Friday, July 28, 2006

Dolce's Scratching Tree

Sanjee of Hot(M)BC was asking Dolce about her awesome cat tree. The truth of the matter is that the tree has been handed down from Magoo to Smudge to Bella and finally to Dolce.

Magoo was not that crazy about it. He thought the dangling balls were fun, but he tried to sit on the upper ledge once with disasterous results. He was a little too big for this toy, and it dumped him onto the floor quite unceremoniously. Just think of it as a dunk tank for cats.

Smudge scratched on it very briefly. Too many dangling things. I think they spooked him.

Bella used to play on the cat tree like Dolce, but as she grew up she decided that it was too unladylike to cavort around it. She will still scratch on it though and her and Dolce will play a game of paw slaps around it from time to time.

Dolce has offically claimed the tree as her own. She will play and climb on it at least two three times a week.




As a kitten, she used it as her special spot where she could sit and watch the other cats.


This leads me to my two cents of the day. People who complain about cats scratching furniture are blaming the cat for doing what comes naturally to it. We have had four cats from kittenhood, and have had very few problems with our furniture getting scracthed up. When we got Magoo, we took him to the pet store and placed him amongst the collection of small scratching post. He sniffed several of them and finally settled on a green carpettesd teepee. That was the one we bought. He will still use it if he sees it. Of course he is far too big to fit inside anymore. We then bought him a large carpetted cat tree to satisfy his climbing and scratching instincts. As each subsequent cat came into the house, they saw the current members of the household using this cat tree. We had to use a little spray bottle correction to remind the cats what was not acceptable scratching, but our furniture has survived intact for ten years. Sure the leather sofa has a couple of scratch marks, but those are from kittens launching themselves off the couch as they played.




I think letting her use a climbing tree as a kitten gave her far too many skills. It also made her far too bold and daring for mine or my wife's tastes. Here is the little monkey on top of the roof.

13 comments:

  1. That's a furry nice climby scratchy thing you've got there. We'd like ta get our claws on one of those. We have lotsa stuff to claw too, but our Lady would be happy if we clawed the couch to death cause she thinks it's ugly but we don't like it effur so we leaves it alone.

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  2. Hi Dolce. You are a very purrty girl. And your lovely white socks go very well with your nice tabby fur. :)

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  3. Momma bought us a huge tree years ago. We love it. It is torn to shreds now, but it is OURS! We leave the furniture alone, except to sleep in. We are good girls.

    Patches and Mittens

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  4. Oh, momma loves the red bow!

    Patches

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  5. That am furry scary bein' up that high! She is quite the little adventuress.

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  6. I agree with you. If human pets don't take the time to give us ample scratching and climbing toys, we will find other ways to fulfill our needs, ones that are not so acceptable! Dolce, your human pet is so wise!

    Also, you look very precious in the pictures. I love the one with the bow wrapped around your head!

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  7. to Dad - i agree, we have had no scratching on the furniture problems. our current favorite scratching device is a cardboard "box" that sits and the floor. the cats sit on top of it and scratch away like crazy. and the roof - i will never forget the day that Edsel not only got on the roof but slid down it and fell on to a slab on concrete. i was sure he would be dead, but he just shook himself off and walked away!
    Edselsmom

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  8. I personally prefer to find the sofa when no one is around... Momma has tried lots of stuff to keep me off. Georgia loves cardboard too--isn't that strange and Cheysuli actually uses the cat tree and the stairwell!

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  9. I try to member to use the scratchin posts, but sumtimes I furget an scratch the couch. I stop as soon as Mom an Dad remind me. I also know to stop scratchin or bitin as soon as a bean shouts, "Ouch!" An I nefur use my claws on Bonnie.
    Oh, Dolce, you are so cute an sweet! In a tom-boyish way.

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  10. That is a very nice Cat tree. My Cat tree got left behind when we moved. I loved stretching and scratching on it, though I outgrew the hiding places in it.

    I know all about roofs too! Used to drive Mom crazy until she realized I knew how to get down.

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  11. we don't haf scratching posts - we use a wicker basket that mommy has out for us to play in and skratch on.

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  12. come to play with me too I have a new toy! =^^=

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  13. Oh fanks for showin bout the cat tree! I finks the roof is not so good tho. Isn't it way hot up dere?

    ~~ Sanjee

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