Best Cat Scratching Post Reviews
Cat’s love to scratch, not necessarily because they dislike your furniture, but because it helps them stretch, mark their territory, and sharpen their claws.
Thus, the only way to protect your furniture if you own a cat is to provide it with a good alternative to scratch on. That’s where cat scratching posts come in.
With a cat scratching post or scratching pad, your cat can scratch as much as it likes without having to damage your favorite couch.
Finding the best cat scratching post for your cat, however, can be a challenge. There are many different products on the market and they don’t all offer the same level of quality or durability.
To enable you to make the best purchase decision, we’ve reviewed our top picks for the best cat scratching post you can buy today. Before we get to the reviews, let’s learn a little about the different types of cat scratchers you can get for your cat.
Different Types of Cat Scratching Posts
Cat scratching posts come in different shapes, sizes, and feature different scratching surfaces. The common cat scratcher types include: horizontal pads, wall-mounted pads and scratching posts, scratcher lounges and beds, cat trees with scratching posts, angled scratchers, and vertical scratching posts mounted on a square base.
Cat scratching posts offer scratching surfaces made from a wide variety of materials. Some common scratching surface materials include cardboard, wood, sisal rope, and sisal fabric, among others.
Cat scratching posts can also be hollow or solid. Hollow options tend to work better as they’re usually sturdier than their solid counterparts. They also make more noise and offer a more satisfying experience to cats.
Angled cat scratchers are set down at an angle that provides an alternative stretching and scratching position to cats. This will allow them to trim their nails and sharpen them.
Cats like to stretch and scratch both vertically and horizontally. They also tend to prefer to have a variety of surfaces to scratch their nails on. Some scratching posts feature multiple scratching surfaces in different orientations.
Some cat scratching posts products also feature interactive elements like crinkle balls and feathers. Of course, the options on the market vary widely when it comes to quality and features. Let’s now take a look at some of the best options you can find today.
The Top 5 Cat Scratching Posts You Can Buy in 2020
Here are our top 5 picks for the best cat scratching posts you can purchase in 2020.
1. SmartCat Pioneer Pet Ultimate Scratching Post
Editor's Rating: 4.8/5 Overall Score
The SmartCat Pioneer Pet Ultimate Scratching post is an excellent option to consider when shopping for a high quality cat scratching post. The post features a durable woven sisal vertical scratching surface which cats love to scratch on.
The post is 32 inches tall and offers enough height for cats to stretch fully. It comes with a sturdy base which is 16 square inches in area to prevent the post from wobbling or toppling over during use.
The durable base is made from wood and will blend in nicely with your home decor. The product comes with two screws which you can use to attach the post to the base. The assembly is very simple and straightforward.
The Pioneer Pet Ultimate cat scratching post weighs 16 pounds, which is a nice balance between portability and stability. It’s hefty enough to remain in place when being used by your cat.
It also offers a large area of woven sisal scratching surface that will last for a long time. It features a flat wooden platform on the top of the post where your cat can perch on.
The SmartCat Pioneer Pet Ultimate Scratching post comes in the beige and grey colors. It comes in at a great price for the features and quality it offers. The product has a lot of positive customer reviews from cat owners who have tried it. If you’re looking for a durable, high quality, yet affordable cat scratching post, this is a great option to consider.
Click Button Below To Check Current Price On Amazon
2. Classy Kitty Cat Carpet Scratching Post
Editor's Rating: 4.7/5 Overall Score
Another excellent product you’ll want to look at is the Classy Kitty Cat Carpet Scratching Post. If your cat loves to scratch on carpet or doesn’t like sisal scratching surfaces, this is a great alternative product that might just suit your cat’s needs.
The Classy Kitty Cat Carpet scratching post is available in two sizes: a 26-inch tall option and a 32-inch tall option. The 32 inch scratching post features a 16.5 inch by 16.5 inch sturdy base.
Though it weighs just less than 6 pounds, most of the weight is in the base. Thus, it’s stable enough for serious scratching and won’t wobble or topple over.
The carpet scratching surface is a soft material that some cats love to scratch on. While carpet scratching surfaces will eventually shred and pill, the Classy Kitty scratching post holds up for a longer time than other options.
The carpet material is stain resistant and comes in a nice beige color. The post and the base are both covered in the scratching surface, which is great.
The Classy Kitty Cat Carpet scratching post offers a lot of bang for your buck as it comes in at an affordable price. It has nice reviews from satisfied cat owners and is one of the best cat scratching post products you can purchase today.
Click Button Below To Check Current Price On Amazon
3. Go Pet Club 62-Inch Cat Tree
Editor's Rating: 4.6/5 Overall Score
Next up, we have the Go Pet Club 62 inch cat tree. While this option is slightly more expensive than the other models reviewed above, it is absolutely worth every penny as you’ll see.
The Go Pet Club cat tree is a nice looking, durable cat scratcher that your cat will love. More than just your regular cat scratching post, the Go Pet Club cat tree features multiple scratching surfaces, perching platforms, and even a roomy cat condo that your cat can play and rest comfortably in.
The Go Pet Club tree has vertical scratching posts that are covered in sisal rope, which is a great scratching surface material. Your cat can climb, scratch, stretch, and play with this cat tree. It features a couple of perches and hammocks where your cat can recline. It also features a ladder which will provide your cat with easy access to the condo.
The Go Pet Club cat tree requires a bit of assembly, but the process is relatively easy. It comes with the tools and instructions needed to put it together. The tree’s base is 26 inches by 19 inches and the tree is 62 inches tall.
It is made from high quality, durable materials and can withstand abuse for a long time. It weighs 42 pounds when assembled and is very sturdy.
The Go Pet Club cat tree offers a lot of entertainment to cats at a reasonable price. Your cat will likely enjoy climbing around, resting on the platforms, and playing with the hanging rope. The tree is available in beige, black, blue, brown, and grey. The product is loved by many cat owners and is an excellent option to consider when looking for a cat scratching post.
Click Button Below To Check Current Price On Amazon
4. Bergan Turboscratcher Cat Toy
Editor's Rating: 4.5/5 Overall Score
If you’re looking for a super affordable cat scratcher to protect your furniture while keeping your cat busy, then you’ll want to consider the Bergan Turboscratcher cat toy.
While this product costs just a fraction of some of the other options in this article, it does offer a good amount of features that make it a worthy contender. The Bergan Turboscratcher cat toy features a flat circular cardboard scratching surface which is 16 inches in diameter.
The scratching surface is surrounded by a track which holds a plastic ball that your cat can nudge and spin around for hours without it leaving the track. Thus, the Bergan Turboscratcher toy combines scratching with play. Thus, it should be easy to get your cat to scratch on this product.
Another nice feature of the Bergan Turboscratcher is the replaceable scratch pad. Unlike with other cardboard scratchers where you have to replace the product entirely when the cardboard wears out, the Bergan Turboscratcher allows you to simply replace the corrugated scratching material. Thus, you can purchase multiple scratch pads at a time and replace them as needed.
The plastic base is durable enough to withstand heavy use. The product also comes with some catnip which will stimulate and attract your cat. It’s a nice option for cats who love to scratch on the floor.
Click Button Below To Check Current Price On Amazon
5. AmazonBasics Cat Activity Tree with Scratching Posts
Editor's Rating: 4.5/5 Overall Score
The AmazonBasics Cat Activity Tree with Scratching Posts product is another superb, yet affordable option you should consider. It features a total of seven scratching posts, which are covered in jute fabric. The top platform also doubles as a cat bed.
The AmazonBasics Cat Activity Tree has a sturdy, stable base which measures 17.7 inches by 17.7 inches. The tree is 45.9 inches tall and weighs 24.2 pounds. Thus, it is stable, yet portable enough for easy movement around your living space. The square base means the tree fits nicely in the corners of rooms.
The AmazonBasics Cat Activity tree also comes in a smaller medium size which is 31.5 inches high and features 3 scratching posts. Both models are easy to assemble and come with the necessary tools and instructions. The product is a nice fit for multiple-cat households. It has a lot of positive reviews and ratings from satisfied customers.
Click Button Below To Check Current Price On Amazon
What to Consider When Buying a Cat Scratching Post?
Before you decide to purchase a cat scratching post product, there are a number of important factors you’ll want to take into consideration. Let’s go over a couple of these below.
Size
Cat scratching posts come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. When choosing one for your cat, you’ll have to consider the height and width of the scratcher as well as the available space in the room you plan to put it in.
If you have multiple cats, you’ll likely be better off with a larger cat scratching post with more scratching surfaces.
However large your choice is, it should be tall enough to enable your cat to stretch his body fully while scratching. If your pick isn’t tall enough for your cat, he will eventually look for a taller place to scratch.
Sturdiness
Choosing a sturdy cat scratching post is very important because cats love to scratch on stable surfaces. Thus, if your scratching post is unstable, your cat won’t keep using it.
A wobbly post is also dangerous as it could topple over and fall on your cat. So when shopping for a cat scratching post, be sure to look for sturdy options with large, heavy bases.
Material
The material of your cat scratching post could mean the difference between a product that sits unused and one that is loved by your cat. Cats prefer scratching material that shreds under their claws. They also enjoy the loud noise that accompanies their scratching.
Therefore, you should go for a product with a material that can be worn without completely unraveling. Sisal fabric tends to work nicely as a scratching material.
Sisal rope is another material that also meets those requirements. Some cat scratching posts feature cardboard and wood, which also work very well.
Some cats also tend to like posts covered in carpet. However, you might want to avoid such posts as your cat won’t see the need to restrict his scratching to the post and not scratch on the other carpeting in your home.
Besides, carpet material isn’t the most satisfying surface for cats to scratch on. They also tend to get worn very easily.
Vertical vs. Horizontal Surfaces
Cats enjoy scratching on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. Thus, when looking for a cat scratching post for your cat, the ideal option would be one that has scratching surfaces on both axes.
You could also get a separate vertical scratching post and a horizontal one for your cat. If you have to choose a product with just one type of surface, then try spending some time observing your cat’s scratching habits to determine which type would work best.
Style
Since you’re going to place the cat scratching post in your home, you might want to look for a product that blends in with the visual aesthetic of your home.
Cat scratching posts are available in a plethora of styles and designs. With a bit of research, you will likely find a product that suits your needs and those of your cat.
Choosing a Scratching Post FAQs:
How can I know what kind of scratching post my cat will like?
While you can’t completely predict what kind of scratching post your cat will like, you can get some clues from observing your cat’s habits. What surfaces is he already scratching?
A cat scratching post with a similar scratching surface may work nicely. Ultimately, however, you might need to experiment with a few products before you find the perfect fit for your cat.
When should I replace my cat’s scratching post?
Your scratching post will need to be replaced once the material gets too worn and damaged. If your cat is no longer interested in using the scratching post, then a replacement is likely due.
If you have a scratcher that features a replaceable cardboard scratchpad, then you can simply replace the cardboard without having to buy a new scratcher. You could also try moving the scratching post around to keep your cat interested in it for longer.
How can I train my cat to use a new scratching post?
A good way to get your cat to use a new cat scratching post is to place it in a location where your cat already scratches. For example, if your cat loves to scratch on your couch, you could try placing the scratching post next to the couch.
You can also make the scratching post inviting by placing some treats or your cat’s favorite toy on it or next to it. Catnip also tends to work well for this purpose.
Conclusion: Which Cat Scratching Post is the Best?
We’ve gone over a lot of factors you’ll need to consider before choosing a scratching post for your cat. We also reviewed some of the best options available today and our number one recommendation is the SmartCat Pioneer Pet Ultimate Scratching Post. It's 36" high, has sturdy base and is woven with durable sisal ropes. Be sure to check out all options reviewed above, in order to find the right scratching post for your feline.