Taken from: healthypets.mercola.com
Invest in or build a good quality scratching post or climbing tree, one that is heavy and very stable. Depending on its size, your cat should be able to run up and down it, jump on and off it, sit or lie on it, and pull on it without causing it to tip, move, or even wobble. Any amount of movement of the tree, especially when your cat is first getting used to it, could scare her away for good.If your floors are carpeted, choose a post covered with a different texture carpet than what’s on your floor, so your cat can easily distinguish between the two surfaces.Another option is to buy a post covered with sisal, a rough-textured material made of rope that cats like to dig their claws into. A third alternative is to cover the post in a fabric that provides resistance as your kitty pulls down on it.Make sure you place the post or climbing tree in the area where your cat is most likely to use it. Depending on whether your kitty is sociable or shy, that could be your busy family room or a quiet corner of a spare bedroom.If you’re training an older cat that is already scratching a surface in your home, his territory has been “marked.” In this case, you’ll want to put the post close to the surface he’s begun scratching.Cover the surface you want to protect with deterrents and reward your kitty for switching to the post. Once he’s using the post, you can move it a few inches at a time over several days to a location you prefer.Once you’ve got your post or climbing tree ready to go, encourage your cat to explore it using a cat toy or some catnip rubbed on it as an enticement. Offer praise and treats each time she uses the post and especially when she digs her claws into it.Pet her while she’s using the post, and give her any other kinds of positive reinforcement she responds to. The idea is to make it an appealing experience each time she uses her post or tree.
