SmartCat Pioneer Pet Ultimate Scratching Post (Beige)

This scratching post is perfect for cats who like to use things like this. It is worth the price when you consider that it should last a very, very long time and due to how heavy duty and stable it is compared to others. It also claims that it is made with sisal fabric that is of superior quality to sisal rope. This was very easy to assemble and feels very good quality compared to some cheaper options out there. Another great thing is how tall it is, it allows even grown cats to stand up and stretch their muscles while they scratch, which they enjoy and is good for them. So far they've not had issues with getting their claws stuck. This scratcher is very stable. My cat is able to even climb on it without it tipping, which is in part due to the large square base. Even when it isn't being climbed, I would think a cat would like for it to be stable while scratching on it rather than wobbling around as some cheaper posts can do. Though if pricing is a priority, you can get cheaper posts that will serve their purpose well enough. All it took to get him to use it for the first time was for me to scratch on it with my own nails because he associates the sound with other scratchers (like the smaller ones on his cat tower) and also because he likes to try to catch my hand when I do that on things. Once he knew it was for him, he uses it every day and our other cats do to maybe a slightly lesser extent. A cat may not spend a long time on it at once, but they definitely seem to appreciate it being there and being able to do so when they want to or when they enter the room it's in. Some cats don't seem to care as much for scratching posts in general, even if they like to scratch rugs and furniture, so if that's the case, this might not change that. But if you have a cat that does enjoy things like this, I definitely recommend this one.

This is the best scratching post I’ve ever bought. I used to use the carpeted posts that cost around the same but they don't last. After a year the carpet is shredded and gets all over the place. This seems like it will hold up a lot longer. It took about a week for my cats to figure out what it was but once they did they use it all the time. It’s pretty tall so they can stretch out while scratching. The base is large so its not going to tip over and it looks nice too. I may get another one once my other old carpeted on finally falls apart. ## Edit 8/2018 ## I’ve had this scratching post for almost 2 years now and you can barely tell it’s been used. I ended up buying a second one and that’s in great shape too. The cats use them frequently and they do not fall apart. I expect this to last a few more years and maybe even longer. Very good quality for a very reasonable price. *Edit Dec 2020* These things are still in great shape. No signs of falling apart any time soon. These are the absolute best scratching posts I’ve ever bought and I’m replacing the cat condo that my cats destroyed within a year with one with the same type of sisal material. I am never buying a carpeted scratch post or condo again. Btw, These cost more now than my original purchase but I feel it’s still a fair price. The length these will last will pay for itself. **Edit January 2023** It’s been a good run but both of these are starting to fall apart and “shed”. The oldest one is in worse shape, but the newer one I can probably get the rest of the year out of. If I turn it around, maybe the cat will scratch the less worn parts? Like I’ve said. These are excellent scratching posts and hold up for a long time. The price is almost DOUBLE the price it was in 2016 and 2017 when I bought them last and that is absolutely ridiculous, even with inflation. So I won’t be buying these again unless the price drops considerably. I’ll add it to my cart and keep track of it. **Update Aug 2024** You can’t ask for a longer lasting scratching post, and mine are now 7 and 8 years old. I keep turning them around so the less worn part is showing because these are still priced too high. Im cheap (also known as broke) I’m not paying $50 each for a scratching post, but at least the price has come down some. Maybe next year. **Update May 2025** Well it’s next year and the price is currently $60 for something that was half the price when I originally bought it. At least it lasts a long time. 8-9 years old and they are finally at the end of their usable life. I’ve turned them around to the “good side” so many time trying to get every last drop of life out of these things but now they’re shedding and falling apart. The price is too high now, but they do last a long time. Kind of evens out I guess if you have to replace cheap carpeted scratching posts every year or so. I think I’ll have to look for something else. ** Update August 2025 ** Finally replaced one of these after what was it, 8 or 9 years. Last couple of years they were really showing their age. But lasted a long time. Still outrageously overpriced though.

OMG - Insanely good and sturdy. OK, now for why I say that. I used to have a huge carpet covered cat tower with a pagoda type house on top (still have it, just not in the living room any longer). First thing each morning and thru out the day, my indoor/outdoor (ie has claws) female cat would just shred the daylights out of it. And there would be plastic strands sticking out all over so every month or so I had to give the cat tower a "hair cut". Finally it looked so bad I moved it out to the porch. Which started Ms Claws (Tootsie) going after a couple of recliners, and (her favorite) the wicker shelving in the bathroom. I needed a scratch post for inside. I looked at ALL of them on Amazon. I read HUNDREDS of reviews. While sisal covered things never excited Tootsie, it became obvious any scratching post with carpet would be quickly dispatched to the dump once she laid into it. So sisal it would have to be. Then everyone said having the post be tall enough so the kitty could stretch was very important. Made sense to me as she would stretch out on the wicker shelf unit in the bathroom before reducing it to rubble even further. So I found this one. Kinda pricey I thought but at 32" high, it was the tallest one on Amazon. And reviewers said it was sturdy (don't need some tippy piece of crap). So I got this cat scratching post. And some of the catnip spray that some reviewers used to entice kitty to like the scratching post. And I got a dealie bob that is covered in sisal to hang from the front door knob (hoping she'd scratch that to go out rather than the trim around the door) (that hasn't happened yet). Before we see how it worked, let me tell you how it's built. I come from an engineering background as does all my family. So I can recognize sturdy and well built from cheap piece O crapola. Ha! Even tho it said it is 32" tall, it doesn't really register until you see that it stands taller than the bathroom vanity. The base is 16" x 16" which others have said gave it stability. They are correct. And then if you look real closely at the base of the sisal part you'll see some molding that rings the square vertical post. Because that part is screwed firmly into the vertical part covered in sisal, it increases the stability factor a great deal (someone was thinking when they designed this). The wood surfaces have a nice finish on them. It's a nice nuetral color overall so will match nearly any decor. Oh, and the sisal covered part is approx. 6x6" so quite stout compared to a 4" cardboard tube with carpet stapled to it. And it is bombproof. I first tried squirting the catnip spray on it. Meh! says the cat, the wicker shelf unit is more fun. Then I take the peacock feather that I use for the "behind the bathroom door" game and wiggle the eye end of the feather up by the top of the post. Tootsie sees it. She crouches. She wiggles her butt in the pre-launch stage. Then she LEAPS up, landing clinging by front and back claws to the upper part of the post, nailing the feather and hanging well above the floor. Whoa! and the post didn't even wobble or jiggle or lean. Ninja Kitty made a flying leap and the post just sat there, all nice and steady. After a few rounds of flying kitty onto big tall sturdy scratching post, she got the idea that THIS was the new Scratchable of Choice. And it is definitely tall enough that nearly any cat (even the Big Boys) can get a good long stretch - fully extended my cat doesn't reach the top. I did read that the same company makes a shelf that can be screwed on top for your cat to lay on ($15.99 elsewhere on Amazon). But that person said they thought you could as easily make a better one by taking a piece of board, putting foam on it, then stapling fabric of your choice over that. While that is true, I figured what is the real chance of me doing that? (like in the next 5 years - let's be real - not very big). I don't really need a laying place on top of this but just thought I'd mention the options because others might like that. What we're doing now is I put one of her toys up on top of the post. She sees it up there sometime during the day, and has to leap up and cling to the top of the post so she can knock it off. Then later I find it and put it back on top. You get the picture. Anyways, this gets a 2 thumbs up as a big beefy cat scratching post. Oh, and another side note: My Maine Coon kitty (Cassie, built like a tank - a biiig girl) who had no front claws when I got her - she also likes to "scratch" and stretch on this sturdy post. So she can lean her big self against the post and remains rock solid. Love it!

I knew I needed to get my cat a great scratching post. She was scratching up all of our furniture and the scratching post she had was too small and just not very nice! After we placed an order for new furniture, we knew we had to get her a post that would stop all of her scratching! After doing extensive research, I found out what is really important in a scratching post is size, it must be big and tall so that the cat can stretch out. It must be sturdy, so the cat cannot easily knock it over, and it should have a favorable scratching material (sisal is preferable). Well, this post meets all of those criteria. So I bought two posts, this one - after finding this incredible deal on amazon (29.99 with free prime shipping when I purchased), and a very expensive competitor post developed by a veterinarian. A small note on cost - buy this from amazon! It is so much cheaper than at the pet stores, they cost upwards on 80 bucks at the pet stores, so stick with amazon! Anyway, my cat likes this post better than the more expensive competitor and it truly is perfect! She no longer scratches any furniture at all, our new furniture looks perfect! When she wants to scratch, she goes straight to this post and scratches away, stretching out and fully enjoying herself. I never thought getting a good scratching post would solve her scratching problem, but it completely did! This was absolutely worth the investment. A few notes - you can buy a topper for this scratching post so that your cat has a comfy perch to sit on. It is small and red and does not look very comfortable. I recommend making your own! This is what I did and my cat absolutely loves it! I simply got a piece of wood (you can size however you wish, mine is a nice square fit to her size), added a piece of foam and upholstered fabric on top! If you want your cat to have a scratching post and a nice little perch, this is the way to go. My cat lays on her perch on top of this every single day. She loves scratching her post, and loves laying on top of it. I never thought she would love it more than her expensive trees but she absolutely does. Also, we attached a small toy to the post. There are numerous things you can do to make this even better for your cat, although it is perfectly fine on its own! In conclusion, this is a great scratching post and I cannot believe how cheap it is compared to others! It might just solve your problem if your cat wont stop scratching all your furniture! It absolutely solved mine. One more thing - my cat plays hard on this post and uses it multiple times a day. It has held up extremely well and has never once toppled over!

Incredible! A must buy! Sturdy, cats love it! Durable. I have 13 cats and this is one item I would recommend and buy again or buy a second one. Sprinkled a bit of cat nip on it for them to get started and it’s their go to for scratching and stretching. Stopped furniture scratching up to about 97%. If you have a lot of cats it’s a big help.

Both of my cats use the scratcher all the time. I was tired of them ruining my couch and rugs. Took a shot, didn’t think they use it but they both surprised me. My 15 year old son put it together on 5 minutes. At first we thought it would be better if the toys were lower so they could reach them. So he only used the bottom part then realized the toys were in their faces. Then he screwed in the top part. It’s the perfect height because they stretch up while scratching on it. They don’t play with the toys on top, probably because they are a little too high but that’s fine. They also don’t play with the bottom part. I thought they’d love the balls in there but it doesn’t hold their interest because they stop moving after they’re hit. They’d played with them when it was first put together but that was it. It looks like the balls just fit in it. They’d move better if they were smaller. I tried putting cat nip in there and showing them by hitting the balls on multiple occasions but no such luck. My son said to buy those nano bugs and put them in the bottom to push the balls around. Great idea but I haven’t tried it yet. Still worth the $33 or $38 I paid because I give them a treat when they use it. Now they go right to it to scratch instead of using my furniture. I’ve had it for about 3 months and it’s holding up great. It doesn’t take up a lot of room or look add to clutter in a small room.

I have two cats and ended up buying two of these towers for different rooms. One is right next to the family room leather couch. This has accomplished that they don't run to the leather couch and claw it. The tower is right next to the side of it which is the high-risk side. When they run into the room, they immediately claw this tower instead of the couch. I'm not saying that cats will never claw a couch if you have this next to it, but I'm just saying that it has worked out this way for me. Thank heavens. They love the towers and use them everyday. they like the platform on the top also. Bow towers, amazingly, are still going strong. Very sturdy build and very good value. I love these towers.

I quickly assembled this post and put it at the end of my bed where lately one of my cats has been clawing the box spring. Digit went right over to the post and started using it instead. I couldn't be happier. The scratch-able covering is woven sisal (pronounced SIGH-sel), a natural fiber from the agave plant and, in its untreated state, is frequently recommended as the best product for cat scratchers. This covering had a few wayward fibers right out of the box and, as do all such natural fiber products, will become worse with wear. I am eager to see how fast the woven product becomes unsightly compared to a sisal rope-wrapped unit; well, perhaps eager is the wrong word here! But better this than scraggly furniture or partial-amputation of kitty toes! Assembly is easy with a screwdriver (using my power screwdriver, unpacking the unit from its box took longer!): the base comes in two halves which are joined together with small dowel pegs and attach to the main post with screws. I assembled it by screwing one half of the base onto the post with a screwdriver (phillips or slotted), inserting the two small pegs into holes along the narrow edge of the base (easy slide-in), then sliding the other half of the base onto the pegs to form single base slab, and lastly inserting the screw through the 2nd half into the post to hold it in place. Although it doesn't look like high-end furniture, it is a nice, clean and sturdy assembly and would look fine in many surroundings. I would expect many cats to start using the post immediately - when my cat did and I praised him for it, he turned right around and used it again! We cycled through usage and praise several times, at which time I moved it a few feet away from the problem area toward where I want it to be for the long term. If your cat doesn't use it at first, you can physically encourage your cat by gently rubbing his paws on it while praising him to high-heaven (make sure and start with both of you in a relaxed state). See the end of this post for more ideas if you need them. The website for the product manufacturer is esmartcat.com. The woman who started this company states she has a long history of working with cats and has a free cat behavior counseling service, the website of which is catsinternational.org. Part of the profits from smartcat go to this nonprofit. Other methods of encouraging recalcitrant cats: First a warning - You must always be careful with strings and cat entanglement- if you are not at the other end of the string, don't leave him with something that he can get wrapped around his paw or neck, cutting off circulation and seriously injuring or killing the cat. Within these parameters you can easily create a lure. Just dragging a piece of yarn or string (maybe with a toy on the end) around and over the post may be enough to get your cat interested. You could rub a bit of catnip on the post, or tie a catnip toy to it (tie the twine both around the toy and the post so it is held to it - again, don't leave unattended dangles of string). If you have a suction cup toy, the top of the post is probaby slick enough to hold it- but since it is very tall it may be ineffective. Cat's frequently love the plastic wrappers from large milk jugs (the part that you peel off and throw away). Tie a piece of string around the unit, tucking the caps into it so they are easy for the cat to remove. A little verbal encouragement and plucking at the toy yourself should give him or her the right idea. You might take the base off and lay the unit horizontally. Put your cat on top of it gently. Eventually we can hope that he will see how nice it is to dig his claws into it. Lastly, if your cat won't use it and you don't want to send it back, you could attempt to find untreated sisal and rewrap it, at least partially, with the rope. A warning - I have found it tough to find the untreated sisal (or, at least, any that people are sure is untreated).

I have four fairly large cats (ranging from 6kg to 9kg) who have tested this product for me. This product sat in my Amazon shopping cart for some time while I pondered whether it was crazy to spend so much money on a scratching pole. After having had the pole for approximately three months now, I’m comfortable to say it was worth the money as my cats seem to love it and it’s a quality product. The pole is much taller than your average scratching pole (approximately 85cm from the base to the top) and very sturdy. It doesn’t show any signs of wobble despite my cats sitting on top of it, applying their amble weight to it while scratching and scratching while hanging upside down from the top of it (some pictures are included to show this). My cats are very destructive and I generally find that any scratching toy I purchase them starts showing wear and fluff almost immediately - I’ve included a picture to show the condition after three months of active use and it’s fairing really well. One downside to this product would be is that I’m not sure there’s a way to replace the scratching sections once worn and/ or destroyed - however, if the life of the product is lengthy I’m comfortable with this. One other thing I’d add is it took almost a week for my cats to show any interest in this product at all so don’t give up on it (and feel enraged about wasting your money) if your babies don’t show immediate interest !

Pesado e robusto. O meu gato de 7Kg consegue arranhar sem o derrubar e até subir lá para cima.

In my view a little expensive but this one stands out. With our prior scratch posts, our cats were cutting through the wound hemp rope and in no time the stands looked ratty. This is built with sisal carpet is really sturdy. So far so good after 2 months of heavy use. Time will tell, but I bought a 2nd one after a month (to place on a different floor) based on the cats really enjoying the 1st one. They were checking them out minutes after I had the posts out of the box and while I completed the assembly. I should add that one great feature is the height of the posts being tall for average sized cats. This is great as they love to hang from it using their front claws. The final comment is that I think that these scratch posts look really good while our cats just like them for the scratch factor. They use them multiple times every day and it is so great that our furniture has never been a target.

The product is good but the top is smooth and not covered with cat's covers . my cats slipped from it and they love to sit on top which they cant with this product so they just use the stand

L'idea dell' oggetto è tanto semplice quanto efficace. Il materiale e la cura sono scarsi. Il legno di base e testa è scarsissimo, la struttura non è perfettamente allineata, non ci sono in dotazione feltrini adesivi da posizionare sotto la base, gli spigoli sono vivi e fragili. Ho dovuto acquistare a parte feltrini e paraspigoli. Un oggetto valido ma troppo costoso per la sua fattura. Così come realizzato doveva costare almeno la metà.