DIY Cat Scratcher/Scratching Post 

I've made and restored more of these than I can count. A few tips: Attach the post to the base before wrapping, then use a hammer to compress the rope as you wrap it every few turns. This will allow you to really compress the rope. If it's not tightly compresed, the cats will pull down while scratching on it, and separate the rope, leaving big gaps between the turns. A 1/4" narrow crown staple gun does wonders for holding the rope to the post, although the hot glue works well, too. Make sure to whip, or tape the ends of the rope so it doesn't fray after being affixed to the post. I use twine to whip the ends. You can also wrap the base of the post, and make a cross-shaped carpet piece to cover the top of the post prior to wrapping. It makes it look nice, and can be hot-glued in place to hide the seams. If you want to save a little money, you can screw a pair of 2x4s together instead of using a 4x4. If you want to more securely attach the base to the post, use a Forstner bit to countersink your bolt locations into the undersidee of the base, then use washers and lag bolts instead of screws. To get the cats using the post, just give it a squirt or two of Kong cat nip oil.

everytime i see big tools for these DIY projects i instantly feel blah lol

That's one hell-of-a nice wood shop!!! I can only dream of having such excellent tools available, like that amazing router table!

My entire room is carpet. I have two cat trees with combined 12 scratching posts. 4 really long ones too. She scratches the carpet.

To train your cat to use the new post, simply give them a treat whenever they scratch the post. They will be going to it voluntarily in no time! It really works.

This is the best video that I have found! All the other ones are just overly complicated and every other video has a loud lady who yells at the camera.

I’m so glad I saw this! My cat recently had kittens and I’ve been in need for a new post and I could never think of a good way to build one that wouldn’t cost me much but I saw this and had some spare scrap wood and got right to work. They LOVEEE it!

Great video! Thank you for showing how it REALLY is and not pretending it was super easy. NGL my favorite is the reaction to the scratching behind you in beginning. Thank you for being so real. Made a post using your directions and it worked out great.

Lovely cats. You too are a lovely human being if you are investing time and efforts to make the items for your dear cats. They are so cute. I am going to make a cat scratching post for my 2 cats as one of them has poked a hole in my new sofa.

GOOD job - I'm very impressed!!! Glad you let your husband use the saw to do the cutting. 🙂

That cat understood the assignment.

I would use the catnip spray that I have and charge the new cat scratcher (and anything else you want your cat to check out-even new toys, kitty beds...) Its a simple solution! :) As for the big tools--you can go to places like Home Depot, Lowe's etc, they will cut the pieces for you but you will need a drill, that I am sure you can borrow from someone and a power screw driver--I love mine--I bought it at Ikea. Happy Building. :)

miss my cat her routine of walking through the hall would be to stop and scratch up the post lol

Kitties are adorable!

For a cat lover, DIY is very interesting.

Thank you so much for posting this, first video I have seen for making a cat scratcher that doesn't involve anything more than a drill and some screws. Now I feel like I can actually make one!

Your so creative! Thank you so much!!

Omg this was super helpful I just got a kitten today and needed one of these thank you so much

Really cute video. I think the 9ut takes adds character. Keep up the good work 👏

I'm going to make one of these for my time thank you for the idea I looked up homemade cat holes and found you you do a really nice job I'd like your cats are cool

HOT GLUE OMG WHY DIDNT I THINK OF THAT!!! Thank you!! I just finished building a cat tree with a support post and I’m trying to wrap sisal around the post and this saved the project!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼

try routering the edges or giving or cutting then off on the table saw angles at a 45 degree angle for wrapping it around easier

Love the post i have 7 cat that i have rescue as hurt kittens. I use hemp. The Shredded it use work much better thanks for taking the time to make the pod cast Sammy Potts

We bought a cat scratching post cheep to get it home toxins out she wouldn't use it because the board was wood . Replaced with carpet, she's happy..

To anyone watching this video now, I put the post and base together first and then wrapped the rope around the post. It seemed much easier than trying to wrap the post on its own. Helpful tutorial though!

your fluffy cat looks like my fluffy maine coon Chazifer!! 💖💖

Awesome, Thank you

Nice video and your cats are beautiful! A couple things to help: Catnip pressed into the rope will get most cats to scratch the post, often insanely. Use a straight edge to draw a line from corner to corner and where the lines intersect is the center.😉

Thanks for posting this. I built one following your design and my little fiend really likes it. Maybe now he will lay off the furniture a bit.

thanks for this idea♥️

Not me looking for the best way to attach an old post to some scrap plywood 😅😅🤣

Thank you for this vid :) I'm building a cat tree that's going to be 8.5 feet long, so I'll be applying what I learned here

I’m very happy you used some Milwaukee tools

Rub a bit of catnip on it... :-)

A sisal rope is just fancy for the human eyes, use the same materials of the nice couch they like to scratch... there you will be talking their language 🤣 sew a robust fabric cover for the 4x4, and you can sew varied covers and change them. I have (handle) 13 feral cats, 7 black cats, 6 varieties, 7 know how to go through their cat door to get inside to eat, snooze, hide, mess around, zoom, and only two use a litter box inside. And do not use piece of carpet or you would invite fleas and other unwanted insects for a lodging.

Nice job.

Nice watch

Good job!

Brilliant

Very cool video

Awesome video, you’re great.

Your pets you and your eyes looking great. 😘

She has really long cats.... A super cute girl using tools in the workshop is pretty attractive

I'm a new Subscriber :) i'm loving your videos

ok I'm watching you right now with my cat hihi

Thank you!

What we would not do for our lovely babies? So much work and everything looks absolutely amazing and babies love it! Great work! Just a tip; always wear gloves woke working with wood to avoid splinter.

You're really gorgeous and a cat lover too. A woman after my own heart.

Your miter setup is sweet. Do some shop videos

Cool idea. I think if you put rope around the bottom plate, they would love to scratch on it too

You guys just randomly have these tools? Thats awesome

the fluffier cat love horizontal scratcher i hope you make him some

lmao I know all too well how much it sucks to wrap those in a really tight manner! My first time wrapping it was with heavy duty sesil , on an 8 foot pole! I was trying to make one that my cats could climb. I realize you just got to get into the rhythm, Bend, twist pole, stable, are used to staple gun, Bend, twist, staple bend twist staple and repeat LOL! they ended up not even using it. 😂 I think the sisal that I bought was way too rough for their paws. Live in learn!

Your big fluff ball is a cutie.

Wow. Planing to do the same to save some money and found your video..We have 4 cats in the house, 3 Persian cat 2 male and 1 female and 1 male himalayan grey fur ...Thanks for sharing some ideas ; ) will post soon the video with our cats : ) i Sub : ) Cheers

Great job 👍 👍 I wish I had all those tools and the room for them! I still think that I can tackle this job though:) thanks for the tips and you got a new sub! Just curious, how much did this cost you in total for supplies? Or besides the rope did you already have everything needed for the job?

Try cat nip under the rope. Might attract them better

Staple gun to attach rope. . Also worried about weight of wood scratcher versus base for tipping risk.... The store bought ones I had were hollow cardboard.

Beautiful cat, beautiful woman who loves cats, good with tools, and all this together?! I am in love. I

Maybe if you put it on one of those wood spinning things it would've been easier or faster to wrap the rope

I thought owning a Makita Power Drill I'd made it. I'd pick up a second hand one on the marketplace.

I need to do this my Mom's cat trashes a post every month its expensive Lol

Great tutorial! I'm thinking of making my own DIY cat post and was wondering if instead of plywood I can use fiberboard or particle board? Thanks

Oh a tape measure.. nope. I have to just buy a cat post🤣

I think it would look better if there was a step up in the middle of the post and if it was wrapped in carpet. That's how I make mine to sell. I also add a 2" carpeted cap on the top for decoration. I also spray plenty of cat nip on the rope.

Doesn't the glue come away at the ends and unravel.

I'm getting a couple of senior cats today and I'm sure I'll try this, I mainly watched to see how to attach the rope to the post. How has the white-and-tan guy taken to it since?

Wow i need that for my new kitties😻😸

would it be easier to fix the rope if I tried it with a cylindercal shape?

Rub Emers glue in between all layer of roping and let dry over night. The roping will last longer. What type/kind of rope was used?

very beautiful u are, ue enegry is glowing right off of u. really love the idea for ur DIY cat post. only thing i might change is to add carpet on the bottom instead of bear wood, and maybey add a set ontop for them to lay. i dono yet. thanks for your your great video and stay happy cheerful, keep that energy ur giving off its wonderful ^_^ have a great morning or after noon where u might me..

4:38 Use a hammer and hammer the rope down into itself. You'll get a super tight bind. Just using your hands doesn't work well.

I love how it turn out but how it cost you in total ?

Great job Mary!! It's been 4 years... how has that scratchin' post held up?? 🙂

Nice job.......I had a cone shaped sisal rope one that my mom's fat girl cat destroyed in 3 yrs. not easy to find BTW.

:-)

It looks as though you applied hot glue here and there but not on every row. My post is round, do you think I should apply the hot glue on each row? TIA

My cats a little weirdo, he folds his ears back when he gets to scratching

Could you just leave finished post on the floor? Seems the cats started using it immediately. I’m in an apartment and my cat is scratching (and ruining) the rug in bedroom. My cat hasn’t used any bought scratching pads yet. Thanks

👍👍👍😻😍😘😘😘

I'm wondering why your husband didn't offer his orbital sander for you to use on the flat surfaces and his sanding wheel for the edges?

How much rope ?

*Great job! I made a similar scratching post too, but with a shelf for the cat. Come visit)*

Love the idea. But buying all of those materials you're better to go buy one. But thats my opinion. Rhanks for showing us . i might do this. But will cut corners

Yes, now all I need is a full woodshop with 10,000 dollars worth of equipment

Shellac ? Lacquer I would have used mineral oil medical grade

and you shoud get many subs bc that looked hard to do💪🏻

Can you come over and build one for my cat? $ no problem

More Videos!!!

Who has an entire workshop?

Nice sweety

These scratches are amazing!! 😻🐈 cherishedtails.co.uk/collections/cat-scratchers

Woodglut plans are amazing!

You look like sara Ali Khan- Indian actress

Using rubber 🔨 after you glue gun

I appreciate her work but bro how can this be a diy when literally no one have these types of machinery casually available🙂

The SECRET to get your cat to use your new post is to put cat nip on it.