Cat Scratching Post Update

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One of the more successful feline interventions around the Root Simple compound was my idea of turning a corner of our couch into a cat scratching post. Since cats love scratching furniture, why not make the corners out of sisal rope and solve two problems at once?

As you can see from the before and after shots, the cats love their scratching post. With two cats in residence, I’ve found that I have to renew the sisal every four to six months.

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In my original blog post on how-to make a cat scratcher I suggested using heavy duty staples. I’ve since switched to #17 x 1 inch wire nails which are easier to use and do a better job of securing the sisal. I still recommend using 3/8 inch sisal rope. And I also added a few dabs of hot glue to keep the sisal on the post a little longer.

Yesterday I renewed the sisal on the post and, within minutes, it was already in use:

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In that first post on cat scratchers, I proposed building an “integrated cat scratcher/USB charging station/cat perch using a twisty tree branch.” The cats have voted with their claws and love the scratcher so much that I need to get started on that perch notion and other scratcher projects. The cats need to charge their devices too! The whole interior of the house could just get covered in sisal and USB ports.

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7 Comments

  1. Reading this at lunch after putting some black beans in the slow cooker with homemade veggie soup base (Thanks Kelly!) and reminded that you gave me the courage to recover our old carpet cat scratcher with sisal instead of buying a new one. I often feel like an imposter reading your blog, but these easy projects mean that even I can participate in DIY! Wishing all the best to both of you after the life changes and challenges of the last months….

  2. We made a scratching post/perch a few years ago, we’ve had to replace the 2 posts that were carpeted but the two covered with sisal were not used. We took the rope off one and added carpet. The lone sisal will be replaced when we get the energy.
    It took us ages to find the sisal in the first place, most rope is that nylon stuff, and it wasn’t cheap!!
    I find it fascinating how different cats can be.

  3. This has got me really thinking about new ways to make your own posts! Glad I stumbled across the blog.

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