Stabilize A Light Scratching Post?

[Mer.kitten]

it cant weigh more than 3 lbs, but it was only 20 bucks at Petco and ive resolved in the new year to save money and that includes not spending oodles at Petco.

is there a quick easy way to make it heavier? its just your average square base with a 2 foot or so pole.

thanks

 

[Columbine]

The simplest way is to get something heavy (eg a smooth, heavy rock/stone or statue) to put on the base to stabilise it a little. The weight itself needs to be stable too, so it won't fall and hurt kitty. Sandbags could work too, and would be a safer option.

Cheap cat posts are often pretty unstable, unfortunately Why not enter the Art, Motion and Sound Scratching Post Giveaway, for a chance to win a beautiful, luxury scratch post for your kitty?

 

[Mer.kitten]

thanks, just entered i'll look into the sandbag idea.

 

[Pjg8r]

I’ve also tucked one under the end of a couch to stabilize it. Will your cat use it if you just lay it on its side?

 

[CommonCatOwner]

I just fixed my cat's scratching post and it is as stable as can be. It was a cheap on from a pet store, basically a one square foot base with about a two foot sisal rope covered post. He would always pull it over but loved scratching on it. For about 1.75 in the gardening/landscaping section of a chain home improvement store there are heavy concrete blocks, almost one square foot in size and maybe 2 inches thick. The same store sells an adhesive that works perfect called DynaGrip, Heavy Duty for around 4 dollars in a squeeze tube (there could potentially be cheaper alternatives but not as effective). I just ran some of the adhesive along the edge of the concrete block, set the post on top, applied slight pressure and let it dry for several hours (this adhesive is great for many other things too). There is almost no smell to it and it is very easy to clean any that might come out but make sure to keep it away from your cat until the adhesive dries. The scratching post is now incredibly sturdy and impossible for the cat to pull over. This also allows full access to the post and doesn't obscure it or raise it high off the ground. Oh, and while you are at the home improvement store check out the bulk rolls of sisal rope to easily replace any that might come off the scratching post!

 

[duckpond]

I had one that was unstable, this was back when i used clay cat litter. I got a few extra bags of heavy clay cat litter and put around the base, kind of like sandbags then i also had an extra supply in case i needed it

 

[basscat]

I’ve also tucked one under the end of a couch to stabilize it. Will your cat use it if you just lay it on its side?

This is what I do. Lift the couch, slide it under one leg, then go find something about the same thickness for the other couch leg (so the couch is still level across the front).
Or, just screw it to the floor. You'll never the see the hole with carpet. If no carpet, the couch leg idea.

 

[Tobermory]

I just fixed my cat's scratching post and it is as stable as can be. It was a cheap on from a pet store, basically a one square foot base with about a two foot sisal rope covered post. He would always pull it over but loved scratching on it. For about 1.75 in the gardening/landscaping section of a chain home improvement store there are heavy concrete blocks, almost one square foot in size and maybe 2 inches thick. The same store sells an adhesive that works perfect called DynaGrip, Heavy Duty for around 4 dollars in a squeeze tube (there could potentially be cheaper alternatives but not as effective). I just ran some of the adhesive along the edge of the concrete block, set the post on top, applied slight pressure and let it dry for several hours (this adhesive is great for many other things too). There is almost no smell to it and it is very easy to clean any that might come out but make sure to keep it away from your cat until the adhesive dries. The scratching post is now incredibly sturdy and impossible for the cat to pull over. This also allows full access to the post and doesn't obscure it or raise it high off the ground. Oh, and while you are at the home improvement store check out the bulk rolls of sisal rope to easily replace any that might come off the scratching post!

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That’s really creative! Thanks for the anchoring idea, CommonCatOwner ! I did buy bulk sisal from a roll to recover a carpeted post that my cat didn’t like, but I had to go to two stores. I discovered that the first length of sisal I bought reeked of oil. I thought my car was leaking oil on the drive home, but when I carried the rope into the house, I realized it had been treated. I couldn’t even leave it in the house, much less cover the scratching post with it. So I returned it and bought sisal in a plastic bag. Drove home. Brought it in. Opened it. Cats and I both flinched from the smell. Returned it. Went to second store, carefully smelled the sisal (the sales guy knew just what I was doing because he has cats!), and smelled...rope! I’ll never buy sisal online because there’s no way to tell if it’s been treated. Neither of the first two products were labeled at all.