myKotty Before you purchase a corrugated cardboard scratcher, fabCats, do you wonder how long it can last? A few weeks, months, maybe years? At myKotty, we get questions about the durability of our scratchers at least a few times a week: “How long will a cardboard scratcher last?”, “How quickly will it get used up by one, two, three cats?”, “Does a cardboard scratcher shed a lot of cardboard bits?”. Although the answer here depends on quite a few conditions, today we’re here to resolve your worries, help you pick the right scratcher for your cat, and tell you all the secrets about how durable myKotty scratchers are. Let’s get going! 🙂 null
A corrugated cardboard scratcher – is it worth it?
A simple answer? Well, of course! Cats love corrugated cardboard 🙂 One loves to scratch it, others to sleep on it, and some like biting it, but we know one thing for sure: the feline fan group of corrugated cardboard is impressive. But why are those scratchers loved so much?
Horizontal scratchers, as this is the form we usually associate with corrugated cardboard, tick off a few key requirements of a feline user:
- they answer the cat’s natural need for scratching,
- they work great for cats who love scratching carpets, doormats, the sofa, and anything that’s horizontal.
- when it’s of the proper size, a horizontal scratcher will be comfortable to use for any cat: both big and small, active and lazy ones, and even for disabled cats,
- corrugated cardboard scratchers are easy to set up in the house: they will fit by the couch, on the windowsill, on a counter, in the entrance to the main room, and anywhere a classic vertical scratcher might take up too much space.
A definite advantage of horizontal scratchers made with corrugated cardboard is their multifunctionality – at myKotty we went with ergonomic shapes that fit the cat body in a way that makes the scratcher usable for the fans of high-energy scratching as well as those, who prefer to just nap or go crazy and play. Which model will your cats like the best? Find out yourself – LUI is the real playground, not just for the youngest kittens; VIGO is a strongman who’s not scared of weights up to 90 kg; TOBI? With this mobile dude, you and your cat can be even closer together – put it on your desk, the window sill, on top of a chest of drawers, or by your bed, wherever the cat wants it. And if your cat likes the variety, a set of scratchers will be your best bet.
Wondering if you need a scratcher for your cat at all? You can find all the answers on our blog:
How quickly do cardboard scratchers wear away?
As we mentioned at the beginning, giving one straight answer is impossible here because the only thing we can say for sure is: it depends! As you are aware, dear fabCats, every cat has a slightly different way of scratching and the speed of the cardboard wearing out depends on a few factors. The most important of those are:
The number of cats at home. The scratcher’s wear is in direct proportion to the number of claws that dig into it – if one scratcher has to handle more than one cat, the speed at which the scratcher will get used up might be quicker.
The cat’s passion for scratching. To scratch or not to scratch. That is the question! You surely know the feeling when your cat, seeing a new scratcher, shows their appreciation by giving you the cold shoulder and choosing the box the scratcher came in instead of the scratcher itself. That happens. And we know of some cats who test the strength and durability of the cardboard the first day the scratcher arrives, as well as those who treat it gently, and with care, making their scratchers look brand new after a year. How long will a scratcher last with your cats depends on which one of the groups mentioned above your feline friends fall into.
The claws’ condition. Trimmed claws are much more gentle for the cardboard – it’s hard to deny it. But it’s not the only reason to remember about frequent manicures! While scratching, cats shed the most outer layer of their claws to reveal a much sharper, fresh one. Living at home, a claw as sharp as that is not necessary for them and trimmed nails mean less risk for painful scratches, giving the hoomans some acupuncture, or getting the claws caught on a blanket, the sofa, and our clothes while kneading. Trimming the nails is simply worth it 🙂
Scratchers are there to be scratched and any material that is scratched will get worn away with time. After all, a scratcher is not a cat and has only one life. Creating the myKotty scratches, we put a lot of effort into making sure that the scratchers you buy are as durable as possible and can last at least 6-12 months or more, depending on what tempo of use your cats will introduce.
Remember that the intensity of scratching can be affected by… the place you put the scratcher! More on that here: https://blog.mykotty.pl/en/2021/09/27/where-to-put-a-scratcher-so-its-always-a-hit-with-your-cat/
Find out how we ensure the durability of scratchers at myKotty
When we were designing the first prototypes for the LUI scratcher, our attention was on the durability of the scratchers – the cardboard ones always had a bad reputation and we decided to make a change. At a manufacturing level, we decided to use high-quality corrugated cardboard with parameters that, once the layers are glued together, let us arrive at a solid, durable piece of scratcher that can withstand a beating from the cats. And we did it. Starting with the design, through acquiring the best materials, all the way to us manufacturing the scratchers, we make sure that at every step, the myKotty scratchers meet our highest quality standards and your cats’ needs.
How do we do it?
- We manufacture myKotty scratchers with the highest quality corrugated cardboard and layers of it being glued together so tightly, they give the cat a great surface for scratching but don’t generate a lot of cardboard confetti after the first scratch.
- MyKotty scratchers are glued together with a certified, safe glue that’s made to be used in contact with food – the amounts we use provide the durability of the scratcher, but the glue is safe for cats, even if they decide to clean their paws after scratching, rub on the scratcher, or even bite into it.
- The LUI and VIGO scratchers are double-sided – you can easily turn them upside down and give your cat a fresh surface to scratch. What’s more, the LUI scratcher has an additional scratching surface on the inside and, as we know, the more surface for scratching there is, the longer the scratcher will last!
Want some proof? We have it!
It’s best to judge the tempo of the scratchers getting used up with your own eyes… or paws. Speaking from experience, we know that a year’s worth of use with one fabCat will look the same as two months for two energetic, crazy cats. And for some of you, the scratchers are in great shape after three years of use! So today we’ve got some scratcher stories with photo proof for you, just so you can judge for yourself how the myKotty scratchers stand the test of time depending on the fabCat circumstances.
First up, the cats of team myKotty. In the main camp of myKottyCats, the scratchers are in the paws of Teddy and Kitku Yoda – the boys are not tigers when it comes to scratching, leaving all the scratcher dust around, but rather the type of gentle lords who don’t destroy their belongings that much. The LUI and VIGO you can see in the photos have lived with Teddy and Kitku Yoda from January 2022 and March 2021 respectively. In the boys’ case, Teddy has his claws trimmed maybe once a month or two, mostly in his front paws, whereas Kitku Yoda doesn’t get his claws trimmed at all because we can’t – if we tried to do it, he changes into a literal devil.
We also asked some of you, fabCats, about the state of your scratchers after some time of use and we collected a few interesting stories:
Mr. and Mrs. B, Biszkopt and Beza, known as @kociacukiernia on Instagram. We took a closer look at the VIGO scratcher they’ve had since 2021. As Karolina, the Carer of kocia cukiernia told us: “Mr. B is in love with the shape of VIGO and his body perfectly fits in it. Can you see the signs of use? Yes, but that only shows they use it a lot. Mr. B’s method of scratching is “scratching like a lazy person”, where the front paws scratch and the rest of the body lays flat. Mrs. B has a more active approach – standing up, often wearing the confetti from the scratcher on her fur. We only trim the claws slightly, once every two weeks, but not all claws require being trimmed every time. It’s good stuff, Mr. and Mrs B recommend”.
Kocia Szajka (@kocia.szajka) and their beloved LUI after one year of use. With Kocia Szajka, the LUI doesn’t have it easy – 3 cats work on it every day, which means 12 paws ready to scratch at all times! Their claws are trimmed sporadically and the cats have access to other scratchers as well. However, they see the LUI as their favorite, for sure. And you can see that looking at the scratcher – with three cats, a year is quite a good achievement.
Luna, Kinga’s cat. The 13-years-old Luna has still some energy stored up her sleeves. VIGO in the picture on the right has been with Luna since August 2021. She’s not a very handleable cat which means that her claws are usually sharp – they trim it only when it’s absolutely necessary. When it comes to the style of scratching, it mostly depends on Luna’s level of excitement or anger, but Luna does put a lot of effort into her workouts on the scratcher – she sits comfortably with her butt up and digs her claws in with force. She does it slowly, but with quite a lot of strength, not making it easy on the scratchers at paw.
Mela and Morris scratched through many myKotty scratchers in their lifetime. And they show perfectly what a difference a place the scratcher stands can make. The TOBI you see in the photos has been with them since April 2021 and though it’s very loved as a lounging spot, it’s not being scratched a lot and it still holds up well. On the other hand, LUI has been with them for two months and it’s the cats’ favorite. Mela and Morris allow their claws to be trimmed occasionally so the hoomans only trim the sharpest ends – the scratchers can’t count on being treated lightly 🙂
Summary
Corrugated cardboard scratchers are a piece of furniture loved by many cats and if they are to serve the felines for a long time, the technical parameters of the cardboard, the way of glueing it all together, the quality of the material, as well as the design and finish of the scratcher are incredibly important. At myKotty, you can be sure that you’re choosing quality that gives your cats a lot of fun for many months. What do you, dear fabCats, look at when choosing scratchers for your feline friends, and what convinced you to try out myKotty for the first time? Be sure to share your stories with myKotty scratchers in the comments.
