do not just like the texture in any respect.

Softer supplies, like cardboard or sisal rope, are far preferable, as cats can sink their claws by means of these, which is what they’re actually searching for in the proper scratching submit!

Should you do decide to supply your cat a scratching post made with sandpaper, it’s positively a good idea to verify it isn’t the only surface obtainable. Watch your cat intently to see how typically they use every scratching submit, and you’ll quickly be capable to work out if they like sandpaper or not!