Making a scratching post with your own hands

Many cat lovers are faced with the fact that their pets sharpen their claws on furniture, because of which she loses her appearance. Since cats have such a need, the best solution would be to purchase a special scratching post. You can buy it at pet stores, but if you make it yourself, you can save a lot of money. Moreover, it is not difficult. Now we will consider the option of making a simple scratching post, which consists of a lower base, an upper part where the pet will sit, and a pipe for sharpening the claws.

Making a scratching post

For the lower and upper stands we will need chipboard. The lower base can be made 40x40 cm, and the top 30x20 cm. Using an electric jigsaw, cut exactly the required dimensions. To ensure the angle is exactly 90 degrees, you can use a square.

Now you need to cover the lower and upper parts with fabric. Carpet is best suited for this, as it will be convenient for the cat to sharpen its claws. In addition, this fabric has a high density and is more durable. For the upper part, you can use fabric that is used to cover furniture.To do this, cut the fabric to the required size, taking into account that it can be tucked under the bottom, and secured at the bottom with staples or nails. As for the carpet, it can be cut exactly to the size of the lower base 40x40 cm, and attached on top. You should not use staples to cover the lower part with fabric, as the cat’s claws may be damaged by them. It is better to use small nails or glue.



When the lower and upper parts are ready and covered with fabric, you can begin to make a pipe on which the cat will sharpen its claws. The height of the pipe can be made about one meter. Even if you have a small kitten, you should not make the scratching post too low, as he will grow up and it will be too small for him. Typically, cats like to sharpen their claws to their full height, and their length can reach 70 cm. For these purposes, you can use a regular cardboard tube, which is used for rolled materials, for example, linoleum. You can simply go to a store that sells such materials and ask for this pipe. Usually they are disposed of anyway, so you most likely will not be refused.
After cutting the required pipe size, you need to secure a piece of wooden beam at both the top and bottom. After this, you can fasten the top and bottom parts, connecting it to the pipe at the top and bottom. Before tightening the screws, it is better to drill holes so that the bars do not crack.



And finally, you need to wrap the pipe with rope. To do this, coat the pipe with PVA glue, and wrap it tightly around it with rope, and so on until the very top. Why is it best to use PVA? This is a non-toxic glue and will not harm your pet.




All this work will take you a couple of hours and several hundred rubles.If you buy a ready-made scratching post in stores, the minimum cost will be 2000 rubles.