How to Refurbish a Cat Scratching Post

Written By: Craig Lloyd

Comments: 16

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

Time Required

15 - 20 minutes

Introduction

Cat scratching posts will inevitably wear down after a couple of years (or even months) from constant use. Instead of throwing out the whole thing and buying a new one, you can easily revive it with some new sisal rope and make it good as new!

Tools

Parts

Sisal Rope

Step 1

A worn down cat scratching post is neither fun to look at, nor do cats like it. But this a quick and easy fix that uses minimal materials and tools!
Opal is not amused.

Opal encouraged me to fix our cats’ scratching post. She's so cute!

noone -

Step 2

Begin by cutting a section of the existing rope at the top with a utility knife.
Grab onto the cut piece of rope and begin unraveling it. Some sections may be glued down, so don't be shy and give it a good pull to remove the rope.
Sisal rope has a very rough feel to it, so using gloves will prevent the rope from scratching up your hands.

Step 3

To save time and rope, you can stop about half-way down, since the bottom portion is likely still in good shape.
When you reach a stopping point, cut the rope with your utility knife and glue the end back onto the post with hot glue.

Step 4

Take the new sisal rope and glue the end to the post right where the old rope left off.

Where can I get some of the rope to place on the pole?

pedroseda71 - 27/04/21

Step 5

Begin wrapping the new rope around the post.
It's important to keep the rope tight as you wrap it so it doesn't come loose when your cat scratches on it.

Step 6

Every few layers or so, put a dab of hot glue on the post and continue wrapping the rope around the post.

Step 7

When you get to the top, cut the excess rope off and put one last dab of glue on the post to hold the end of the rope in place.

Step 8

Good as new!

Nice work - kitty will be happy. We also had to replace the top carpet wrap on ours.

pmoretti - 19/06/19

Great work - we’re on our 2nd or 3rd scratching post but hopefully I can now make our current one the last!

(Check out the Restart Wiki For other tips regarding your carbon based gadgets.)

Philip Le Riche - 22/06/19

Just a couple of points - use of hot melt glue is a good idea but I wonder of it’d be worth securing the rope additionally at both ends with a staple gun. Also, how to stop it fraying at the ends - it looks like you wrapped some tape around it, but maybe soaking it in a little superglue to bond the fibres might be worth trying.

You could have entitled this How to Give your Cat’s Scratching Post Nine Lives to Match your Cat!

Philip Le Riche - 22/06/19

You really need to understand that super glue is highly toxic to our pets and I would be extremely careful with staple gun because if it gets worn out to the point where it's down to the bare base and kitty decides to bite or chew on a peace of the rope ? They can get it stuck in the digestive system and that's not good ? Just wanted to let you know that I have seen this happen and it's a very bad idea

Dan - 22/06/19

Might be able to melt the end a little with a heat gun or maybe a quick passing over with a lighter if careful not to ignite. I’d experiment beforehand as you wouldn’t want to ruin your work right at the end though.

darthvalkyr - 27/06/19

Thanks Craig for this easy to follow guide. I’m glad Dan said what he did about the potential staple hazard. I was considering doing that at the beginning and end of the new rope. My kitty likes to chew on things. I haven’t started to repair yet, but this does look easy. Thanks again for this helpful post!

Larry - 25/02/20

I do this with my scratching posts as my cats are 10 years plus and I can’t afford to buy more posts all the time. I needed a refresher since it’s been awhile and this is how I do mind when I have the tools. I also I use Elmers glue and push the rope down to stack real tight and cover overnight because my hot glue gun seems to walk away with the kids. Anyway it works and I agree, I heard staples can be dangerous because cats have been known to get a claw stuck in them and torn. Ouch!! Great photos and instructions. I think I prefer the thinner sisal rope 1/4” but have used fatter rope.

Kim Fowler - 14/04/20

Hi! I know this is an old post but maybe someone can answer. I am going to refurbish my scratching post, but the old thick hard glue is still left behind on the post. I am wondering what type of tool I should use to scrape it off?

Kimj -

Author

Craig Lloyd

Member since: 10/02/16

36862 Reputation

6 comments

I love this idea, but I’m wary of using hot glue to fix the rope to the base - unless the heat from the glue changes the structure of the material (like with foam for example), the hold isn’t very strong in my experience. Have you experimented with other adhesives?

Erin Lightman Renner - 17/05/21

Our hot glue gun from Michaels affixed the sisal rope well when I used thick suede gloves (like gardening or hawk gloves) to hold the glued rope while winding it around the pole. You may need to purchase a hotter temperature glue gun. We had to because our first one didn't work well.

noone -

I just bought some sisal rope to do a repair and I agree that hot glue for me is not the ticket. I would prefer to actually tie the rope onto and then off of the stand. Hot glue alone would not be enough I doubt. Just a dab to hold in place while wrapping.

Susan Motley -

What other adhesives that might work?

Kristine Gray -

Hot glue works just fine if you wrap the rope tightly enough. I have repaired several this way and they have lasted for a couple of years.

Cat Calhoun -

I imagine high temp hot glue is a must

SSmith -