Feline scratchers can be made at home with cardboard boxes and with little money to spend.
Making a cat scratcher at home is not as complicated as it sounds. It can be built with cardboard, without spending money and in a few minutes. This article details four fun ideas to make it out of cardboard boxes : from filling a box with cardboard strips, using a frame to give it consistency or piercing the cardboard to create a hanging scraper , to making a tall skyscraper-scraper , which It will help the cats scratch and file their nails while they exercise and keep in shape.
Why is a cat scratcher so necessary?
Cats love boxes and cardboard, so it is very appropriate to take advantage of this material to make them a practical scratcher
Cats need to claw and scratch surfaces with their claws. Not only do they mark objects to sharpen their nails, but this gesture also serves as a means of communication with other peers and even as a way to eliminate stress . Felines scratch surfaces especially to communicate : a scratched object becomes a very visible signal for other cats and humans at home.
In addition, felines have scent glands on the pads of their paws, cells that leave olfactory signals to the rest of the inhabitants of the house on the surfaces they scratch. Scratching is also a stress- busting way for cats . Felines use scratchers to file their nails, but also because it helps them release a lot of anxiety.
So a feline without a suitable scratcher at home will naturally choose a small number of objects for sanding its nails. This list includes chair legs, sofa upholstery, wicker baskets, and rugs.
A scratching post that the cat likes, therefore, will prevent some damage in the home. That is why it is so important to have one that suits the taste of the furry companion. It can be purchased in specialist feline stores or made at home with the help of a little cardboard!
1. How to make a cardboard cat scratcher
The cardboard and boxes that end up in the blue recycling bin can have a second life. Is anyone still unaware of the feline predilection for boxes and cardboard? This weakness for cardboard can be used to make an original and free scratching post for cats with cardboard.
You have to cut the cardboard into strips of about ten centimeters and place them on the edge inside another box that has been preserved in its entirety. How much cardboard is required? Well, the one necessary to completely fill the box. The pressure between the cardboard pieces will prevent the animal from disassembling this original, simple and free scratcher.
2. Make a cardboard frame cat scratcher
Another idea to transform a cardboard box into a great scratching post for cats? This second proposal consists of putting a frame first with the help of some simple slats. This edge will provide a bit more consistency to the scratcher, since it will make it more resistant to withstand the cat’s scratches.
Otherwise, the instructions are the same as for the previous scraper: cut cardboard strips and place them on the edge until the pressure between them makes them have sufficient consistency.
3. Make a hanging cat scratcher
This third cat scratcher only needs a few holes to be made at the end of the cardboard strips. The holes will allow you to pass a string of pita and hang this cat’s claw scratcher wherever you want: from a doorknob to a wall or ceiling!
If you want to transform this scratching post into an even more attractive accessory for cats, you can try to spread a little catnip on the cartons. This will encourage the animal to use its new scratcher with greater enthusiasm!
