The Purrfect Post Deluxe is Skritch's more budget-conscious cousin.
A little less focused on the cool cat aesthetics (though still good-looking) and a little more focused on feline happiness, PurrFect Post is vet-designed and has the same excellent sisal scratching surface. The deluxe model includes a horizontal scratching surface on the base as well as the sisal-covered vertical post.
(Another product they sell, the PurrFect Angle Scratcher, has an inclined surface, for cats who are so uh...inclined.)
$69.95, direct from the manufacturer.
Now THAT is a scratching post!
(Our homemade one was designed according to the same principles as this one. Cats love it with almost embarrassing passion.)
Every time someone asks about furniture and cats on AT, I recommend this post. My little hellions started scratching on it before I could even get it all the way out of the box, they love it that much. 3 other friends have them and all of their cats love them like wende says (with an almost embarrassing passion...heh). They are so strong and sturdy that two rowdies can scratch or play-fight on them at once. I love the instructions that come with the the post too (do people really need to be told not to show their cat how to scratch on the post? that always makes me laugh to think about it).
Some of these high-end cat designs are just stupid and it seems like the designer doesn't think about actual cat behavior. DWR had a contest here in Portland for pet design and one of the designs (which I think won a prize) was for a scratching post that wobbled!! No cat in their right mind is going to go to town on scratching post that moves when they lean into it. They'd rather scratch your Lignet Roset sectional instead.
regards,
trillium
I would love someone to send me blueprints for building a sturdy cat-scratching post.
mailto:marykrushing@gmail.com
Ooh, we have one of these. Our cats LOVE it. I highly recommend.