Cat Scratching Posts: we know they can save our furniture from being shredded, but is it possible that a scratching post can actually enhance our home? Thankfully, we can answer that question with a confident "yes"! Today we have a plethora of options that will do even more than keep your pet cat happy and healthy. With an ever expanding array of products a cat owner's only difficulty should be in choosing between many beautiful and clever scratching posts.

Before we take a look at some of those options let's examine why cats scratch furniture. The insight gained from this can put us on the right track when it comes down to picking which scratching post will be best for your cat. Cats scratch furniture for a few main reasons. Most people would probably know that cats use scratching to sharpen their claws (presumably so that the intrepid house cat can do an even better job destroying even more furniture).What fewer of us would know is that cats actually have scent glands in their paws and scratching furniture is one way they mark territory. Since cats many cats seem to consider the entire house as their territory likely places they may scratch include furniture in the center of the main room and also near the doorways to other rooms in the house. Cats also scratch furniture to; stretch bodies and claws, use up excess energy, and for play. They do not scratch merely because they have a penchant for vandalism (as many vehemently claim).

Now that a cat's motivation for aerating our couch is better understood, we are almost ready to take look at the different options available when it comes to purchasing a scratching post. First, however let's figure out what type of scratching post is going to be the most functional and pleasurable for your cat. This may be the most important step because it's what determines whether or not and how easily a cat can be trained to use the post. Luckily, this is easily done: your cat will tell you. Take a look at how your cat likes to scratch. Does he scratch way up high and get in a good stretch? Or, maybe she prefers scratching horizontally on or near the floor and really digging her claws in? Take note of any idiosyncrasies or habits and then let's move on to the actual scratching posts themselves.

Since it's such common knowledge what the mundane scratching post looks like, I will just point out two important things and then move on to more unusual and interesting scratching devices. First the scratching post must be securely anchored: if it's wobbly a cat will much prefer to scratch the solid-immovable couch instead. Second, if it's a vertical post, it should be tall enough so the cat can reach way up above his head and get a good stretch. If the post is too short it may be ignored in favor of other taller furniture.

What other scratching post options do we have aside from this mundane scratching post we are all familiar with? Well, a lot actually. We are just going to list a few of the lesser known scratching post styles and then wrap this up. Scratching pads can be a great option, especially the framed wall-mounted style. These come in a variety of colors, are securely anchored, and can be easily placed at the perfect height for any cat.

Then there are various styles of secure and attractive horizontal scratchers for those cats who like scratching the carpet. Also, dual-purpose cat scratching sleepers which combine the cat bed with a scratching pad for a cat's convenience and for space saving in our homes.

A favorite of many is the scratching log. These are smoothed but natural looking pieces of a medium hardness wood, often red cedar which is aromatic and won't splinter from repeated scratching.

If taking that little extra time in choosing a scratching post seems like more trouble than it's worth, keep these two things in mind: a nice post can actually enhance rather than detract from the look of a home, and the right scratching post can make all the difference in how long it takes a cat to make the switch from scratching furniture to scratching the post. Because that, after all, can be more than half the battle - hopefully this information makes it a much quicker and easier one for us all.