Your cat has faithfully used her scratching post for years, and it's starting to look shredded and tattered. You might start to think it's time to surprise her by tossing the old one in the trash and bringing home ... a new one!
Wait -- don't do it! There's more to a worn-out scratching post than meets the eye.
Your cat scratches on her post for many reasons, such as claw conditioning, muscle stretching, and emotional release. But there's also another connection, and that has to do with marking behavior. When she scratches her post, she leaves both a visual and an olfactory mark. Day after day, she takes comfort in the familiarity of those marks. For her to walk into the room and suddenly be faced with a totally unfamiliar post can be stressful.
If you want to get rid of that ratty old post, first purchase a new one and place it next to the old one. Rub the new post with a little catnip for added enticement. If your kitty still seems reluctant to scratch on it, place it on its side and dangle an interactive toy around it. Once kitty pounces on the toy, she'll probably realize that this new post feels wonderful.
Once your cat is consistently using the new post, you can phase out the old one. Don't be in rush though -- make sure it truly is worn out. A well-used scratching post may not look pretty to you, but if you're thinking like a cat, that tattered post looks gorgeous!
For help with scratching behavior problems, refer to my book Think Like a Cat, or preorder my new book, Starting from Scratch.
