What's a Cat Scratcher for?

A scratching post is a wooden post covered in rough material that cat owners provide so their pets have an acceptable place to scratch. Cats have a natural urge to scratch: the action helps them remove old material from their claws, and they mark territory with scent glands in their paws.

Are scratchers necessary for cats?

A scratching post is essential for any healthy, well-adjusted cat. Cats must have an outlet for their urge to scratch, so providing a post for that purpose can save your furniture, drapery and carpeting from destruction.

Why do cats love cat scratchers?

Scratching deposits the cat's scent onto an object and leaves a territorial message for other cats. Likewise, the visual marks left on objects by scratching convey territory information to others. Scratching helps remove the outer layer from a cat's nails: it's good grooming behavior.