1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices commonly called "scratching posts" used by cats for scratching and stretching exercises, and more particularly, to a protective device which can be implemented with a piece of furniture to act as a scratching post that diverts cats and other domesticated animals from using the piece of furniture for scratching or stretching purposes, thus preventing possible damage to the furniture.
2. Description of Related Art
Various styles of scratching devices have been designed and implemented throughout the years for use by cats in scratching and stretching exercises. Most scratching devices consist of an upwardly extending post which has fabric, such as a piece of carpet or similar material, attached to it which the cat grasps with its front claws, allowing it to stretch its body. Such stretching exercises are usually a daily activity of most cats, especially if the cat remains within the home most of the day. Cats seem to particularly prefer scratching posts made from carpet or similar materials since it allows their claws to "dig" into the material for a firm grasp during the stretching exercise. Cats can also exercise their paws and claws by scratching and clawing at the scratching post. Scratching devices can be relative simple, such as a piece of carpet having a rope attached to it which allows the carpet to be hung from a doorknob, but can become useless if the cat does not adopt it for its stretching exercises.
One particular problem associated with a cat's daily stretching exercise is that cats will often use a piece of furniture as a scratching post which can result in quite extensive damage to the fabric of the furniture whenever the cat digs its claws into the fabric. Cats have been known to utilize furniture as scratching posts even though there are several conventional scratching posts available for the cat's use. Generally, once a cat starts using a piece of furniture as its scratching post, it is very difficult to stop the cat from using it since the scent of the cat has been imbedded in the piece of furniture and the cat will continue to use the furniture unless its scent is totally removed. Further and continuous use of the furniture as a scratching post will cause the fabric to fray and rip and can even cause the insulation or "stuffing" of the furniture to be exposed, which is both unsightly and costly to the pet owner. While an owner may be able to keep the cat off the furniture when he or she is at home, the cat can still continue to use the furniture as a scratching post when left alone in the home. As a result, considerable damage can be done on one or more pieces of furniture.
Therefore, there is a need for a device which can be used to protect a piece of furniture from being used as a scratching post by the cat, yet still allows the cat to perform its daily stretching activities. Such a device would be particularly beneficial if it can be implemented with a piece of furniture which the cat has already used as a scratching post since the cat will generally continue to use that particular piece of furniture again and again, causing costly damage. Also, the device should prevent damage to the piece of furniture yet should be easy to implement and remove.