how can I get my kitten to use the scratch post without using catnip?
Monday, January 23rd, 2012 at
10:34 pm
I think she is not interested in catnip yet. She is only like 2 and a half months
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2 month old kittens really can’t sense catnip. I would bring the kitten over to the scratching post and gently take the paws and go though the scratching motion.
You might have to try several kinds of scratching apparatus. the ones that worked best for my bunch were the ones I got a Wall Mart. They are made in an arch of what looks like corrugate cardboard. Mine loved to scratch on those. The down side was they sounded just like they do when they scratch my sofa so I yelled at them half the time. My bad!!!
Put a treat on the top of the scratching post, and reward her when she scratches.
Yeah, she is probably too young to be affected by catnip – and not all cats are affected, even when adult.
I recommend getting a few different kinds of scratching thingies – some cats prefer really rough surfaces such as those made with sisal rope, and some cats prefer more smooth, such as sanded lumber, or those covered in fabric. And many cats like to have different kinds because they like the variety. They make little ones that can hang on door knobs – those are great because they are inexpensive (usually), and because you can easily move them. The thing to do is, when you see your kitten scratching something she should not, place a scratcher there. Then the next time you see her scratching on the carpet or whatever, say a firm no! but don’t yell, then move her to the scratcher, and demonstrate scratching on it. When she does scratch there, then praise her and if you like, give her treats. You can do this with several areas at once, if you get more than one scratcher.
First understand that not all cats respond to catnip because they did not inherit a specific gene that causes the typical response. I have taught many cats to use a scratching post but a few would not comply and had to be declawed as a last resort. All I did was play with them and pet them while near the post. Sissel is better than carpet because then they will think all carpet is for scratching. I scratched on the post myself with my nails and the sound encouraged them to do the same. The post needs to be tall enough for the cat to stretch up high in a natural position. This is a very enjoyable time for a cat so keep it fun. You may need to experiment with different surfaces if there are problems.