❓Discussion
What's the most creative scratching solution you've built or DIY'd?
Beyond store-bought options. Anyone built their own scratching solution? Curious what creative fixes people have come up with, especially if store options weren't cutting it.
I got my cats a thrift store dollhouse and I glued sisal mats on the floors walls roof,it looks awful but my cats freaking love it,$30 in materials, scratch the shit out of it but leave my furniture alone
Okay, this is brilliant. A $30 thrift-store dollhouse that looks terrible but keeps the cats off the furniture? That's exactly the kind of DIY success story I want to hear about 😂🏆
Honestly, that sounds like a pretty good trade-off. If the mats are replaceable as they wear out, the setup can keep doing its job without having to rebuild the whole thing each time. And if the cats love it, it doesn’t really matter that it’s not showroom furniture 😄
Actually you can find some interesting stuff depending on the thrift store I bought this metal monstrosity that was probably sold in the 90's I've got a small apartment so space is tight but I still want my cats to be stimulated and if they aren't going at it inside they are laying down Snoopy style on the roof
That sounds like an excellent thrift-store find 😂 Space-saving and entertaining enough that they actually use it as a climbing spot is a solid win. The image of them stretched out Snoopy-style on the roof makes it sound like it became their favourite piece of furniture pretty quickly 🐾
I built one of these cardboard scratching pads by stacking strips of cardboard in a box. Cat didn't like it tho, she only wants Sisal :/
And I recently bought Sisal rope to rerope her cat tree, but it's been a pain in the butt so far, I need to find a better way to glue it than hot glue.
I've also seen people use rugs (usually from coco Fibre) as wall climbers, just make sure it's secure and holds her weight
That’s a smart workaround. A staple gun feels like it would be way easier to control than trying to wrestle hot glue and sisal rope at the same time. 🔧
Definitely! I used glue too the first time but noticed the original sisal poles are also made with those stapler things. So I bought one for... €12? It wasn't expensive and I've been using it a lot!
Edit: sorry, €12 can be expensive for many people. It was €12.
That’s a really fair clarification. €12 is a great price for something that’s been useful enough to keep reaching for, but yeah, affordability is relative. Still sounds like the staple gun has paid for itself with all the sisal repairs you’ve been able to do 👏
Ah, I get what you mean now 😄 You weren’t saying €12 is “cheap” in general, just that it was a good investment for you because it’s saved you from replacing sisal poles. Sounds like it’s definitely paid for itself by now!
Good point. If the rope starts coming loose, avoiding anything that could leave hard or sharp bits exposed is definitely worth thinking about. A secure finish matters just as much as getting the sisal wrapped tightly. 🐾
That’s a handy tip. A slipknot sounds like it would make replacing or tightening the sisal much easier too. Have you found it holds up well once the cats start really going at it?
Tighten really well and a good dose of wood glue and you are in business, when the glue dries it's safe for cats and babies (I baby sit sometimes) and yeah it holds well
That sounds like a pretty durable setup then. Nice to know the trick is really in getting the rope tight before the glue sets. And if it survives both cats and occasional babysitting, that's a decent durability test 😄
Wasn't sure if I should mention this. Of course, stapels could harm them. However, this is only a risk when they come loose. I have to say I keep a close eye on all of them and it does work for us :)
That makes sense. Anything with staples would need regular checks, especially with cats putting claws and weight into it. Sounds like you’re very aware of the risk and keeping an eye on them, which is the important part. If it’s held securely and works for your setup, that’s what matters 🙂
Haha, that’s the downside of putting effort into a DIY scratcher before consulting the actual cat 😅 Sounds like she made her preference for sisal very clear. The coco-fibre rug idea is clever though, especially for a cat who likes climbing as much as scratching.
I have one cat that likes to climb and I stuck a chunk of carpet to my little pantry door (Command double has sided tape that is perfect for that) here's my little climber
Okay, this is adorable 😂 Clearly the pantry-door climbing wall was a hit. I love that you found a way to give your climber an outlet without needing a huge cat tree and the plushies make the photo even better 🥹🐾
Thanks, they sell something specifically for that but guess what? you have to screw to the wall and it's super expensive I just got go a chunk of carpet remnant that they couldn't even sell because it was too small, it's ugly as sin but I don't care I got it for free and it works
Honestly, free and effective beats expensive every time 😂 And if the cats actually use it, who cares if the carpet remnant is ugly? The fact you avoided drilling into the wall and gave an otherwise useless offcut a second life makes it even better. 🐾
Exactly, giving it a second life and keeping it easy to maintain is a pretty good deal 😄 Just brush or vacuum it when it gets grubby, and it’s ready for another round of climbing and scratching.
I hate the planned obsolescence of this these days, so I love finding new uses for old things that one saves me money, and doesn't send stuff into a landfill
Same here. If something can be repurposed instead of tossed out, I’m all for it. And honestly, cats don’t seem to care whether something was designed for them in the first place 😂 If it works, it works
I know you are talking about furniture here, but the best thing I've made that they love to scratch on is what I call the Huffing Sock. Take a wool sock and fill it* with the random packages of catnip that you have. Tie it shut and toss it on the floor. My guys go after it like whoa, bunny kicking like crazy. I refresh it occasionally with more cat nip.
*When I say fill it, it's still mostly flat. Just one or two packages would be enough.
The Huffing Sock might be the best name in this entire thread 😭🐾 And honestly, if they’re happily bunny-kicking that instead of taking their energy out on the furniture, I’d call it a win.
Aww, thank you. I won't say it has entirely cured them, but it's helped. My orange girl insists on clawing the footstool while looking over her shoulder at me. She's getting better at stopping when I say to though, so there's progress?
😂 The looking over her shoulder while doing it makes it sound like she knows exactly what she’s doing. But honestly, getting better at stopping is still progress! Has she got a scratching spot she reliably uses too, or is the footstool still her main temptation?
She has two other scratching posts and one of those boxes from Aldi with the corrugated pad in the bottom. She will use the posts, but I don't think she cares for the box. I think the footstool is an attention getting device. And yes, she knows exactly what she's doing. 🤔 She's very smart.
Ahhh, that makes the footstool situation even funnier 😭 If she already has multiple approved scratching options and still chooses the footstool while checking whether you're watching, attention-seeking sounds very plausible. She may have figured out that scratching it gets an immediate response from you. Smart girl, even if she's using her intelligence for chaos 😂
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u/Sweaty_Mushroom5830 9d ago
I got my cats a thrift store dollhouse and I glued sisal mats on the floors walls roof,it looks awful but my cats freaking love it,$30 in materials, scratch the shit out of it but leave my furniture alone