Cat behaviourist shares ‘vital’ reason pets need scratching posts

Cats need scratching posts for a number of reasons, including one that is vital to their health.

If you have a cat, you’ll know that they love to scratch things. Getting them a dedicated scratching post can help them fulfil this need in a healthy way, but you still might find that they also exert their scratching energy on other parts of your house – including the arms of your sofa or the legs of your dining table.

It’s commonly believed that scratching helps cats keep their nails trimmed and blunts the tips so their claws aren’t as sharp. But according to one cat behaviour specialist, that isn’t entirely true.

Lucy Hoile has over 10 years’ experience helping cat owners with their pets‘ behaviour. In a series of videos on her TikTok account, she has debunked some common cat myths.

In one recent video, Lucy said that while cats do need scratching posts and you should always get one for your pet, they don’t actually help to blunt their claws. In fact, they have the opposite effect.

Lucy explained: “Myth number 16 [in her series] is that when cats scratch on scratching posts, they’re wearing down their claws and keeping the tips blunt.

“Although they are keeping them short and stopping them from growing around (because if they keep growing, they’ll grow around back into the paw), what actually happens is it removes the outer layer of the claw rather than wearing down the one that was there.

“They reveal a super sharp layer below. So, although they are keeping them shorter or stopping them from overgrowing, they’re definitely not wearing them down. And they’re definitely not keeping them blunt. It’s actually the opposite. They’re sharpening them.”

Even though scratching posts don’t stop your cat’s claws from being sharp, they are hugely beneficial to the mental health of your pet – as sharp claws are part of their hunting needs.

Lucy added: “Mentally, they need their claws sharp for hunting and for defence. So it’s really important for them to keep them sharp, and in my experience, every single cat will need something to scratch on to make sure that they can do that.”

Commenters on the post thanked Lucy for her advice, as many admitted they had no idea why scratching posts were so vital for cats – despite being a cat owner themselves.

One person said: “Oh … thanks for pointing that out, that never quite added up for me.” Another added: “So that’s why I find little claws all over my bedroom!”

How to keep your cat happy

Giving your cat a scratching post is just one of the ways the RSPCA says you can keep your pet happy. They state scratching posts can help them strengthen muscles, mark their territory, and sharpen their claws, so you should give them one that is tall enough for them to use when fully stretched.

They also recommend making sure they can easily reach everything they need, such as their bed, water, litter tray, and food, without passing by animals or objects that might scare them.

Cats may also need safe hiding places that allow them to scurry away when they feel frightened, as they may become aggressive if they can’t hide when they want to.

Finally, cats need to be kept active when they’re not spending most of the day sleeping. If your cat doesn’t go outside, they’ll need indoor activities to keep them entertained, such as plenty of safe and enriching toys.