Is it common for cats to not like sisal? Or cardboard scratchers?

I purchased a $50 huge cardboard horizontal scratcher for my 2 kitties, and will they use it?  No.  They will stand on it, they will lay on it but they will not use it to scratch on.

They also seem to have some aversion to sisal.  I bought them a tall cat tree with sisal posts.  They grab the sisal to climb up, but they don't seem to want to scratch on the sisal.

They love the vertical carpeted scratching post or--and I hate this one--the horizontal living room 8x10 rug in my living room which I don't want them to scratch at all.  I come home with all kinds of fuzz they have pulled up from the carpet rug and...well, am not happy.

Yes, I understand there are vertical and horizontal scratchers now, and assume my 2 are vertical scratchers.

 But--and here is my question--is sisal too rough for the paws of some cats????

I don't know if it's too rough--maybe it's a matter of taste. Some of my cats LOVE sisal, others won't touch it.  One cat won't go near the expensive sisal scratching post, but she loves this $10 cardboard thing:  http://www.petco.com/product/123293/Planet-Petco-Fold-Away-Scratching-Cat-Tunnel.aspx

Go figure.  Whenever I buy a new scratching device, I always put catnip spray on it to get them interested in it.

I don't think sisal is too rough for a cat's paws.  I think it's just a preference thing for cats.  That's pretty much what I seem to do a lot of my kitties, figure out what my two prefer and give that to them.

I sprayed with catnip spray the heck out of all the kitty's things, but they just don't get the cardboard piece.  If my son gets a kitty that likes it I will give it to him or, if not, it is going to a local kitty shelter.  I hate to waste the $50 but what can I do--kitties are spoiled at my house, so guess I will be searching around for what they like best.  And it surely isn't anything so far but carpet.

Wish my two loved sisal and just can't figure out why not.  This is a time I wish they could talk to me.

It's really a matter of personal taste. We've got a sisal wrapped cat tree, several small sisal rugs, a sisal mat and a sisal-covered board on the wall, plus two cardboard scratchers. All of them are used, though the cardboard scratchers are Mogli's favorite right now. I really think he likes them because the surfaces are slanted, rather than vertical or horizontal.

Our last cat loved the sisal stuff, but also liked upholstery, so we always had an old upholstered dining room chair for him to sharpen his claws on. Could you pick up some cheap throw rugs (or carpet samples) and put them over the spots in your carpet they like to scratch?

Of course I could throw some funky rugs for the cats to scratch--but gee! I hate to do it in the living room.  I know you know what I mean.  Still and all, I have moved the large cardboard scratcher to the front bay window in the kitchen in the hopes it might make a difference.  I doubt it, but I always have hope.  So far, they have used it just as a step to the bay window ledge...sigh.  

Both of my kitties stay away from scratching on sisal so much that I wondered if it was too rough for their paws?

Guess not since everyone else's kitties seem to like it.  

The most popular item with my two seems to be the vertical post with carpet.  Maybe I should just throw in the towel and buy a couple more of those for them--putting one in the living room (can be picked up quickly or shoved in a corner when company comes) and one in the bedroom.  They already have one in the kitchen.

If I had to do it all over again I would start them on sisal posts ONLY.  I think they feel if they can scratch comfy carpet on the vertical post then they are free to scratch my living room carpet...big mistake on my part for sure!

Yeah we have a couple of vertical posts with carpet, too, on their cat trees--which also get used a lot. They look like crap! LOL But it's better than them using the rugs. :lol3:

Lucky just sits on the cardboard toys, and stares at us, like he's in some sort of watch tower. It's pretty funny! He was declawed before we owned him, but still tries to scratch at the cardboard occasionally. They also have carpet and sisal on their cat tree and seem to favor sisal and cardboard out of the three. Every cat is different.

My cat hated sisal , too, I had to literally grab his paws and rub them on the sisal, so he'd know what it was for.

He's declawed today (no regrets), and just recently has become obsessed with using the sisal toys from before.

My cats sit on top of the cardboard scratchers too!