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• Catnip Toy

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Here's a Good Thing for your cat: a homemade scratcher that you can hang on a door knob, mount on a wall, or even place on the floor.

Tools and Materials

• Wooden plank (we used poplar) that is 1/2-inch thick, 6 inches wide, and 39 inches long
• Carpet remnant (ideally from the room in which you will use the cat scratcher), cut to the length and width of the wood plank
• Wood glue
• Weights (canned food works well)
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Drill with 2-inch hole saw attachment
• 3/4-inch-wide lattice
• Finish nails
• Paint (to match the door, if possible)
• Paintbrush
• Optional: heavy-duty Velcro, catnip

Door Cat Scratcher How-To
1. Glue remnant to board with wood glue. Place assembled board and remnant face down, and place a weight on it. Let dry.

2. Measure from the floor to the center of the doorknob. Subtract 1 inch. Measure this length up from the bottom of the board and mark with a pencil. Using a 2-inch hole saw drill attachment, drill through board and carpet, with the top of the hole meeting the line you have marked. Note: Make sure the hole is big enough for your doorknob; 2 inches works for most.

3. Add 3/4-inch-wide lattice strip trim to all four edges, using wood glue and finish nails. The lattice can be painted to match the door, if desired.

4. Optional: Attach the bottom of the cat scratcher to the bottom of the door with heavy-duty Velcro, to keep the scratcher from swinging. Cats can be enticed to use the board with a little catnip until they get into the habit.

Resources
All materials and tools can be purchased at a home-improvement store. Get more great ideas for your animals with television's top tips for pet owners.