Scratching post is Step 1.

A quality scratching post is Step 1. in motivating your cat to claw where you want it to and to leave other things along.

It should be tall and stable and made out of a material that presents a good texture for the purpose. All cats are different and they have different likes and dislikes. When it comes to clawing it seems logical to use a material that they might find in nature.

Clearly, however, cats often are content clawing the artificial materials that are used in a lot of furniture today.

Should a cat claw something it shouldn't despite the presence of a quality scratching post, you will need to go to training, Step 2.

Great Natural Scratch News

On Wednesday, I received a call from a customer who had purchased a cedar post and a cork post and was having excellent results with both of them.

She wanted to order more posts, one 32-inch cedar and one 24-inch cork.

It pleases me greatly that she and her husband are happy with Natural Scratch and that their cats are using them regularly. That's the whole point.

Cat claws are marvels that should be preserved. It's relatively easy to do with Natural Scratch. For those who don't know how, an easy-to-read training booklet comes with each post.

Please have a look at naturalscratch.com.

Many Natural Scratch Posts

There are now four different Natural Scratch posts to choose from. Two are made of white cedar and two of cork. There is nothing like them available elsewhere.

Other things separate them from the rest. Examples: each comes with a training booklet and they all have interactive features.

In addition, no Natural Scratch is oversold as a "set-and-forget" option. Some cats take to Natural Scratch almost automatically but most need human involvement and training.

Please visit www.naturalscratch.com and learn how Natural Scratch can help you train your cat to claw an approved surface and nothing else.

Cactus Flower

About 18 months ago, my brother gave me a cactus that was one of many offspring from an original cactus my mother's sister, Lily, gave him many years ago. I kept it in a sunny bedroom during the cool and cold Wisconsin autumn, winter, and spring and only watered it a little.

When late May arrived, I put it on the deck railing where it would be in the Sun all day long.

Over all the time I had it the only thing that I saw was a new, small cactus beginning to grow next to the original cactus.

Then one day I noticed a stalk poking out of the plant's side. About two days later, the flower pictured in the accompanying shot bloomed. But it only lasted for about 24 hours and then drooped.

Two more stalks have appeared, but I don't know if they too will lead to flowers. I hope so.