The Cat Scratching Tree – Create a Natural Environment for Your Pet!
Many cat enthusiasts tend to forget that their little purring fluffy pet is also a living creature that has the right to enjoy the freedom that a natural environment provides. Outdoor cats adore climbing trees, scratching their rough bark and taking a nap on a high spot (the roof of a house, for example) where dogs and other unfriendly animals cannot harm them.
All these activities are ‘encoded’ in the instincts of all cats. When we keep them inside our house or apartment, they are deprived of all these normal feline activities. Of course, we cannot bring a real tree in our house, but we can definitely provide our pets with the next best thing: the cat scratching tree.
Among all models of cat scratching furniture, cat trees are the most complex. You will find online an overwhelming diversity of different brands and designs. Most of them are created to offer our furry friends a viable alternative to real trees, having a scratchable surface, many ‘branches’, different levels, ladders, dangling toys and many other optional elements – cat houses, cat perches, cat beds, even cat hammocks! I even found some cat trees that look just like natural trees, for example the Mushroom Cat Tree with Tub from CozyCatFurniture.
Of course, the most complicated thing is choosing the most appropriate model of cat tree. However, this task is actually easier than it seems: just follow your cat’s hints! Cats usually have well-defined behaviors – some like scratching vertical surfaces, others scratch horizontally; some like to take a nap on the ground level, others – someplace higher; some enjoy playing with toys, others are enthusiastic climbers! Depending on your kitty’s preferences, you can choose a cat scratching tree that comprises all the needed elements.
However, you should also know that there are several components of a scratching tree that are mandatory for any feline’s satisfaction. First of all, any cat tree should contain one or several cat scratching posts. They can be covered with sisal fabric, sisal rope, carpet, burlap, wood or cardboard. The best cat scratching posts or cat tree will combine at least two kind of surfaces, having carpet-covered and sisal-covered segments – to fulfill all the scratching needs your kitty might have.
Then, a cat tree should have at least two levels, to allow your pet to climb it and play on its ‘branches’. Besides offering different textures for scratching, a cat tree should also combine different angles: vertical, horizontal and inclined. The more scratching, stretching and playing options will be included in the tree, the less interest your kitty will have for your belongings!
Good cat scratching trees also comprise one or several cat resting spots: a cat house, cat beds or cat perches. They will allow your cat to have comfortable naps on her own territory – just like she would have in the natural outdoor environment.
Dangling cat toys are optional ‘tricks’, but they are extremely attractive to many cats, especially to little kittens. Instead of ‘flirting’ with your leather sofa, a cat will be ferociously hunting her mouse toy! Some cat scratching posts and cat trees also come with special pockets designed for catnip. They are especially useful in the training period, when you’re still redirecting your cat’s scratching towards the post. You can stop using the catnip once your cat learned how to use the cat scratching post or the cat tree.
Many manufacturers also make custom cat trees, according to the wishes of their clients. This is, in fact, a very useful alternative – cat trees are usually very big and they need a lot of space. Having them custom made, you can accommodate the cat furniture naturally in your home, at the same time making sure that it matches with the rest of your interior design.
