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Can someone recommend a safe adhesive for a sisal rope scratcher?

post #1 of 7
6/16/10 at 8:46am
Thread Starter 
Hi all,

Bought a really nice scratcher/tree off Ebay years ago. Recently I purchased another and it was really cheap and flimsy. So I've decided to take a stab at repairing my old scratcher with some new sisal rope.

I've read Brazilian sisal rope is high quality (supposedly Ace Hardware sells this) and I know not to use staples for obvious reasons. What I don't know is what kind of adhesive I can use that's safe for a sharp-clawed cat.

I was thinking of using Elmer's Glue since it's non-toxic for humans, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's non-toxic for kitties. Anyone have ideas?
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post #2 of 7
6/16/10 at 10:09am
I made one for a bird and used hot glue as that's safe for birds. I think I see hot glue on the top of the one we bought and will be using it on the one I make for the kittens.
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post #3 of 7
6/16/10 at 10:17am
Why can't you use staples? That's what I use - you only need 2-4 staples total. You only use them at the ends and wrap a piece of rope on top it. Any safer glues would eventually come loose - and as someone who's been doing crafts for years, I can honestly tell you that hot glue would, too, after enough abuse from cats.
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post #4 of 7
6/16/10 at 12:29pm
Really? Ours hasn't yet and a Goffin Cockatoo wasn't able to get it loose either.

I would think the issue with staples is them coming loose unless you are using the heavy duty ones.
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post #5 of 7
6/16/10 at 1:06pm
I've never been able to get hot glue to work for anything that sustains any real force on it. I'm not sure how many pounds of force even a bigger bird can exert - but remember cats weigh average of 8-12lbs and love to hang off of larger scratching post. My cats will also pick at things and if they found any loose glue would eat it. I do use hot glue when modifying storage bins into gecko cages - it works perfectly for that. lol

You do have to use heavy duty staples and if they're not in there fully, hammer them the rest of the way in. Small steples are another option, but they can be a real pain in the butt to remove later when you want to rewrap the post.

I've done several posts now (despite the apparent sisal allergy I have? ) and can offer some other tips if anyone wants any. Big tip: Gloves, you will need them. If you haven't unwrapped the old sisal yet, use a dust mask when you do so!
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post #6 of 7
6/18/10 at 10:42pm
Thread Starter 
I noticed when tearing apart the old scratcher that a combination of staples and glue were used; two streaks down each side of the scratcher. I didn't want to use staples because I didn't have a strong gun first of all but I was also worried the cat's nails would get caught and possibly shred if she ended up getting hooked in one.

I ended up going the Elmer's glue route and also secured each end of the rope with a single small nail driven in deep. The resulting scratcher came out surprisingly well for a first-timer. Looks professionally done. I keep telling my neighbor who's a pretty good woodworker that he should get into making cat scratchers. The prices on Ebay and the stores seem ridiculously high. I now realize the rope is a big chunk of the cost since this single scratcher swallowed an entire 50' roll of sisal. Most use the cheaper 1/4" but I went with 3/8" and she's going to have a tough time tearing through it.
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post #7 of 7
6/19/10 at 3:14am
My DH uses heavy duty staples. Never a problem of them coming out. Just be sure they go in all the way.

You can monitor the rope from time to time, but years go by and ours do not come out.
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