A good cat scratching post can be a godsend for cat owners. Having one of these for your furry companion is an absolute must because it can improve its life and yours at the same time. In this article, we’ll look at the best cat scratching posts as well as horizontal scratchers on the market today, as well as how to choose one that is well-suited for your cat.
The Main Benefits of Cat Scratching Posts
Scratching comes naturally to cats because it is the way they sharpen their claws for hunting in the wild. Your cat will scratch whatever it can to keep its claws trimmed and sharpened, and it is in your best interest to give it something of your choice, rather than leave it up to the cat to choose its scratching area (like your couch!). As any cat owner knows, couches and armchairs are of particular interest to kitties, but not to owners with the right scratching posts or scratchers.
So, unless you are planning to redecorate any time soon, you could greatly benefit from having a scratching post for your cat. This common cat product has some important advantages, both for your cat and yourself. Here are the main ones:
For the cat
- Claw Health
By using a scratching post regularly, your cat’s claws will be effortlessly trim. Even if the cat doesn’t use the post extremely often, its claws will still be reasonably trim. On a scratching post, your cat’s claws that are naturally made up of layers sheath off as they scratch away.
- Active Lifestyle
If your cat likes the scratching post, you will most certainly notice because it is going to be very vocal and very active about scratching. This will give your cat the chance to exercise and maintain an active lifestyle, which is crucial for its health. Even the laziest of cats will not be able to resist the temptation of a good scratching post.
- Stress Reduction
The more your cat uses the scratching post, hopefully the less stressed it’ll be. Cats release emotion from scratching their nails. Aside from this, getting exercise leads to endorphin release, which also actively reduces stress.
For the Cat Owner
- Less Claw Trimming Necessary
Trimming your cat’s claws varies from reasonably unpleasant to absolutely dreadful. Whichever way it is for you and your cat, the trimming session is never a pleasure. Therefore, if having a scratching post for your cat means that you can trim its nails less often, then it is a useful tool around the house. Sometimes though, they can also get pretty sharp from scratching posts – so you will still need to trim claws if you have a kitty that makes biscuits while sitting on your lap. I love Zen Clipper nail clippers for trimming sharp claws.
- Dealing with a Less Stressed Cat
While it may not seem so right away, having a scratching post will greatly improve your cat’s life. Since it will be getting regular exercise and emotional release, your cat will have less of its daily runabouts in the house. It will also sleep better, and ultimately you will be dealing with a far more relaxed cat.
- Furniture Protection
For some cat-owners, this is actually at the top of the list of benefits of owning a scratching post. If your cat will do its scratching on the post, your furniture will be safe from its sharp destructive claws. So, if you want to keep your furniture intact, you should start looking for the best possible scratching post for your furry critter.
In the following section of this article, I will list my choice of the best cat scratching posts. But as a general word of advice, choosing the best possible post for your cat depends entirely on its preferences. Just like you prefer one type of furniture to another in spite of reviews, your cat may feel differently than I do about the items on this list. Nevertheless, the 20 items featured here will help you make an informed decision if you are looking for the best cat scratching post. Take a look!
1. TopCat Vinyl Base Cat Scratching Post
This 32″ Top Cat scratching post features a standard design but boasts excellent quality. The post is upholstered with woven sisal and is round in shape to provide more space for the cats to scratch. This product comes with generous amount of organic catnip to help your kitty be attracted to the woven sisal – but you can also request not to have the catnip, if you’d prefer.
The base is made out of maple grain Formica and it is suitable for carpets, tile, and hardwood. It has a metal to metal attachment system, which makes it easy to put together. The scratching post can be replaced when it gets deteriorated.
2. TopCat Sisal Base Cat Scratching Post
Like the vinyl base TopCat post above, the 32″ Sisal Scratching Post from TopCat uses the classic post model. It has a wooden base and a sisal scratching post, which is tall enough to help your cat exercise. The base of this post is also lined with sisal for that cat that loves a good horizontal scratch as well – so it becomes a 2-in-1 scratcher for many kitties.
3. PurrFur Modern Cardboard Scratch Pad
This cat scratching pad from PurrFur has a cardboard scratching pad that is inserted into a stylish wooden base. This means two very important advantages: it is sturdy, but not bulky, and it has a replaceable insert. It has a very pleasant design, which makes it an actual piece of furniture. Please note that it is particularly compatible with Scandinavian style furniture, but it will go well with very many other styles as well.
It has a white birch plywood base, which is set on four robust legs that also come with protective pads so that your floor will not be scratched. The scratching area is made out of cardboard and it is replaceable, which makes this PurrFur pad a keeper. If you expect a cardboard scratcher to be easily destroyed, then you will be surprised by this one, as Charlie and Trigg can attest to. This is an excellent choice for cats who enjoy scratching horizontally.
4. Felix Tree Company Tall Cat Scratching Post
Standing 28 inches tall, this scratching post from the Felix Tree Company is an excellent choice because it will give your cat quite a bit of space to stretch during the scratching rituals. As you can imagine, it is particularly well-suited for cats that enjoy scratching vertically, but it is a general model that is well-suited for any cat.
This is a high-quality product, as it features a base and top made out of real wood that is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. The post is made out of sisal and comes with catnip. The catnip gives this scratching post a boost because it will be attractive even to the unforthcoming kitties. Its classic design makes it easy to place in any room of the house. It will not take up a lot of space, but it will give your cat the exercise it needs and all the scratching goodness it longs for.
5. Felix Catnip Tree Company Scratching Beam
If you follow Floppycats, then you know that the Scratching Beam from the Felix Catnip Tree Company is one of my favorite products ever. It has two central advantages that have really made it stand out for me – it is particularly sturdy and it is an excellent horizontal cat scratcher, which is not as easy to find as you might think.
This horizontal cat scratcher is also versatile because your cat can scratch from up or down. This is very important because it will maintain the cat’s interest. In the two years we’ve had it, it has stayed in good shape that I haven’t needed to replace the sisal, which makes it a top-of-the-list product.
6. PetFusion Cat Scratcher Lounge Deluxe
The Cat Scratcher Lounge Deluxe from PetFusion is a favorite among many Floppycatters. It doubles as a cat lounger and a very efficient scratcher. It is made out of cardboard, which makes it appealing for cats, as they are naturally attracted to the material. It has an infinity shape, which makes it a lovely piece of furniture, as well as a very comfortable lounger for your furry critter.
Another advantage of its shape is the fact that it is suited for horizontal and vertical scratchers alike. In our experience with the product, the scratching area was very durable, so we were able to keep it for a long time. In fact, when you want to dispose of it, the Cat Scratcher Lounge Deluxe can be recycled. This is an eco-friendly product made out of recycled materials.
As a bonus – once the life of this scratcher has come to an end, many readers have found that you can saw it in half and have two brand new scratchers (with the inside of the scratcher that hasn’t been touched in most cases).
7. PetFusion Jumbo Cat Scratcher Lounge
The Jumbo Cat Scratcher from PetFusion is an excellent choice for large-sized cats. It measures 39″ x 11″ x 14.3″ inches and it has a smart shape that makes it a comfortable lounger as well as a versatile scratcher. Cats can scratch both horizontally and vertically, so this product is also great for households with more than one cat, which may have different scratching patterns. Also, cats can sit on the top downward curved part, but also in the interior part that is curved upward.
It is made out of recycled corrugated cardboard, which cats simply love to scratch. This PetFusion product also promises to outlive similar models because the materials they use are more durable and will take more scratching then most. The product comes in neutral colors (white and light brown) meant to be compatible with most homes. Lastly, the product is 100% recyclable.
8. PetFusion Cat Scratcher FLIP Lounge
This product doubles as a cat scratcher and a lounger, and it also comes in two attractive designs. It is made from premium cardboard meant to last longer even with a large amount of scratching. Flipping it will change the design, which will prevent cats from getting bored with it.
It has rounded margins and curves to optimize the scratching area and to provide the cat with a comfortable resting area. It does not require assembly and it is long enough to fit large-sized cats. The cardboard is embedded with organic catnip, which will make this PetFusion scratcher very popular with any cat.
If you are unsure if your cat will like cardboard to scratch, this is a small scratcher you could start off with to see if it’s the right fit for your kitty.
9. Bergan Turbo Scratcher Toy
The Turbo Scratcher Toy from Bergan has been a godsend for many kittens and cats for decades. It is particularly useful for kittens and unforthcoming cats because it is not only a scratcher but also a toy. The circular scratching area is lined in a plastic half-pipe that fits small balls for your cat to play with.
While chasing the balls round and round, the scratching area becomes irresistible for the horizontal scratcher. This makes the Turbo Scratcher Toy a must-buy for kittens, as well as adult cats in need of more exercise. The scratching area is made out of cardboard and it is very sturdy and durable. All in all, this is a very entertaining scratcher that your cat will love.
10. KATRIS Modular Cat Tree
There are a lot of multi-purpose cat products on the market, but Katris has reached an entirely new level. It is an excellent modular cat scratcher, as well as a very stylish piece of modular furniture which can be personalized to fit any home. Katris is furniture that both you and your cat can use. It can be anything from a coffee table to a bookshelf, and all the way to a cat scratcher and an excellent piece of cat furniture.
As the name suggests, Katris comes with a set of pieces that can be put together like Tetris to create various furniture models. Each kit comes with 5 different pieces that can be put together to create several models. It also comes in several colors, which makes it extremely versatile. Some cats can explore the interior of the Katris pieces (be sure to check out dimensions of the pieces to see if your kitty will like the inside – Charlie and Trigg are large breed cats and don’t fit on the inside parts of the Katris pieces), climb them, scratch on them, sit on them, and lounge on them. Each piece is made out of 100% eco-friendly durable cardboard colored with non-toxic substances. Katris serves as an excellent scratcher, which can then be recycled.
11. Necoichi Cat Cozy Scratcher Bowl Bed
The cat scratcher bowl from Necoichi is an ingenious cat bed with a cat scratcher interior. It has a simple, yet very efficient design meant to attract cats to lounge at first, and then inspire them to scratch. The bowl-like shape makes it a very good place for the cat to snuggle, sit, and sleep.
The cardboard-made interior is excellent for scratching. After a while, when the top of the cardboard insert is destroyed, theinsert can be reversed and it will be good as new, allowing for two uses rather than just one. The scratcher is removable and replaceable, which means that the bowl can be used over a long period of time. This product has a stylish modern design and it will look amazing in any home.
12. Pioneer Pet SmartCat The Ultimate Scratching Post
Many Floppycatters swear by this popular scratching square-shaped post. The main advantage of this scratching post from Smart Cat is that it enables the cat to stretch vertically. At 32 inches, it is one of the tallest models available on the market. It has sisal on the exterior, which the cat will enjoy scratching.
The product features high-quality sisal that will stand the test of time. It features a durable wooden base that keeps it from tipping or wobbling. The color of the wooden base and top makes it compatible with most types of furniture. It is easy to assemble and it can be placed in any room of the house.
13. SmartCat Bootsie’s Corner Cat Scratcher
The Bootsie’s Corner Cat Scratcher from SmartCat is one of the most versatile products on our list. Its unique design makes it suited for the corners in a room – great for someone with a small living space. Not only does it take up less space, but its innovative design also creates a hiding spot for your cat between the walls and the post, which the cat can enter and exit through a circular entrance.
The scratching pad is placed slightly higher than in other types of posts, which means that the cat will have to stretch a little bit to get to the scratching area. Don’t worry, this will make it that more appealing to your furry critter. The Bootsie’s Corner Cat Scratcher is particularly well-suited for highly active cats that enjoy doing their scratching vertically.
14. The Original Scratch Lounge
This horizontal cat scratcher is an excellent choice because it doubles as a lounger. It is made out of cardboard and it has a very simple, yet efficient design. The scratching area is very sturdy and can be flipped when it has been well-used, which makes it a good investment.
The Original Scratch Lounge is small enough to fit in any home, yet just large enough to make an excellent resting place for your cat. It is approved by Caymus and Murphy, as well as Charlie and Trigg, which makes this cat scratcher a must.
Cat scratcher posts and scratchers come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Whether your cat enjoys scratching horizontally, vertically, or both, there are plenty of excellent choices available on the market today. However, finding the best cat scratching post ultimately depends on meeting the strict requirements of your furry companion.
Do you have a favorite scratcher for your kitty? What is it and why do you love it?
I have several of these scratchers for my cat. I also have two Purrfect Post cat scratching poles with beds. My cat LOVES these. I highly recommend them. They are very sturdy. https://www.purrfectpost.com
Thank you for sharing =)
These posts are designed by a veterinarian.
SUPER FABULOUS & PAWESOME post and pics, Jenny!!! Soooo many amazing scratching products!!! We have several of these but Miss PSB’s all time fave scratcher has become her Infinity Cat Scratcher Lounge by Karma Products LLC (which you featured in a previous post on September 19, 2012…https://www.floppycats.com/infinity-cat-scratcher-lounge-by-karma-products-llc.html). She uses it the most out of all the scratcher options we have strategically placed in our small apartment. 🙂 <3
Big hugs & lots of love!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3
YAY! That’s a good one. I think they stopped selling it – but the Petfusion one is a good replacement.
Thanks for the info, Jenny!! I’ll make a note of that for when it’s replacement time! 🙂 <3
Bonjour Jenny,
I have bought the one similar to the scratch but the side sort of curl up and it’s wide enough. All these things I’m preparing for the arrival of Missy. In any event I’ll have a tree, a standing scratcher on a post so I waiting patiently. Merci Maxine
=)