How Can a Cat Scratching Post Transform the Personality of Your Kitty?
Look at your fluffball. What do you see? A precious bundle of joy who is always ready to give you cuddles, meow for food, and greet you whenever you come from work? Well, sure, your kitty is all these things and more. But you know what else it is? A veritable apex predator (at least for small rodents), that in its natural environment is one of the most prolific hunters of the animal kingdom. Kitties, unlike dogs, are adamantly independent, and by all accounts, they are not fully domesticated. Yes, they love us with all they have, they (mostly) enjoy our presence, and are well adapted to apartment living. That said, cats retain a significant percentage of the innate instincts that make them such successful predators. Your house is not exactly the most familiar environment for your kitty. So, the only thing left to hunt will probably be your grandma’s favourite drapes, and when it comes to scratching and sharpening its claws, nothing will be more interesting for your cat than the glorious shine of your newly-purchased leather couch. The point is, even though you love your kitty, his instincts will often come into play, which is a big issue, as you can’t exactly train these behavioural traits out of him. You could try, sure, but ultimately, your efforts will likely be futile. Cats are more stubborn than dogs, and they have an ingrained predisposition to ignore us. We love them, yes, but they can be a pain to deal with. Do you want to protect your furniture and give your cat a new medium through which he
can express his instincts? To preserve its claw health while also giving it a way to alleviate some of its natural aggression? Then, a cat scratcher should be something to consider.
Can A Cat Scratching Post Really Help with His Personality Traits? Yes, more than you probably think, actually. Cats, by nature, are quite shy creatures, and oftentimes their confidence comes from how often they can leave their mark on their surrounding territory. A cat that has no way to build its confidence-enhancing behaviour is ultimately a cat that will remain frightful and wary of unknown elements. Is this a bad thing? Not always, but you want a kitty full of personality, right? Kitties have natural scent glands in their paws, which, in nature, are utilised to spread pheromones, communicate with rivals, attract mates, and, of course, mark the boundaries of their territory. A cat that is allowed to spread its scent will ultimately develop behavioural traits that will make it more confident. Its stress levels should drop, and it will be more relaxed with family members. Plus, a cat scratching post will represent a distraction for your kitty and be a way to focus his aggression in a controlled environment. Cats don’t scratch because they are moody. They do it because it’s a behavioural and physical trait that’s ingrained in their development. By scratching, cats shed the outermost keratin layers of their claws, which keep them sharp and free of potential fungal infections. Plus, by scratching, cats scratch their muscles and improve their overall flexibility. It’s pretty much like us needing to stretch first thing in the morning or after a couple of hours of desk work. They can’t help it. But what you can do is to give them an outlet to vent this behaviour. A high-quality cat scratching post should make your kitty calmer, reduce his restlessness, make him less aggressive and potentially even increase his playfulness. A cat scratcher is both a toy and a flexible behavioural accessory. So, realistically, it shouldn’t be missing from your house.
A Good Way to Keep Your Kitty Happy I used to have a kitty when I was young. She wasn’t exactly friendly, and I’m pretty sure she didn’t even like us that much. But you know what? We liked her, and therefore we pretty much bought all the toys and accessories one can think of. Or at least what we afforded at the time. But one thing we skipped on was the purchase of a premium-quality cat scratching post, which, in retrospect, was probably one of the biggest mistakes we could’ve possibly made. Sure, a cat scratcher can be an eyesore and will take up a significant amount of space. However, the alternative is not really pleasant either. I’ll never forget how I came home with my parents after a quick dinner party with some family friends, only to find that all our sneakers and the entrance of the house had been absolutely destroyed. I don’t know what that cat was like in a previous life, but in the next one, I’m pretty sure she can reincarnate as an industrial paper shredder. And honestly, what can you even do at that point? Get mad? That was her nature, and she didn’t have a proper medium to express her aggression or ingrained hunting instincts. A cat scratcher would’ve probably saved my Jordans from being thrown away. But alas, we all make mistakes from time to time.
An Obvious Choice Kitties are not fully domesticated, and therefore, trying to control your cat’s scratching tendencies is pretty much useless. Sure, you can teach a dog not to bark anymore, sit, or follow more complex commands. Cats, however, are trickier, as they are sometimes even more
stubborn than an ox. They can indeed be trained, but it will not be easy, and it’s not guaranteed. Truth is, if your kitty exhibits some scratching tendencies and has started to have a liking for your furniture, your only way out will be via a cat scratcher. Will a cat scratching post always be cheap? Probably not. Will it be the prettiest accessory in the world? No, not exactly. But it will be a way to protect your furniture, keep your pet happy, improve his agility and of course encourage him to use the cat scratcher as a new toy. There are not many accessories that one can say are truly necessary for the proper development of a kitty. But scratchers are one of them.
