When you own a cat it is important that you use scratching post plans to build a scratch post for your feline companion. You can buy a cat scratching post at a pet store or mass department store, however if you build your own you will save a lot of money. Here are some of the reasons you should invest in scratching post plans for your cat.
Scratching Post Plans
Save Furniture
Cats and kittens need to scratch. They are genetically designed to have the urge to scratch. Cats will scratch whether you invest in a cat scratching post or not. By building a safe scratching item using scratching post plans you will keep your cat from scratching on the couch or other expensive home furniture. Scratching post plans are easy to follow, even if you are not very mechanically inclined.
After you install the cat scratching post you cat may still want to scratch the couch. If you properly train your cat you can get him or her to scratch on the post instead of your furniture. You can easily encourage many cats to use the new scratching post simply by lacing it with catnip. The catnip will attract the cat to the post and eventually the cat will get in the habit of only using the scratching post to scratch his claws on.
You can also teach the cat to use the post instead of the couch by punishing the cat. If you lightly tap the cat with a newspaper or use a water gun to spray a stream of water at the cat anytime he is scratching on the couch, you will help train the cat not to scratch the couch and other furniture.
You can then pick the cat up and place him on or near the scratching post. Most cats learn quickly that they can scratch all they want on the new scratching post without fear of punishment.
If you punish your cat for scratching on the furniture, yet you do not proved a safe outlet for him to do his scratching on such as a scratch post you built using scratching post plans then you are truly harming your cat both physically and emotionally. You cat has to be able to scratch, and they will scratch regardless of if you install a cat scratching post or not.
When you set up the new cat scratching post it is imperative that you place it in a room the cat frequents. If you place the scratching post in the living room where your family tends to hangout then the cat will use the post. If you instead place the scratching post in a dark, musty, and remote part of the dark basement then you will not have a cat that will use the scratching post. If you don’t like hanging out in the cold, spooky, and dark basement with the spiders then how can you expect your cat to. Instead of walking out of his way to go to the basement to use the scratching post, he will instead walk directly to the closest piece of furniture and begin scratching.
Healthier Cat
Cats need to scratch. Scratching helps to keep the feline claws sharp and in shape. You use fingernail clippers and a file to keep your nails manicured and looking good while you cat will scratch to keep his claws manicured and looking good.
When cats scratch they get a pleasant feeling. It is similar to when someone scratches your back or gives you a mini-massage. Cats like to feel pleasure the same as we do, so they scratch in part to receive pleasurable feelings.
Cats will also scratch to “mark their territory”. Help you cat be able to scratch safely by building a scratching post for cats using scratching post plans. They can be very simple to build.
How to Build Cat Scratching Posts
Building cat scratch posts can be very simple projects. You can make very elaborate cat scratching posts, but the basic cat scratching posts are truly easy to build. You can get ideas of some scratching post plans by visiting a pet store and looking at the ones they have for sale. If you find a design you like you can easily make most of them at home.
Simple cat scratching posts can be built by using wood and screws. You can build a strong base, and then a main post in the center that rises into the air. Off of the main post you can build 3-4 flat shelves with wood that protrude off of the main post. Stagger each shelf and also place them on both sides of the main post for stability. The staggered shelves make it easier for your cat to pounce from one shelf to the next.
Once you get your cat scratch post made using scratching post plans it is time to head down to your local carpet store and get some scraps of carpet. You can often get carpet scraps for a very nominal cost. For the most part the color of the carpet does not matter, as it will get hair shed on it from the cat. Buy whatever carpet scraps are available and then you can use these carpet scraps to cover all of the wood used in the scratching post you built.
Don’t worry if your scratching post plans and project did not come out looking the way you intended. As long as the post is stable, your cats will enjoy using it. Cats are not know to be into Feng Shui, so you can get away with using any scratching post plans.
Scratching post plans can be designed yourself, but you can also find free scratching post plans Online as well as buying premium scratching post blueprints.
Scratching Post Plans – The Conclusion
Many cat owners who build their own scratching post plans have friends and family that come over and visit. When they see your cats scratching the scratching post instead of the furniture, they may ask where you bought it at. If they own cats they may want their own scratching post and when they find out you built it yourself they may want to get you to build them one also. You can either sell them your scratching post plans and let them build it themselves or and let them build it themselves or you can build more cat scratching posts and sell them to your friends and family. Scratching post plans can truly save you money because you will not have to consistently be replacing your furniture.
