What type of rope do you prefer? Sisal is the only good choice.
To make a good choice of rope, we first need to understand why a cat uses a scratching post. There are several reasons for this:
- To maintain their nails: Scratching helps cats keep their nails healthy. It removes old, dead nail sheaths and exposes new, sharp nail tips.
- To mark their territory: they want to leave scratch marks, along with a scent from their paw glands. Therefore, place the scratching post in conspicuous places, near sofas, doorways, or the stairs. This also prevents them from using the sofa as a scratching post.
- To stretch and release stress and energy: it is a wonderful moment of relaxation and also occurs more often after sleeping or after playing or when excited
The rope must therefore be strong enough , provide sufficient grip and, very importantly, have the right scent .
Sisal is the best choice: it's exceptionally durable, 100% natural, and has a rough texture for an optimal scratching experience . Definitely avoid synthetic rope, as it's not rough enough and releases microplastics. There are few good natural alternatives. For example, cotton is too soft, jute and coconut rope release a lot of fibers, and manila has a strong oily odor.
How do you choose the right sisal rope?
First and foremost, it's important to use a premium sisal fiber. These are odor-free . They smell natural and plant-based, ideal for a cat's sensitive nose. It's also best to use twisted rope instead of braided rope. The twisted rope wraps easily, stays taut, and provides cats with plenty of grip .
The rope should also be tightly twisted. A tightly twisted rope provides much more grip and lasts much longer. The more tightly it is twisted, the heavier it is per meter and the more expensive it is. Therefore, it's best to choose a rope with a tight and even twist.
What diameter and how many meters of sisal rope do you need for your cat scratching post?
The ideal rope thickness depends on the size of the post and the type of cat.
Here are some rules of thumb:
- For a small scratching post or for kittens: 6mm
- For a standard scratching post: 8mm
- For large cats or heavy scratching posts: 10mm
Very large structures for multiple cats can also use a 12mm rope for the thick central pole. An overview of our sisal ropes can be found here .
A guideline for the required length: a 1m long, 10cm diameter pole theoretically requires 80 meters of 8mm rope. It's best to order an extra 10% to allow for leeway.
