“Cat scratching is a natural form of self-expression for felines that satisfies multiple needs associated with health and well-being.  Scratching provides a natural manicure that strips the outer sheath or layer of the claw for hygienic purposes; allows stretching of the muscles, ligaments, and tendons for health and vitality; provides an outlet for responding to stress and crisis; and provides an enjoyable species-specific activity associated with excitement and play.”

This list was created to assist those who need solutions to cat scratching behavior and alternatives to declawing. Our goal is to create an exhaustive list so that people have the information necessary to understand natural healthy cat scratch behavior and practice while feeling empowered and adept at redirecting it to designated scratch surfaces.

NOTE: This list is long and varied in recognition of cat’s individual purrsonalities, pawticular purreferences, and unique cat scratch expressions and impressions. Another words, some of these solutions will work with your cat while others will not. The purrpose is to offer sufficient pawsibilities that can be chosen and implemented based on your specific needs, the needs of your cat, and the needs of your interspecies household. Although we’re wanting to collect 100 pawsibilities, we want people to understand that we’re not suggesting that you use all of these with one cat. We do suggest that people observe their feline family members behavior for cues and clues in order to determine the solutions that will be most effective and functional in their particular cohabitation situation. Although it won’t be necessary for a person to employ every option, solution, or intervention mentioned in the list…more pawsibilities ensure that some solution can be found for any cat, any purrson, and any household.

“Domestic cats are flexible on territory and it depends on us.”

We love this statement by Michael Broad at Pictures of Cats. We refer to territorial signaling and marking regarding scratch behavior and established scratch practice. Territorial signaling is a cat’s way of communicating their presence in an area, creating boundaries, establishing personal space within an open or contained environment. Domestic cats introduced into a new home environment will make attempts to discover their place through exploration and in response to the following: interactions with other home inhabitants; safety, security, and sustenance (sleeping quarters, food, water); activities of daily life and environmental enrichment.

As a cat, I will use various communication methods to demonstrate my intent. I’ll meow and reveal body language to receive food, treats, affection, interaction. I’ll scratch to show you the perimeter, areas, and various locations that I have claimed as my own unless you provide me with incentives that appeal to my pawticular purreferences; provide me with inspurration and show me the benefits of sharing space and responding to your cues; and demonstrate the function and utility of forming seen and unseen boundaries within a mixed species household. All home inhabitants have to discover their identity, purrpose, role within the family structure. Help your feline family members get acclimated by appealing to their sensibilities, the way that they see the world, their natural inclinations. Cats are highly intelligent. It has to make sense to acquire the cooperation of a cat. If it doesn’t, forget about it!

The CatAWhack Crew had a POW-WOW-SCRATCH-NOW Meeting to determine what we could be, do, and offer to support fellow felines. How could we make a difference? So we put on our thinking caps, huddled next to our scratching surface, and marked out some objectives that are sure to elevate and uplift cats everywhere!

We will offer an all natural scratch alternative that is 7 products in one (cat bed, tree, perch, scratching surface, enclosure, play station, and exercise unit) with built in pawsitive reinforcers that encourage feline family members to establish healthy cat scratch practice in the area on and around the unit. If you’ve been following us since we first established our purresence on Twitter last March, you’re probably asking, “Where is this CatAWhack Unit you keep meowing about?” As you’ve come to realize, we are very pawticular and quite purrfectionistic when it comes to coordinating operations and offering you the goods fast and furriously while still having fun with the creative process. We want you to shout, “This is pure purrfection!” when it arrives in your paws and you make that first scratch exclaiming, “THIS IS MINE, ALL MINE, BAW HA HA HA HA!” Soon, my furry furriend, very soon. We’re doing everything that we can to offer the first units for purrchase on-line by the end of March. Hang in There! Help is on the way!

If you’re a Peep for Paws-Claws and All, read on…

We believe that cats scratch indiscriminately as a means to establish territory and boundaries. The CatAWhack Unit creates a purrsonalized designated space within the home that belongs to your feline family member…an area where they can express themselves, engage in natural behavior that promotes health and well-being, and establish a sense of safety, security, and comfort.

You can check out more details and photos at www.cattressmattress.com

We believe every member of the family needs their own purrsonal space. We are a young start-up business with the intent to create and provide unique products that will allow cats to be all that they were meant to be, claws and all. We know that what we have to offer appeals to felines pawticular purreferences after CatAWhack Crew feline inspectors gave it the paws up. They love it, especially in front of a window with a great view.

We will also initiate the following to support felines:
1. Every time someone makes a purrchase, any amount that occurs after the decimal point will be contributed to pro-claw rescues and organizations. We call it “Scratchin’ for Change.”
2. Every U.S. or Canadian veterinarian office that refrains from declawing and instead refers individuals to us for cat scratch reconditioning assistance that results in the purrchase of a CatAWhack Unit will be given $10.00 for every referral.
3. Claw Retention Initiatives – Go Pro Claw. This is a program that we are developing using pawsitive multi-media means to educate the public on the importance of claw retention and how it contributes to cat health & well-being. We believe in human beings and their ability to learn, understand, and evolve beyond declawing.

We would love to have your support. If you have any suggestions regarding these initiatives or how we can make a difference, we can’t wait to hear from you!

Scratched , ))))

DA CREW

HEADLINE NEWS

Reporter: “This is Cat E. Couric from CNN-Cat Network Now reporting live from the latest aftermath of unrestrained scratching. Witnesses reported seeing the indiscriminate scratcher in the window of a fabric shop where many rolls of fabric were shredded.  Here is a photo of threads that were literally scratched free from the fabric seams.”

Reporter: “Can you tell us what you saw and heard?”

Alley Cat Tom: “I was camped out underneath my newspaper here on the sidewalk when I heard some commotion coming from the display window of “Sew Low Fabrics.”  I looked out from underneath my newspaper to see him going cat crazy on the fabrics.  Fabric was flying everywhere like confetti falling at a party.  When he saw me, he ran from the building shouting, “Nobody puts a claw on my Scratch Maker!”

Have you seen this cat?

This photo was captured just as the culprit finished his scratching of mass destruction.

Cat CatAWhack needs your help!  The indiscriminate scratcher is at it again!

We need some creative cats to put on their thinking caps, throw on their super cat capes, and get ready to stage

THE INTERVENTION!

Tell us how we can inspire the indiscriminate scratcher to redirect the scratch.  Follow the ‘Read More’ tag to enter your comment.