# Cat owners: what's your scratching-post-to-cat ratio? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 13, 2008, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753 "2008-10-13T19:07:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/21 "2008-10-13T21:21:46Z")
> [@WF\_Tomba](#): > > So your ratio is 1:1, correct? Kinda? Two cats: One “real” scratching post. However, the one that uses the scratching post is the declawed cat. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/22 "2008-10-13T21:32:09Z")
Two kittens, one scratching post. They’ve both pretty good about using it. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/23 "2008-10-13T23:11:00Z")
3:4 Plus, I have two of those Trader Joe’s double wides - those things are great! My three ‘posts’ are more correctly [cat furniture](http://home.comcast.net/~yay.cat.pictures//cattree.jpg). Spoiled brats. But they won’t tip over when the cats stretch to their full height and let 'er rip. ---
**Author:** ![poetwarlord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@poetwarlord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poetwarlord)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/24 "2008-10-14T00:45:00Z")
Three cats per post. ---
**Author:** ![katie1341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@katie1341](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katie1341)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/25 "2008-10-14T01:00:48Z")
We have two kitties and the following things for them to scratch: a scratchie box; two carpet-covered kitty condos, one tall and one short; a carpet-covered “tuffet”- it’s a wide, circular stand that is exactly the height of the bedroom window, so they can look out and see the birdies; and a carpet-covered hoop-shaped thing with a catnip mouse hanging down off of it (OK, the mouse lasted for about 5 minutes). They scratch and climb on all of them. So I guess that comes to two kitties and 5 scratching posts. They use them regularly- in fact, I’m thinking about replacing the condos because they’re getting pretty beat up- but there is one chair they really like to scratch, and unfortunately, they also like to try to climb the grasscloth wallpaper (which was cute when they each weighed a pound, but now that Snickers weighs 15 and Biscuit weighs 11, not so much…). I do trim their claws regularly. Biscuit doesn’t mind it, but Snickers acts like I’m ripping her toes out by the roots. Little drama queen. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/26 "2008-10-14T01:49:15Z")
Two cats. One sisal fabric wrapped board, one cardboard scratcher like the previously linked one, but with actual sides as well as the bottom, and one cat tree containing a driftwood section as big around as my thigh. They also claw the carpet. _sigh_ Daniel the Terrible’s funny claws get trimmed to prevent ingrowth, but other than that I tend not to clip their claws unless they’re getting stuck in the carpet when walking. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/27 "2008-10-14T02:26:04Z")
2 cats, although one was a rescue who came to me sans claws. The other was rescued as a kitten, so he never went under that particular knife. Scratchers: [ul] [li]1 kitty condo thing that has two platforms supported by sisal-wrapped posts.[/li][li]1 sisal scratcher that was originally meant to hang over a doorknob, which I eventually built a frame for so it sat at a 45 degree angle to the floor, because cat-with-claws ([Púca](http://picasaweb.google.com/not.domesticated/Cats#5222671208590440738)) was ignoring it when hung up. When I first built the frame, Púca looooooooved it. He was completely off furniture-damage for a while. After a couple years he gradually started losing interest, however, and now doesn’t use it at all. Ironically the other cat uses it (clawlessly) fairly often. :p[/li][li]I used to have a cardboard scratcher for a good long while, too. Same deal, Púca loved it at first, then gradually fell off using it (although I think he still did once in a blue moon at the end). The other cat ([Merlyn](http://picasaweb.google.com/not.domesticated/Cats#5239822091245412402)) used it frequently, of course, up until he took a dump on it. I figured if that was his commentary on the scratcher, it could go in the trash. I haven’t bothered to replace it.[/li][/ul] Púca will still semi-regularly scratch the kitty condo thing. But he also does this thing where around bedtime, he’ll get _really really_ excited for some reason or other, which involves him running at top speed from the kitchen to the living room, yowling, and taking a flying leap onto the arm of the sofa, doing a velcro-kitty landing (all claws), and scratching frantically. He gets yelled and chased every single time he does this; I honestly think that he gets so damn excited he just forgets himself. He also sometimes decides to do a velcro-kitty landing on the back of my office chair, which involves less scratching than gripping with the claws, but he gets yelled at for that, too. Merlyn scratches any scratcher available, plus sometimes the sofa, my office chair, or my leg; but I don’t really care with him given that he has no claws anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/28 "2008-10-14T02:35:23Z")
[Two](http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff114/Timur_photo/IMG_5983Large.jpg) [Cats](http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff114/Timur_photo/IMG_5999Large.jpg). Appropriate: One tall sisal scratching post w/ a broad carpeted base that is heavily used. Two cat trees - one all carpet, the other mostly carpet w/some sisal. Moderate use on both. One sisal scratching thing hanging from a bedroom doorknob. Virtually no use. Inappropriate: One boxspring. Light use by one cat. One area rug. Light use by one cat ( not the same as above ). In general they’re pretty good about scratching only authorized scratching surfaces. The area rug annoys me a bit, but I don’t really care about the box spring ( out of sight, out of mind ). ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/29 "2008-10-14T02:59:27Z")
2 cats, one of which is the furniture anti-Christ. If someone makes a couch with a built in electrical charge I’ll be the first customer. The cat from hell actually did it in front of me once and was astounded by the flying shoe of justice. Apparently the words **“!@#%^&\* you !#@% cat”** cannot be heard over the din of shredding material. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/30 "2008-10-14T04:19:08Z")
Z is declawed (I didn’t do it - it had already been done when I adopted her), but don’t think that a declawed cat can’t do at least some damage. Anyhow she has a scratching post which she ignores, but I have a hanging scratching pad like one of [these](http://www.amazon.com/Omega-SP-Door-Hanging-Scratch/dp/B0009YSCMU). Except it’s not hanging, but laying on the ground in an out-of-the-way corner of the apartment. It’s maybe half an inch thick and quite stiff, and she likes ‘scratching’ her toes over the edge. I think the fact that the stiffness offers some resistance gives her the satisfaction of scratching that a regular post can’t offer her. ---
**Author:** ![Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamaika_a_jamaikaiake)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/31 "2008-10-14T04:44:34Z")
0 posts, 1 cat. He shreds the couch, carpet, and office chairs. He, like me, knows that possessions are for destroying. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/32 "2008-10-14T06:16:19Z")
0:2. Both are declawed. But they don’t really comprehend this, so are constantly pawing at the furniture. ---
**Author:** ![Butterscotch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@Butterscotch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Butterscotch)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/33 "2008-10-14T08:13:32Z")
4 cats, no posts. They scratch at the trees in the garden. Sliding slowly down the trunk of a tree hanging on by your nails is apparently much more fun than shredding fabric. One does scratch the furniture, but only one sofa in particular and only when she is hungry and knows it will get our attention… ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753/34 "2008-10-14T16:20:47Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > The other cat ([Merlyn](http://picasaweb.google.com/not.domesticated/Cats#5239822091245412402)) used it frequently, of course, up until he took a dump on it. EEEEeeeeee! He’s got a soul-patch!🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-whats-your-scratching-post-to-cat-ratio/467753.md?page=1)