Cat-scratching ideas

One of the great things about being a small business is it's easy to interact with customers and learn from them. This is especially valuable when the object of the product is to overcome a problem--unwanted clawing—some incorrectly think is all but intractable.

Customer feedback has both led to modifications of Natural Scratch and to improvements to the training guide.

People who love cats are delighted to help, and I am happy to receive and ponder their suggestions. Some are impractical when it comes to manufacturing because price always is an object. But others are workable and add to Natural Scratch's effectiveness.

My goal always is to provide a product that works for most cats and people and eliminates any thought of declawing.

Cat scratching redirection

Cats with claws are going to scratch something *because* they have to. Otherwise, their claws will grow so long they will curl under and be a problem in terms of mobility.

When you train your cat to claw an approved surface such as Natural Scratch, you have accomplished something.

First, you have preserved the cat's wonderful claws; second, you have preserved fine things in your home; and third, you have communicated with your cat in a somewhat complex way, gotten it to understand you, and proved beyond any doubt that cats can be trained.

All this is cooler than a go light. I invite you to go for it at naturalscratch.com.

Scratching? No. Wasp update.

Anyone who has visited this blog might have discovered that in a few previous cases, I have mentioned the paper wasps I have been watching. Fascinating, as Spock used to say.

Just few weeks ago a number of the wasps were still visible but as of this past weekend, all are gone.

These workers built numerous cells; helped hatch and care for many sisters and some drones; and probably a queen or two, but in the end, they had nothing to do and nowhere to go. Their lives were over but they didn't know it.

The queen left weeks ago and the freshly hatched queens probably fled even further back in time. Next year the cycle will repeat…

Cats respond to operant conditioning

It's important to realize that cats are independent animals with minds of their own. They like to do what they like to do and won't give up pleasing habits easily.

They're a lot like humans.

However, they respond to operant conditioning like just about any other creature and this is what the Natural Scratch training system is based on.

First, Natural Scratch presents a stable and soft scratching target that cats like; second, it includes features that help humans interest their cat in the post if he or she doesn't take to it automatically; and third, it arrives with an instruction guide that teaches companions all they need to know about operant conditioning to train their cats.

Truly, it's a fun process and it works very well.

Wonderful customer service

My sister called and mentioned that JC Penny was having a major sale on glasses--that was kind because I needed a pair and always am happy to save a buck or two. There's a store in mall a couple of miles from the house so I went over. I can't remember being in the store previously--I'm more of a Land's End Outlet guy--so as soon as I entered I began scanning the walls and ceilings for a clue as to where the optical department might be.

Seconds later, a nice matronly clerk approached and asked if she could help. I told her my objective and she told me how to get to optical. It really blew me away because these days clerks in stores are often too busy talking among themselves to offer any help, especially if it's not going to benefit them in any way.

Once I reached the optical department I was assisted by another matronly woman who was kind and concerned about my getting the right pair of glasses without breaking the bank. It was great. She brought pair after pair and seemed more fussy about what would look good on me than I am.

Finally she slid on a pair that she liked and that I thought looked pretty good, too. "Those are the ones for you," she said. The price was right--$200 less than my current pair--and I left very happy for the experience. In the future, I'll probably visit the store again.

Customer service is terrifically important--I try to give just what I like to get...

Cat scratching advice

If you have a cat or two that is scratching things that shouldn't be scratched, don't worry, a solution is at hand. Cats can be trained to claw just about any surface so your options are many.

You might travel to a lumber yard, by some red cedar, make a post, add a base, and present it you cat or cats. Trouble is, most cats won't know what to do right off the bat. Like humans, they tend to get stuck in ruts and aren't automatically dislodged just because you present a better and an approved option. What it'll take is training. Some people think cats can't be trained but nothing could be less true.

Natural Scratch comes with an easy-to-follow training guide that has worked well for many people and cats and that will work well for you. If you've already built a post or purchased one that the felines in your life are ignoring, the booklet is available alone for a modest $9.95 at naturalscratch.com.

Cat Scratching? No. Important? Very.

Earlier in the blog, I mentioned that our neighborhood had several resident foxes. A benighted neighbor was feeding these guys, which I thought was terrible. My feeling was they had to be encouraged to fear humans--not see them as possible sources of food--and to move back to the woods.

Now and then I would see the foxes in our yard and even on our deck. In what turned out to be related, our dog Comet began itching like crazy. Vet thought it was allergies but a complete change of diet did nothing to ease the scratching.

Then my lovely wife began itching. Her dermatologist thought it was heat rash and when the cure for that didn't work, he too diagnosed allergies. When ministrations to address this supposed condition did no good, I suggested she visit my dermatologist, the best I've had.

Meanwhile our poor pooch was going nuts with scratching; worse he was infecting himself with the bacteria on his claws and major areas of his ski looked terrible. We had him on antibiotics for weeks and it helped some. On top of this I began noticing that our cats were scratching way more than normal...

When Dr. Maguid saw my wife she immediately said "scabies"--a critter neither of us knew a thing about. Turns out it's a microscopic-sized, louse-like creature.

We applied a salve the doc prescribed head to toe and gave all four animals a different type of treatment, basically a clear fluid that was placed between their shoulder blades. We also quarantined or washed in hot water all items any of us had had contact with, from cat beds to shoes.

Dr. Maguid was 100% right and all of our itching problems cleared up! I believe she saved our dog's life. Moral? If any critter in your life begins scratching for no reason and nothing seems to help, get a second, third, fourth opinion... Don't stop *until the itching stops*. Don't give in the catch-all, "allergies" diagnosis.

Probable source of transmission in our case? The foxes. Turns out they *often* have severe scabies infestations. Probably Comet picked them up while investigating the smells of these foxes on our deck and in our yard.

Help with cat-scratching problems

People who bring cats into their lives for the first time are amazed by scratching. In many cases, it's something they hadn't thought about when they decided to obtain a cat.

Seeing and hearing the end of a davenport being used for claw sharpening is disconcerting to say the least. Often the human companion rushes to the local pet store where various scratching posts are available. These will work, too, *if* the human knows how to train the cat…but few do.

The post is set up but the dispite the owner's best attempts to interest the cat in using it, the cat returns to the davenport. Eventually and sadly, the many owners have the cat declawed and discard the post. It's a terrible shame. The lack of training is the problem.

This is why Natural Scratch includes a training method that has been used successfully by many people. My goal is to eliminate declawing by providing a scratching post most cats like and by including a training method that allows an individual who is brand new to the world of cats to succeed.

Overcoming unwanted cat scratching

Many people have contacted me over the years with reports of cats that out of control and scratching fine things in the home or apartment. This is not good for cat-human relations.

I try to make it clear to these folks that their cats are only doing what comes naturally--just as a toddler will--and need to be trained to behave in ways that are okay with their human companions.

Natural Scratch was developed to give cats a great structure to scratch and to teach humans how to train their cats to claw just one thing: Natural Scratch.

It has worked very well for both purposes. Anyone who follows the cat-scratching training method that accompanies Natural Scratch will succeed. It takes longer with some cats but all cat be trained.

Cat scratching post rewards

The best aspect of Natural Scratch is the affection it receives from cats and their human companions. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to get many e-mails from customers that let me know how much their cat(s) like the post.

These always make my day. Happy cats naturally make their human companions a little happier, too. A cat or two merrily clawing away at a Natural Scratch post is music to the ears of their human companions, including me!

I was and remain the first Natural Scratch customer.

Cat scratching problems?

Cat scratching is only a problem if it is directed at something that is off-limits, a mahogany table leg for example. Otherwise it is fun to watch and it certainly is a necessary activity for the cat.

Persuading your cat to scratch where you want it to and nowhere else is not only possible, it is fun. It's also a way of becoming much better connected with the feline or felines in your life. The process of training puts you in close communication with the critters and you can easily see that they understand you and are willing to behave in ways that please you. That's cool and fun.

Natural Scratch helps because it is all the post most cats will ever need and most important it comes with an easy-to-follow guide that teaches you how to train the cats in your life. Hope you'll have a look today.

Scratching? No. Interesting? Yes. Wasp update.

Temperatures continue to fall in Wisconsin as winter approaches, and only a few wasps are present. I climbed a ladder to take this photo. The wasps were so still that at first I thought they might be dead so I nudged the nest near them with a stick. This motivated an immediate, aggressive reaction. It seemed that they were positioning themselves to fly at me.

It's been many days since I saw any actually flying or even sitting on the ground-facing, open-cell surface of the nest. I can't imagine what they are doing for food and water. 'Course I'm only able to glance at them now and then.

Their season is over even though it's all but certain they don't know it. Soon they too will be gone, like all of their nest mates, and life will go on--paraphrasing George Harrison--without them...

Scratching and scratch

When my son and daughter were small, sometimes--okay a lot of times--the subject of money came up. Now and then I would challenge them to tell me as many slang terms for moolah they could think of. There's quite a list, from bread to wampum.

There are so many words for it because, sadly, dough makes the world go 'round.

I wish it didn't and that I was able to give Natural Scratch away just to help all the people out there who need one for their felines but can't part with the coin. For a producer like me, the price of a product covers everything, from raw materials to advertising. Having a wonderful product means nothing if no one knows about it. I wish I didn't have to spend so much cabbage promoting Natural Scratch because inevitably it has to go into the price. But, I do! Maybe someday word of mouth alone will do the trick. That would be nice…

Scratching up support for animal welfare societies

Thankfully there are thousands upon thousands of wonderful people who work for animal welfare organizations such as the Humane Society, local and national; Best Friends in Utah; the ASPCA; and many, many others. Please do the animals in your area or anywhere a favor and support these wonderful groups with time and or money if you have any to spare. I support a number of them financially and always feels good about it. There are still way too many animals without homes in America. Practicing neutering is essential--ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. We have always neutered our animal companions and they are as happy as can be. Haven't noticed any difference at all before and after. Whatever you can muster, whether a few hours a week volunteering or donating a few dollars a week, I urge you to do it.

Cat scratching is fun to watch

When cats learn to scratch Natural Scratch exclusively, it is fun to watch them dig into the soft white cedar. And it's easy to see that they are enjoying themselves. Their primary motivation is sharpening their claws but scratching also exercises their paws. When they claw Natural Scratch, light cedar debris will gather at the base and over time cats will dent the post. The debris can be vacuumed away easily.

Cat scratching training is an *aha* experience

Patience is key to getting your cat to scratch what you what it to and nothing else. In a way, achieving this is like trying to communicate something fairly complicated to a human who doesn't understand your language. However, by interacting with the cat and watching its behavior carefully you can train it to do many things. When it comes to scratching, it's a matter of having a quality scratching target first and then rewarding any scratching actions that occur. Often cats won't do much other than hook a claw into the post while trying to snag a toy such as the Antenna that comes with Natural Scratch. By rewarding this action with a treat the cat craves, soon the critter will have an aha experience and realize that the path to a food reward it craves is simple: Just scratch what you want it to scratch. Cool.

Cat Scratching Blues

With a nod to the Stones' *Stray Cat Blues*, which is quite a different story, I'll mention that it's easy to get bummed by a cat or kitten that claws woodwork or upholstery in one's living space. What to do? Don't panic because there is a solution--training the critter so it scratches just what you want it to and stays away from everything else. If you're new to felines, this will probably seem like a daunting task but it really isn't that hard. You just need to know what to do and then to do it. Natural Scratch offers a great post and a training method that works.

Cat scratching post that works

Natural Scratch is more than a post and that's why it works--not that it's a set-and-forget solution. It includes interactive features such as the Mouse Hole and Antenna that help humans attract cats to the post and a training guide that teaches humans how to train their cats to scratch Natural Scratch and nothing else. You add rewards such as petting, praise, and treats the cat loves and a lot of love and you will succeed with Natural Scratch. It's made out of white cedar which is a soft wood cats like.

Scratching trying patience

If your cat is scratching something it shouldn't, chances are you're trying to figure out what to do about it. The solution is to train the cat to scratch an approved surface such Natural Scratch. This isn't hard so long as you follow the simple directions that come with the post. You won't achieve success overnight but most cats respond pretty well to training and soon will be scratching only Natural Scratch. Give it a try. It's guaranteed.

Scratching it isn't; interesting it is

A colony of wasps built a nest under one of our eaves. It is relatively close to the ground, and I have been watching them for weeks. Until recently, the wasps were busy gathering food and materials and capping and tending to cells that contained recently laid eggs or building new cells. Over the past several weeks, however, those activities have stopped and now the wasps rarely fly or do anything other than cling to the nest. They aren't visible in the early morning and only appear when the sun's rays reach the paper structure they so laboriously--mouthful after mouthful of masticated wood fibers--created. My guess is that as the evening comes on the night before they climb to the top of the nest, getting as much out of the elements as they can, and huddle together for warmth. Although temperatures here in Wisconsin have been unusually warm this fall, it can't last much longer and soon the air will drop below freezing. These wasps don't know it but they're days, like those of all creatures I suppose, humans included, are not endless. They appear to be waiting for something but it's hard to imagine they have any idea what.

Cat tree climbing

Kittens are wonderfully curious and energetic newcomers. In my experience, when they encounter Natural Scratch, they climb the post as if it were a tree. It's fun to watch. Although like toddlers they learn slower than adults, the fact that they find climbing Natural Scratch hard to resist makes it easier to train them. If you have a kitten, get Natural Scratch today and you'll be well down the road to training it to scratch only where you want it to scratch.

Scratching up a storm

Once a cat is trained to Natural Scratch, humans can expect it to claw the post regularly and deeply. Light cedar debris will gather on the base and near it but this can be vacuumed away easily. The shavings cats remove from the post do not become embedded in carpet fibers. At least I've never experienced that myself and have never heard of it happening from a customer.