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The significance of investing in the Best Cat Scratching Posts cannot be overstated, as these purpose-built structures cater to the multifaceted needs of our feline companions. Cats are inherently inclined to scratch, a behavior that serves multiple crucial purposes. By providing them with these optimal scratching posts, we enable them to fulfill their instinctual urge to extend and retract their claws, a natural ritual that aids in territory marking and grants them a sense of delight. Moreover, the use of scratching posts ensures that our cats can engage in physical activity, play, and maintain the health of their claws.
For this reason, every home with a cat needs a scratching post, which redirects the cat’s natural urge to scratch. We did a lot of testing on 19 popular cat scratching posts, looking at things like build quality and how easy they were to put together while our users’ cats used them. The SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post is our top pick out of all the choices.
It has a strong base and is wrapped in sisal, which can last for years of digging. Also, it’s tall enough for cats to be able to fully stretch out. We also looked at a number of other scratching posts that our judges’ cats loved. We’ve put together a list of the best scratching posts for cats, no matter if you have a young baby, an older cat, a cat who likes to scratch a lot, or a cat who just likes to scratch their nails every now and then.
Best Cat Scratching Posts Comparison Table
Cat Scratching Post | SmartCat The Ultimate Scratching Post | Frisco Scratch & Roll Scratcher Cat Toy with Catnip | Pioneer Pet SmartCat The Ultimate Scratching Post | North American Pet Classy Kitty Cat Carpet Scratching Post | Catit Style Scratcher with Catnip (Urban Bench) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Material | Sisal Rope | Cardboard | Fibrous woven sisal | Carpet | Cardboard |
Height | 32 inches | – | 32 inches | 32 inches | – |
Base Width | 16 inches | – | 16 inches | 16 inches | – |
Weight | 11.1 pounds | 9.6 ounces | 15.1 pounds | 7.6 pounds | 1.15 pounds |
Assembly Required | Yes | – | Yes | No | – |
Suitable for | Cats of all sizes | Cats of all sizes | Cats of all sizes | Cats of all sizes | Cats of all sizes |
Additional Features | Sturdy and durable construction | Includes catnip | Durable and stable design | Includes hanging toy | Modern bench design |
SmartCat The Ultimate Scratching Post

Specification | Details |
---|---|
Product Name | SmartCat The Ultimate Scratching Post |
Material | Sisal Rope |
Height | 32 inches |
Base Width | 16 inches |
Weight | 11.1 pounds |
Assembly Required | Yes |
Suitable for | Cats of all sizes |
Additional Features | Sturdy and durable construction, allows full stretching and scratching |
This scratching post is very sturdy, and your cat will love it. You’ll like the simple design, which one of our testers called strong, simple, neutral, and easy on the eyes. Our tester said, “This scratcher was strong, stable, and useful.” Another tester’s two cats still use the SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post every day, even though he has had it for years.
It’s big enough to stay in one place like a small piece of furniture, but it’s light enough to move around easily. One of our users moved it to block the couch leg that his cats were trying to get to that week. The top of the Ultimate Scratching Post is 7 inches square, which is the perfect size for putting snacks on. Even smaller cats like to climb up to the top and sit on the SmartCat post, which is strong enough to stay steady.
The Good
- Sturdy construction ensures stability during use.
- Suitable for cats of all sizes.
- Easy to assemble.
The Bad
- Assembly required, which may take some time and effort.
Frisco Scratch & Roll Scratcher Cat Toy with Catnip

Specification | Details |
---|---|
Product Name | Frisco Scratch & Roll Scratcher Cat Toy with Catnip |
Material | Cardboard |
Dimensions | 17 x 7.5 x 2 inches |
Weight | 9.6 ounces |
Suitable for | Cats of all sizes |
Additional Features | Includes catnip, reversible design for extended use |
Kittens have the potential to be a cute but destructive force in your home. When they get used to their environment, everything, from the headphone cords to the mail from yesterday, might become a plaything for them. This cat scratching toy from Frisco is a 2-in-1 product that has a rolling ball around the periphery and a corrugated cardboard scratching center. The goal of this product is to help protect your belongings from being destroyed.
“I adore how this scratcher manages to be both whimsical and uncomplicated in its design. According to one of our reviewers, “it is also a great size—doesn’t take up too much space.” It is not difficult to move it from one room to another within the house, and it is weighty enough that it does not move around when my cat plays with it.
The Good
- Made with durable and eco-friendly cardboard material.
- Reversible design extends the product’s lifespan.
- Comes with catnip to attract and engage cats.
- Provides a satisfying scratching surface.
- Suitable for cats of all sizes.
The Bad
- May not be as sturdy or long-lasting as scratching posts made from other materials.
Pioneer Pet SmartCat The Ultimate Scratching Post

Specification | Details |
---|---|
Product Name | Pioneer Pet SmartCat The Ultimate Scratching Post |
Material | Fibrous woven sisal |
Height | 32 inches |
Base Width | 16 inches |
Weight | 15.1 pounds |
Assembly Required | Yes |
Suitable for | Cats of all sizes |
Additional Features | Durable and stable design, allows full stretching and scratching |
Pioneer Pet’s SmartCat The Ultimate Scratching Post looks the best and is the most durable of the 16 scratching posts we looked into and the five we tried. At 32 inches tall, your cat can stretch out easily on it. Its solid wood base is strong, so it stays standing even when scratching or jumping hard. The woven sisal scratching surface is a natural fiber that shreds cleanly (unlike carpet) and won’t get sharp over time (unlike sisal rope, which is also popular with scratchers).
Woven sisal is also very strong. We let 20 cats play on it for a week and a half, and it didn’t show any wear. Several staff members at Wirecutter have had this type of scratcher for years. Senior staff writer Kimber Streams has had the same scratcher since 2017. “It’s been around a long time,” they said. A expert in cat welfare and behavior, Elizabeth Llewellyn, writes that she has had hers for more than five years.
The Good
- Made with fibrous woven sisal for excellent scratching surface.
- Tall height accommodates full body stretching and scratching.
- Sturdy and stable construction.
- Suitable for cats of all sizes.
- Easy to assemble.
The Bad
- Assembly required, which may take some time and effort.
- Relatively heavier compared to other scratching posts.
North American Pet Classy Kitty Cat Carpet Scratching Post

Specification | Details |
---|---|
Product Name | North American Pet Classy Kitty Cat Carpet Scratching Post |
Material | Carpet |
Height | 32 inches |
Base Width | 16 inches |
Weight | 7.6 pounds |
Assembly Required | No |
Suitable for | Cats of all sizes |
Additional Features | Durable carpet material, includes hanging toy |
The North American Pet Classy Kitty Cat Carpet Scratching Post is the best carpeted model we discovered, and we highly recommend it if your cat won’t scratch sisal. The carpet is made of a cushy material that is common to most cats and is tall, sturdy, and inexpensive all at the same time.
Cat owners may like the sight of a loftier carpet scratcher, but thinner carpet is healthier for cats since it shreds and pills less; our Classy Kitty post held up wonderfully for 10 days in a 10-cat environment. Cat owners may prefer the look of a loftier carpet scratcher.
The Good
- Made with durable and textured carpet material.0
- Tall height allows for full body stretching and scratching.
- No assembly required.
- Comes with a hanging toy for added entertainment.
- Suitable for cats of all sizes.
The Bad
- Carpet material may not be as preferred by some cats compared to sisal or cardboard.
Catit Style Scratcher with Catnip (Urban Bench)

Specification | Details |
---|---|
Product Name | Catit Style Scratcher with Catnip (Urban Bench) |
Material | Cardboard |
Dimensions | 19.5 x 9.5 x 1.5 inches |
Weight | 1.15 pounds |
Suitable for | Cats of all sizes |
Additional Features | Modern bench design, includes catnip |
This Catit model is made of 57 layers of 4 mm corrugated cardboard. We tested it for a week and a half with eight cats, and they “barely made a dent in the cardboard top surface,” wrote one Little Wanderers volunteer, who often fixes flat cardboard scratchers with duct tape because they are so fragile.
The legs are short, so even if a cat high on catnip jumps on it, it won’t move or fall over. The Little Wanderers volunteer told us that the cats liked this scratcher better than interactive ones like the K&H Kitty Tippy Scratch n’ Track Cardboard Toy because it was more stable: “The cat stopped scratching [the K&H] until he regained his balance, and then he went to the reliably stable bench scratcher for an enthusiastic scratching session.”
The Good
- Stylish and modern design resembling an urban bench.
- Made with sturdy and eco-friendly cardboard material.
- Provides a satisfying scratching surface.
- Comes with catnip to attract and engage cats.
- Suitable for cats of all sizes.
The Bad
- Cardboard material may not be as durable as other materials used in scratching posts.
- Relatively smaller in size compared to traditional scratching posts.
Questions and Answers
A: Yes, scratching sticks aren’t the only thing cats can use. Some cats might like cardboard scratching pads or mats that lie flat on the floor. People also like wall-mounted scratching boards or cat trees with built-in scratching surfaces. You can find out what your cat likes best by giving it a chance to scratch on different things.
A: If you have more than one cat, you should put different scratching posts in different parts of your home. This gives people more choices and helps keep people from fighting over resources. If possible, give each cat at least one scratching post, and think about putting them in different rooms or places where your cats like to hang out.
A: Cutting your cat’s nails can help lessen the damage caused by scratching, but it doesn’t get rid of the need for a scratching post. Cats scratch because it helps them stretch, mark their area, and keep their claws in good shape. A scratching post lets cats do what comes naturally to them and helps protect your furniture and other things around the house.