Cat Furniture – Which Type Is Best?

Posted by Fred on January 3rd, 2009 at 08:26am

By David P Lee

You’ve heard the hype about how, historically, cats have been
revered, even worshiped by some cultures. Some people walk
through pet stores and think that this is still happening today.
After all, look at all of the elaborate cat trees and cat
furniture that is available. People who do not have cats often
scoff at all of the cat tree furniture and other type of cat
furniture they see available in pet and department stores. They
seem to think that cat owners who buy these things for their
pets are spoiling them. What they don’t understand is that cat
trees and furniture for cats are not always purchased as
presents. Sometimes a cat’s owner will purchase these things as
a survival tactic. After all, if the cat has its own trees and
furniture to scratch and play on, maybe it will leave the human
furniture intact.

There are several basic types of cat trees and cat furniture
available. The first, and most basic, of all cat accessories is
the scratching post. A scratching post is a “must have” for any
cat owner. Cats have an intrinsic need to work their claws. They
work their claws a lot. The way they work their claws and keep
them sharp is by scratching on things. They are not picky about
what they scratch as long as it provides a tiny bit of
resistance to their claws and can give their paws a good
workout, so providing your cat with a scratching post will be
one of the best things you can do if you want to save your
furniture. A scratching post is basically a piece of wood that
is attached to a base and then covered in cheap carpet.

The most basic form of cat furniture is the “cat condo” which
is a round and hollow tower that usually has between one and
three “rooms” that have their own entrances. The whole thing is
usually covered with the same carpet that covers scratching
posts and provides your cat with its own “private space.” These
are not as essential to buy as a scratching post, but they can
be helpful in keeping your cat off of the furniture. This,
again, speaks to the cat’s territorial nature. Apparently cats
never learned to share when they were being revered as gods.
Once they are given their own spaces for hiding, sleeping and
playing they are likely to lose all interest in the rest of your
belongings.

Interesting fact: Some cats work their claws as a way of
dealing with stress. Keep an eye on your cat—when they get
freaked out about something, do they head straight for their
scratching post (or the side of your couch)? Chances are they
are calming themselves down!The best part about cat trees and
cat furniture is that all of it is covered in the same carpet
that covers scratching posts. This gives your cat even more
surfaces to attack safely. The more places they have to play,
the safer your furniture will be.

About the Author: For more pet information see David’s site on
cat leukemia, dog steps, pet steps, Dog Illnesses.
www.AceCatFurniture.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: www.isnare.com/?aid=219313&ca=Pets