An elegant gentleman who will take you out for a classy dinner with catnip, or a true strongman, who just left the gym after a 2-hour training session? In the world of cat scratchers, there’s space for both of them – cats, though elegant and graceful, love putting themselves through a tough workout in their home gym after all. Today, we invite our strongman, VIGO, to the blog stage – the scratcher that will handle the claws of the most energetic of tigers.
FabCat – meet VIGO
If scratchers were to participate in secret operations, VIGO would definitely be a specialist at those of the imPAWssible kind. It’s the most durable piece of cat furniture we’ve ever designed – an agent you can always count on. Thanks to his polished up silhouette Thor wouldn’t be shy about or his incredible Hulk-level strength, the VIGO scratcher can handle almost anything. Energetic kittens? No problem. Big cats? Easy peasy! VIGO can handle the weight of an adult human!
VIGO was designed with LESS WASTE in mind, right when we were working on the first LUI prototypes, as here, at myKotty, we aim to use every square inch of the precious cardboard. While designing the LUI silhouette, we saw immediately the potential for another cat scratcher made from the inside of the LUI. And though the VIGO block is less subtle than the elegant LUI, it quickly became our strongest, toughest Big Brother, one who’s capable of almost anything. Together, they create the purrfect duet that amazes both cats and their fabCat Carers.
Find out more about the slimmer version of VIGO – our LUI scratcher – in our previous article:
And why VIGO? It’s name was not accidental in any way – the first prototypes for the myKotty scratchers were named after our cat duet who was the first to test them out. LUI owes its name to Luis and VIGO – to our ginger boy – Figo 🙂 At myKotty, every detail matters!
VIGO – the strongman for the most demanding cats
Right after the first tests of our VIGO prototype we saw the potential in its solid, sturdy silhouette.There it was – the scratcher that has just left the gym and is ready to send every cat into a solid training session. Scratching, jumping, crazy games with cat buddies? An old myKotty saying is that where LUI can’t, VIGO will! There’s a lot of truth to that since VIGO, though a bit smaller than its older brother, makes up for all that with its maximum load, stability and durability. Even a hooman sitting down on VIGO is not a problem to the scratcher. And we can tell you a secret – when we didn’t have a work out bench at home, we used the VIGO scratcher as a substitute for workouts with weights 🙂
What can your cat expect digging their claws into VIGO for the first time? Only luxury, of course. Just like with the LUI scratcher, we went for a soft, smooth corrugated cardboard that resembles suede to the touch – under the appearance of a strongman, VIGO hides a gentle soul and will welcome your cat during scratching or a nap by offering them the highest level of comfort. The soft cardboard is safe for cats’ paws and acts as a purrfect scent soaker – one scratch is enough to show who the scratcher belongs to. And as cats say, VIGO is the best reason to leave the couch alone.
Not just for cats – the versatile capabilities of VIGO
MyKotty scratchers are made with cats and their fabCat Carers in mind – we want your furry friends to be able to get fully crazy on their scratchers, but we always think about your aesthetic experience as well. Once again, we decided to go with a minimalistic design and classic colourways which make the scratcher fit well in all interiors. Cats are, after all, rightful members of the family and if the hooman couch can stand in the middle of the room, the scratcher should have the same rights and look equally as elegant.
VIGO stands out with its durability not only when cat claws come into play. Its solid construction makes for a 2,5 kg of weight and a whooping 90 kg of max load. Because of that, VIGO is not afraid of heavyweight players – both the big cats and the ones who love using their scratcher as a part of their at-home playground. VIGO can handle being jumped on from high up and being attacked while running. Even if the hooman would decide to use it as a footstool or sit on it while lacing up the shoes, our strongman can handle the challenge.
Tip treasure chest – what can you do to make VIGO last longer?
VIGO is a strongman, not afraid of cat claws or any ideas of crazy cat teenagers. However, we still have some TIPs up our fabCat sleeves that can make the VIGO at your home last even longer:
- Don’t put the VIGO scratcher inside the LUI scratcher. Though VIGO is made from LUI’s insides, on a day to day basis, it doesn’t like being put back inside there. Our scratchers get along much better when they stand solo – when VIGO is pushed inside LUI, taking it out can be impossible and dramatic for both scratchers! We know from a trusted source that cats prefer to have two scratchers, so putting them together into one completely misses the point.
- Beware of humidity. Cats don’t like it, scratchers don’t like it – VIGO and dampness don’t go hand in hand. Using VIGO as a balcony scratcher, remember to take it back inside before the weather treats it with a rainy shower.
- Clean it carefully. Cat accidents are not a novelty for our scratchers, but as is obvious – corrugated cardboard doesn’t like them at all. Removing difficult stains from the surface is not easy, but if you approach the matter carefully, you will deal with the problem, no issues. Remember not to clean VIGO with a wet cloth and detergents – any fresh stains should be removed gently with a dry cloth and then left to dry up. Anything that’s left can be later removed with a brush. And though VIGO will always wear the battle scars after that, they won’t take away from its functionality.
- Use it double-sided. We love to make the fun last as long as it can, which is why VIGO is a double-sided scratcher. Once one of the surfaces is beaten up, just flip the entire scratcher upside down and let your cat have fun with it all over again. Double-sided design gives the VIGO double the lifespan – less shopping, less waste, more eco-friendly. ♲
A word from our fabCats
The best VIGO stories come from you, fabCats. Reading your comments and asking you for your and your cats’ opinion on VIGO, we’ve heard so many good things which we want to thank you for! Let’s check what some of you had to say about our strongman:
Did your cats have the chance of digging their claws into the VIGO scratcher, dear fabCats? Let us know in the comments, hit us up on social media and show your furry friends work out with VIGO by using #myKotty on Instagram. Let’s see who’s the true strongman of the cat world.