Scratching posts - better (less ugly) solutions?

[Plateofcrumbs]

Our indoor cat has taken using one the arms of an old sofa as her scratching post. We're hoping to get a new sofa soon and don't want this one to end up in the same sorry state.

I haven't seen any scratching posts which aren't really ugly and (much as I love the cat) I don't really want one cluttering up the house. I know she needs somewhere to scratch though so am trying to think of some creative solutions that will satisfy the cat without being an eyesore.

Any suggestions?

[cozietoesie]

If she uses that arm she'll likely stick to that place - or one of the other arms once it shreds too much. Is there any way you can keep that old sofa - even if, say, in another room? All my boys have chosen old furniture as their preferred scratching posts - or carpet squares if they couldn't get furniture. A few throws around in case of visitors and you're generally good to go.

(Appreciate that maybe space won't allow.)

[RubbishMantra]

I have 2 floor to ceiling supporting posts in my living room, which I am in the process of turning into scratching posts by wrapping sisal twine around them, stuck down with contact glue. I figured as they are there anyway, may as well use them. When they're finished, I'm going to put a platform between the two, so the cats can sit up there and look down on their servants

When it's finished, I will post a photograph.

You can also get scratching pads that you fix to the wall, have a look on Amazon.

[GemmaTeller]

Boy cat ignore his scratch post and uses the wicker bin in my sewing room and a tree outside.

[MeAndMySpoon]

Yes, I was going to suggest ones that you screw onto a corner of the wall - a corner that sticks out rather than in, if you see what I mean. I definitely saw some on ebay and amazon.

[cozietoesie]

Like \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_4_16?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=wall%20mounted%20cat%20scratching%20post&sprefix=wall%20mounted%20cat%2Caps%2C335%5Cthese%3F%7D&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[WitchWay]

Mine have always scratched the legs of my grotty kitchen table & ignored the scratching post When we replace it I might keep the legs for them

Apart from sometimes scratching the carpet they have never tried to scratch anything else.

[bonzo77]

Those heavy old fashioned (coir?) door mats. All my past and current cats have adored them. I wanted to replace the one by the front door with a nicer one but when I did bonzocat tried to have a go at the Persian rug and the curtains.

[Fluffycloudland77]

The way to look at it is that no matter how ugly scratching posts are its nothing in comparison to a wrecked sofa.

[cozietoesie]

I'm lucky in that my cats have always chosen armchairs. (Smaller than a sofa and capable of being covered by a nice throw in the event of visitors who need to be protected.)

[Plateofcrumbs]

Thanks for the suggestions. We do have a some mats specifically for the cat to use in preference to plucking the carpet, which seems to work. But she does like a vertical scratch as well. We don't have space to keep the current sofa AND get a new one. She definitely seems to like a vertical corner to scratch on so I'm wondering if some kind of side-table thing covered in sisal would tempt her.

[cozietoesie]

Have a look at that link I posted, Plate - or maybe google on 'wall mounted cat scratching posts' and shop around.

Good luck.

[moonbells]

Our old lady cat was a bugger for scratching an ancient sofa we had. When we finally got shot of it we took all the decent-ish bits of material off it and used them to cover the ignored scratching post and it worked - she shifted across to the post like magic. It was the material she liked to hook her claws in.

If yours likes the old sofa's arms, I'd take the material off and use it to cover something else, like a wall-mounted pad and/or actual scratching posts.

We are so lucky with the new cats. They both come in and wipe their feet nicely on a post. Even if the damned thing does block the understairs cupboard and the kitten is now tall enough to stretch over the top!

[Plateofcrumbs]

That's a good idea moonbells.

[cozietoesie]

Excellent idea, moonbells. Definitely worth trying.