The kitten is a feline that is born very curious about everything that surrounds it, and as it grows, that desire to explore only increases until it reaches a point where it spends all day investigating every corner of your home. And the scraper is one of the things that attracts him the most, especially if it is tall.
However, sometimes it may not be easy for you to use it, so I will explain how to teach my kitten to use the scratcher so that it does not scratch the furniture and, incidentally, to get him to have fun.
Make the scratching post attractive to the kitten
There are some scratchers that are not very ornate and that can be a bit boring for the feline. They may have very few strings or small stuffed animals, and that is not always to the liking of an animal that enjoys playing. Therefore, it is highly recommended buy some little toys and put them on top of the scratcher so you have to go get them.
To make you like it even more, also buy some cat treats and put some in different parts of the scratcher: in the tunnel, on the shelf, in bed,… You'll see how he enjoys this.
Show him where to sharpen his claws
The kitten learns sometimes by accident, but also and above all by imitation. While he is with the mother, he learns to be a cat by observing her, imitating her movements. Even when the mother is absent, if you are lucky enough to live with more cats, they will teach you everything you need to know.
When it comes to teaching him to use the scratching post, you have to put yourself in the "skin" of an adult cat, and imitate him. What would a cat do if it had to teach a furry dog? Sharpen your nails on the scratching post, of course. So that, call him and run your hands over the pole, like you really want to sharpen your nails. Do it several times every day as necessary. You can even gently pick it up, hold one of its legs, and run it over the pole.
If none of this works, put a feeder with a can of wet kitten food and it will surely not take long to go up to eat. In this way, he will learn by accident that he has an amazing toy where he can have fun and have healthy claws.