Pet Links must have known somehow that I have four indoor kitties, as they sent me the perfect item for review! The Mix-n-Scratch Arch, ($27.99) is a refillable scratch and groom arch, which will keep kitties entertained for hours – I know ours are! If you follow my blog then you probably remember that we adopted two kittens (brothers) a few months ago. These little guys are BUSY, BUSY and we are constantly coming up with ways to entertain them.
One thing we do not want them to do though is scratch our new couches. Our older cats always try to do this and we are trying our hardest to train the kittens to use only “acceptable” scratching areas. We do understand that cats need to sharpen their claws, and we encourage that, just not on our stuff!
When I first received the Mix-n-Scratch arch, the kittens were much younger. I took a few pictures then (please note, they are black and don’t always photograph well!), and a few pictures yesterday to show how much they still love this product.
THEN:
NOW:
It turns out that scratching cats are not just intent on destroying that new living room couch. Cats scratch for two primary reasons. One is to sharpen claws by removing their dead outer layer and the other is to mark their territory. Scratching not only leaves visual cue for other cats to see, it also leaves behind a scent excreted from glands in their paws. This natural instinct is the reason that Petlinks has designed a line of Mix-n-Scratch interchangeable and refillable scratchers designed to channel this natural behavior into a less destructive and more acceptable part of normal cat conduct.
I am impressed with the sturdy construction of the arch. It is very well built which is important to me, as our cats can be a little rough with their toys. The exterior is covered with a scratching surface that is interchangeable, which is pretty neat. The interior has these neat grooming bristles (our kitties love this!), which can decrease shedding. Now if I could only get my one long-haired cat to use this! I was a little concerned when I first received it, as it seemed smaller than I thought it would be. I needn’t have worried though, it is actually the perfect size for our kittens to climb under it, over it, rub on it and sharpen their claws. It came with a little toy on the interior which they love batting too. The Mix-n-Scratch Arch measures 14.625” x 7.5” x 7.75”.
Each of these Mix-n-Match scratchers can easily be refilled with any one of the four different surfaces available. They include Seagrass, Sisal, Carpet and Jute. The ability to refill and interchange the scratching surfaces makes it easier than ever to offer the variety that satisfies a cat’s instinctual need to scratch.
If your kitties are constantly scratching things they shouldn’t be, I would definitely recommend the Mix-n-Scratch Arch. The price is very reasonable for a fun and useful products that will last for many years – no matter how rough your cats are! You can purchase the above product as well as other Petlinks products at Petco.
*I received the above product, free of charge, to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own (and my kitties!).
One Response
How smart! This looks like something Char would love. He is constantly scratching and his cat scratcher has seen better days LOL