Natural Scratch

Cats Aren't Perfect...

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:00:00 +0000

...but neither are humans. Cats can certainly try a person's patience now and then but it's only because they are programmed to be independent, to run wild, and do what they want within the bounds of the dangers that are all around in nature.

When we invite cats into our human world, the dangers decrease dramatically but other, alien concerns--at least to the cat--come to the fore. An excellent example is a cat's need to exercise and groom its claws.

Outside this never creates a problem because trees are not harmed by scratching; couches are another story.

If you need to corral your cat's natural need to scratch, I hope you'll visit naturalscratch.com

Felicity Interacting with Natural Scratch

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:39:00 +0000

One of my many kind customers recently sent this photo of her cat Felicity interacting with Natural Scratch. One of Felicity's paws is in the Mouse Hole, which is located just below the top of the post. I advise people to put treats and catnip in the hole to encourage their felines to interact with Natural Scratch.

Once a cat is interacting with the post, it's just a matter of time before scratching, which can be reinforced with praise and kitty treats, will occur.

The Mouse Hole and Antenna--the stretchy string toy above Felicity's ear--and the training booklet are among the reasons I often refer to Natural Scratch as a "system." It's much more than a scratching post, and everything about it is designed to help you redirect your cat's clawing to an approved target.

Cat scratching? No. Interesting? I think so.

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:28:00 +0000

It's a little hard to see, but the bundle of fur in the middle of the picture on the deck railing is a gray squirrel. We have many here in Brookfield but this one did something I've never seen before. It took a nap.

He or she stopped the usual running and leaping that characterize these rodents; bent forward radically, appearing to grab its hind feet with its paws; and went to sleep.

The day was rainy and overcast so the light was poor and the picture isn't great. Didn't want to use the flash for fear of scaring the critter away.

Cat scratching declawing

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Sat, 03 May 2008 10:30:00 +0000

If cats could talk, they'd say, "Don't mess with my claws!" 'Course they'd also be able to understand easily that they should only scratch approved surfaces, such as Natural Scratch.

Trouble is they can't talk and don't understand many words. They are like infants and toddlers. As such, they need to be trained.

The good news is that it's possible to have the best of both worlds with cats. You can allow them to keep their claws and they can be persuaded through positive reinforcement training to claw an approved target such as Natural Scratch and to leave other things alone.

It will take a little time and effort but it's a fun process that always works if you follow the step-by-step method. Find out more at www.naturalscratch.com.

Cat scratching solution

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:22:00 +0000

All cat lovers know that our pointy-eared friends are wonderful companions. Not perfect but a lot of fun.

Scratching is an activity they need to engage in to keep their claws sharp and at the right length.

This occasionally leads to conflicts because when confined indoors they have to scratch items in the home. The solution is providing a good and approved scratching target and then training the cat or cats to use it.

Natural Scratch is readily available at http://www.naturalscratch.com and it comes with an easy-to-use training booklet http://www.naturalscratch.com/nstraining.html.

It's guaranteed and usually ships within a couple of days.

New Scratching Post Coming

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:08:00 +0000

Soon, a second type of scratching post will be joining the cedar one at naturalscratch.com. I have high hopes for it because our three cats have reacted so well.

It's not a replacement for Natural Scratch; rather it's an expansion of the line. The idea for it came--as did the idea for the current Natural Scratch--from a book about cats that my wife purchased many years ago.

I have been working weekends to design the post and spec where to get the parts. Think it's going to be a hit with many cats.

Cat scratching debris

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:12:00 +0000

Ranking up there with the sound of a cat clawing Natural Scratch is the light debris produced by scratching that is deposited near the base and that can be vacuumed away easily.

This indicates that the post is receiving regular feline visits. Also, it is evidence that off-limits items in the home are being left alone.

These are excellent developments in the life of anyone providing a residence to a cat with claws.

Cat scratching in a perfect world

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:43:00 +0000

In a perfect world, cats would do exactly what their human companions want them to do with little or no prompting. For example, when presented a scratching post--any scratching post--and told to claw it exclusively, the cat would do just that.

However, our world, though endlessly amazing, is far from perfect.

Many cats will ignore a well-suited scratching post, even Natural Scratch, and target something that is strictly off-limits. In these cases, the problem is that the cat hasn't come to the obvious conclusion that the post is perfect for scratching and approved for scratching and he or she should claw nothing else.

What works to change this behavior to what we would expect in a perfect world is training. All cats can be trained to claw Natural Scratch exclusively, please find out more at http://naturalscratch.com/nstraining.html

Cat scratching customer comments

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:06:00 +0000

It's wonderful when customers take the time to let me know their cats like Natural Scratch. My intention from the start with this product was to produce a post and training method that works and preserves cat claws.

When cats claw something they shouldn't, humans rightfully are concerned. When cats redirect their scratching to Natural Scratch--thus solving the problem--many people breathe a deep and long sigh of relief.

On the heels of this, they sometimes write to let me know, which is wonderful. Please have a look at http://www.naturalscratch.com/nstestimonials.html

Cat scratching sounds

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:25:00 +0000

A cat tearing into a couch or a door frame with her or his claws produces a sound that is unmistakable. Humans in the vicinity often react quickly and tell the cat to stop.

This is good and should be repeated whenever a cat scratches something it shouldn't.

Step two in eliminating this inappropriate behavior is providing an alternative (Natural Scratch) that the cat likes; Step 3 is letting the cat know this is the only place it may scratch. Everything else is off limits.

Doing this naturally takes training, but it can be accomplished fairly easily using the instructions that accompany Natural Scratch. Have a look at http://www.naturalscratch.com/nstraining.html

Cat scratching treats

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:29:00 +0000

Dolphins jump out of the water and pass through hoops; then they dance across the surface on their tails. Then, usually, a trainer offers praise and a fish treat. This is how training generally works.

Intermittent reinforcement is stronger than constant but regardless of how often a reward is offered it has to be something the animal--in the case of scratching, cats--will perform for.

Try different store-bought treats with you cat or, if your gal or guy is fussy, try different table scraps. For example, small pieces of bread or vegetables. The range of foods customers have told me their cats love is astonishing. All cats crave some sort of treat, it's just a matter of isolating which...

This done, training a cat to do what you want it to and to avoid doing what you don't want it to becomes pretty easy.

Cat Poem

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:35:00 +0000

I wrote the following poem about a friend's cats about 25 years ago and came across it yesterday. Thought some visitors to the blog might enjoy it.

I Give Them Love

People look at them
See they want to be friends
See the warm and selfless
Natures of their hearts
They rub against your skin
Then they tilt their chins
And look for your touch from above
And people think it strange
That they have such romantic ways
But it’s all because, I give them love

If you softly stroke their fur
You can hear them purr
And their eyes will close
And they’ll begin to dream
Their motors shake their cheeks
And if only dreams could speak
They’d be asking for your touch from above
And people think it strange
That they have such romantic ways
But it’s all because, I give them love

Later when they rise
The feline dreams pass from their eyes
They stretch and pad quietly
Across the floor
Their tails are waving high
Saying, “For now, goodbye,
But we’ll be back soon for your touch from above”
And people think it strange
That they have such romantic ways
But it’s all because, I give them love

©1983 Ted Schaar

Cat-scratching features

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Presenting the perfect post to your cat or cats isn't enough. Some cats can look at *exactly* what they need and still ignore it. (Not all that different from human behavior sometimes!)

When this happens, you have to take the time to interest your cat in the scratching post. This is a lot of fun and it isn’t hard, especially with Natural Scratch.

Interactive Natural Scratch features such as the Antenna and Mouse Hole make it easy to play with your cat at the post and stimulate clawing. Once scratching occurs, you're nearly home free—now it’s just a matter of rewarding this desired behavior and negative conditioning inappropriate scratching.

The simple-to-use training method that accompanies Natural Scratch is a great aid in this regard.

Wood scratching post

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:24:00 +0000

Like most people, when I first had a clawed cat and it started scratching the couch, my natural inclination was to provide an alternative that also was upholstered--years ago *carpeted* was the standard. In the cases of the great cats of my youth, this never worked. At the time I didn't know why but now I do.

Primarily it was lack of training and secondarily it was ignorance about the fact that cats deposit scent when they claw something and this is highly attractive to them.

Now I also know that a wood scratching post like Natural Scratch is clearly a more appropriate target for cats because it's certain they don't find carpeting or couches in the wild.

Kittens are particularly fun to watch with Natural Scratch. They race up it like is was a small tree. Climbing leads to clawing and a lifelong affection for Natural Scratch.

Older cats too can be trained relatively easily to claw Natural Scratch exclusively. All it takes is a little time, consistency, love, and a training method that works--the one that accompanies Natural Scratch.

Scratching post guaranty

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:05:00 +0000

Natural Scratch comes with a guaranty which I think is probably unique. You can read about it here: http://www.naturalscratch.com/guaranty.html

As you'll discover, it's pretty liberal but then my goal always is 100% satisfied customers, and should Natural Scratch not meet the needs of a customer's cat or cats, I'd rather the person try another post and not think about declawing. Declawing robs a cat of much needed tools and humans of enjoying one of a cat's cool characteristics. Cats need their claws as much as humans need their fingers.

Our cat Twinkles (who was named many years ago by our young daughter) sometimes visits me when I am working and will reach up to the armrest and very gently touch my skin with his claws. It gets my attention and never hurts. It's a prime example of how versatile claws are. He knows just how much pressure to exert to make his presence known but not to cause harm.

Scratching and clawing behavior

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:58:00 +0000

I frequently mention to people that cat-scratching behavior as it relates to Natural Scratch falls under a Bell Curve. Some cats claw the post as the owner is assembling it; others walk around it on the way to the couch. Most cats are somewhere in the center.

Cats have their own reasons for doing things and it's hard to fathom exactly what motivates certain behaviors.

Wish I knew because I could then modify Natural Scratch in ways that would make it instantly appeal to all cats. There probably is a key to unlocking this universal appeal, but I haven't found it and as far as I know no one else has either.

The Natural Scratch training method, however, that accompanies Natural Scratch is the great leveler that nudges all cats into the area of the Bell Curve that makes them lifelong scratchers. It's simple to read and follow and works like a champ.

BTW, as an example of unusual feline behavior I need to mention our cat Leo--the white one on my main page. He does something I've never before observed: he chews on his claws! This is in addition to clawing Natural Scratch regularly. It's an amazing sight, and he gnaws on all four, front and back.

Peace, love, and understanding

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:09:00 +0000

You might recognize the title of this post as the title of a great Elvis Costello song. It's used here because no matter how irritated you become at a feline's destructive clawing, these three words must always be kept in the forefront of your mind.

The cat wouldn't be scratching your couch, door moldings, or another object if it truly understood just how distressing it is to you. Cats operate in cat world and our habits and likes and dislikes mean nothing to them.

To change this, we need to communicate with them through training. It works like a champ. The method that accompanies Natural Scratch is simple and efficient. It's based on the same techniques that trainers use to motivate tigers to jump through fiery hoops and porpoises to dance along the water on their tails.

Please take the time to learn more at www.naturalscratch.com/nstraining.html.

Cat scratching training

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:54:00 +0000

When you see your cat exercising its claws on your couch and tell it to stop only to see it scratching away again later, it's easy to imagine your frustration. I was in the exact same spot a couple of decades ago, which is how Natural Scratch came to be. (Please read the history of Natural Scratch at http://www.naturalscratch.com/history.html.)

Much of the situation is due to the communication barrier: cats might understand "eat" and "come" and probably have learned that the rattling of the food box means dinner will soon be served, but otherwise they usually look at us blankly when we use English to try to let them know what is and is not permissible.

The training booklet that accompanies Natural Scratch free of charge helps you overcome the communication barrier, at least as it pertains to scratching. It's based on simple behavior modification techniques that employ the same methods that trainers use to get dolphins to jump on command or dance across the water. Please find out more at http://www.naturalscratch.com/nstraining.html

Scratching Posts That Work

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:19:00 +0000

There's nothing quite like a solution to a problem. If your cat is scratching something he or she shouldn't you have a problem. Natural Scratch is *a* solution. It's not the only solution but it does--in the opinion of its developer and seller, me--offer high odds of success to most people.

Partly this is due to its combination of natural materials that are soft and rough, characteristics that appeal to cats. Partly it is due to interactive features that help owners attract their cats to the post.

Mainly though it is due to the behavior modification training booklet that comes free with the post. In simple, easy to understand language, it teaches people how to train their cats. Learn all about it at naturalscratch.com.

Orders for Natural Scratch scratching posts are arriving

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:47:00 +0000

Since getting the new Web site up and working, I'm happy to say that orders for Natural Scratch are rolling in. Great. You never know how customers will react but hope they'll like it.

This new Web site is the best I've had--at least I think it is--and I've had at least five or six different ones over the years.

Creating a multi-page site is a major task, but I have to give a lot of credit once again to Seamonkey's Composer. What an ace HTML editor it is.

It might not have all the horsepower major Web developers need but for someone who authors Web pages only now and then, it works great.

New Cat Scratching Post Web Site

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:04:00 +0000

After a number of tryouts with various new-to-me HTML editors, I found one named Composer that works wonderfully well. It's part of a suite of applications called Seamonkey that is available at http://www.seamonkey-project.org/. In the past I've used Dreamweaver and Pagespinner but both are difficult compared to Composer.

In addition, I discovered that I can create tables and pictures with arrows and callouts in Word, copy them, and paste them into a mini-Photoshop app I have called Photoshop Elements. Once the table or picture is in Photoshop Elements I can save it as a jpeg or gif file and import it to my Natural Scratch site. This is an incredibly valuable ability that saved many, many hours of time. I've been using Word apps since 1990 so I'm well-versed in it.

Hope is of course that the new site will be pleasing to customers and result in more Natural Scratch sales.

Cat scratching success

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:19:00 +0000

Training a cat to claw where you want her or him to and nowhere else is quite a satisfying accomplishment. With many cats, it happens very quickly because, for whatever reason, they are able to understand that Natural Scratch is just for them and is the one place they can scratch with abandon and with the hearty approval of their human companions.

I don't think coming to this realization is a matter of intelligence. Two of our three current cats--Twinkles and Gemini--were immediate Natural Scratch clawers and haven't scratched anything else in years. The third, Leo, is probably smarter than the other two but he was harder to train.

It wasn't because he didn't understand what Natural Scratch was for or that he didn't like clawing it. What bugged him was being restricted to just one approved target. Leo wanted to scratch anywhere, anytime. To him, Natural Scratch was fine but so was the corner of the futon.

Nevertheless, through a combination of rewards for clawing Natural Scratch and negative conditioning--cat jail--for targeting anything else, we were able to train his bad scratching habits out of him. If you have a cat like Leo, Natural Scratch and its easy-to-use training method is just what the doctor ordered.

Cat scratching aha!

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:46:00 +0000

One of the fun things about Natural Scratch is training a cat to use it. This puts humans in touch with their pet or pets in a way they might not have experienced previously. Training *is* communication and communication of a fairly complex thought: you are permitted to claw this and nothing else.

Cat behavior always falls under a Bell Curve so some cats come to this understanding almost immediately but others need more human involvement. Human persistence, consistency, and patience will lead to success with any cat.

These applied to training cats who seem not to have a clue what Natural Scratch is for will one day lead to the cat beginning to claw the post. Reinforcing that with treats will produce an aha! experience the cat will never forget.

The easy-to-use training booklet that comes with Natural Scratch will teach you how to train your cat or cats.

Scratching post reinforcement

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:24:00 +0000

After purchasing a quality scratching post, it is important that you train your cat or cats to use it. Part of this involves reinforcing good scratching behavior with praise and kitty treats. Cats enjoy both.

Once they are in the habit of using the post and ignoring other possible targets you can decrease the number of treats you give them. Praise and petting though should continue. You need them to know what pleases you and what is not acceptable.

Should they scratch something that is off limits, always say no, chase them away, and redirect them to your scratching post.

Natural Scratch comes with an easy-to-follow training booklet for those who don't know how to train their cats. Please have a look at naturalscratch.com.

Scratching post slivers

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Scratch) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:22:00 +0000

People sometimes ask whether their cats will get slivers from clawing Natural Scratch. My reply is that in the many years we have been using white cedar posts with our cats and selling them around the world, I have never received a report of a cat getting a sliver. Nothing can be ruled out entirely I suppose but experience indicates it is extremely unlikely.

I'm reminded of this because we have an outdoor table made of redwood. We've used the table for at least twenty year. It's showing its age so for the last several years we kept it on our enclosed porch. Redwood is a soft wood, too, and we allowed the cats to claw its legs. Unlike white cedar, it produces fairly sharp splinters. Nevertheless, we haven't noticed any slivers in our cats' paws.

Clearly, the pads on their paws are extremely tough, almost like the thick leather used on the soles of shoes.