Mount a cat scratcher on a dinette seat?

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herekittykitty

herekittykitty

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Joined
Oct 26, 2013
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443
Location
Birch Bay, WA
Am currently using some really strong adhesive to attach my cat's scratching pads to the front of my dinette seats, but it's still not really good enough.

I would like to screw 3 long screws through the front of each one and into the dinette sides, which are 1" thick, not including the upholstery.

I know all I have to do to make them stay on is to get some metal washers for under the screw heads, but I would also like to be able to replace these cardboard pieces when needed without continually screwing and unscrewing the screws. I also can't have anything sticking out from the surface, like wing nuts, because I would definitely injure myself on them repeatedly.

What is the magic hardware I need, to do this? Keep in mind I only have your basic drill and a decent selection of hand tools, but nothing fancy. TIA.
 

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Just a thought but you might try the plastic mirror mounts.  They could then just be twisted enough to replace the boards or might even allow you to slide the boards out at one end or the other.

      __x______x__
      |                  |
      |__________|
        x            x

"x" is where I would place the mirror mounts.

Good Luck,
 
Or get a couple of adhesive backed velcro strips.  Attach one side of the to the dinette, the other to the scratch pad.  You could even hold the dinette velcro strip in place using a couple of screws.
 
First. I made my own scratch pad.. Description follows.. Second. I use a battery operated screwdriver as needed (Sorry can not help much there)

I took a piece of scrap plywood. I think it's 7/16" but the thickness is not important so long as it's not quarter inch

It is cut to the lengbth needed for where it' is moujnted by about 8 inches wide, again precise measurements (other than length) are not all that important

Near one corner I drilled a hole,  Stuck a Sisal rope in the hole and tied it off,, Then wrapped, tightly running a bead of adheasive down the center (Both sides)

Finally wound up at the other end and either drill a hole or tuck the end in to tie it off (I think I used a hole)

It has lasted some eyars.. but needs to be redone as my Queen has more or less tore it up.. (need to replace the rope)

NOTE: Takes a lot more rope than you think it will...

Cat was mad when I first screwed it in place cause it was her favorite scratching spot.... Still is, only now more so.
 
I'm guessing the dinette seat is removable, or there is some access to the inside area for storage or whatever. If so, I would use bolts & nuts rather than screws. You can even put wing nuts on the back side to make it easy to swap out. Something like this in a suitable length:
http://www.preiser.com/images/products/detail/Z90930028.jpg

We use velcro for a lot of things, but I don't think any stick-back velcro, Command Strip, or similar product is going to adhere well enough to withstand a cat's tugging on it. Our cats are vigorous and destroy the the scratchers regularly. Besides, that dinette side looks like carpet? Or maybe vinyl? Not a great surface for an adhesive.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
We use velcro for a lot of things, but I don't think any stick-back velcro, Command Strip, or similar product is going to adhere well enough to withstand a cat's tugging on it.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Velcro was NOT ever an option. I won't use it for anything, because the adhesive backing just isn't up to snuff.
 
Being cat owners ourselves, just wondering if a portable scratching tower is out of the question? If not, why drill holes into anything?
We have one and the furkids love it.
 
denmarc said:
Being cat owners ourselves, just wondering if a portable scratching tower is out of the question?
Click to expand...

Yes.
No room.

denmarc said:
If not, why drill holes into anything?
Click to expand...

Because he's already ruined the original upholstery on both captain's and navigator's chairs using them to climb on, so, what the heck?  :D
This rig was in primo shape when I bought it, but he was less than 6 months old.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
I'm guessing the dinette seat is removable, or there is some access to the inside area for storage or whatever. If so, I would use bolts & nuts rather than screws. You can even put wing nuts on the back side to make it easy to swap out. Something like this in a suitable length:
http://www.preiser.com/images/products/detail/Z90930028.jpg
Click to expand...

Thought that was a great idea at first, until I lifted up the seat and realized it was blocking half of the space I needed to get to. But maybe someone else with a different dinette can use this idea?
 
Ding, ding, ding! And the winner is: Jim Godward.

I took your wonderful idea to Home Depot and ended up with something far more substantial than plastic mirror mounts. (These: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-7-16-in-Window-Screen-Clips-8-Pack-L-5765/100578243.)

Notice that this deviates from my original requirement that nothing protrude farther out than the scratch pads themselves. Though I would gladly have bought ones without the fancy protruding tabs, I decided these were worth it, and the tabs are rounded, so they're a bit safer for The Klutz of the Year (me).

Supplemented with 2" #8 pan head wood screws, which are still too short and I will have to replace them on my next trip, but they'll do for now.

I was pleased to discover that only 4 per scratch pad was enough, as I thought I'd need 6 each.
I'm thrilled with how solid these are now. He can scratch to his little heart's content and they don't fall off anymore.

Am going to ask the nearest moderator to move this to the RVing With Pets section, now that I see just how useful this turned out to be.
Once again, thank all you creative minds for the help.
 

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I guess I will open up a can of worms here, but why don't you have the cat declawed? Don't give me the "they need them for defense" reply because I know first hand they can kill rats as large as they are with no claws and climb trees just fine also.
 
kdbgoat said:
I guess I will open up a can of worms here, but why don't you have the cat declawed? Don't give me the "they need them for defense" reply because I know first hand they can kill rats as large as they are with no claws and climb trees just fine also.
Click to expand...

My daughter had one of her cats declawed and it was considered at inside cat. Never went outside. Well, one day it did get outside and ran away. They found the cat a couple of weeks latter all chewed up and bloodied so bad, they had to have it put down. Claws are part of their defense system. I would never have a cat declawed. She has a cat now that is not very friendly except to her. People try to reach down to pet her and the first thing she does it wrap her front legs around your arm and dig those claws into your arm. Don't anyone try to tell me that those claws are not for self defense.
 
It is a bit late for herekittykitty since she has solved the problem. I thought I would share my cat scratching posts installation. I have two of them. One in the bedroom and one in the living room. I tried attaching them with velco first but that didn't work at all so I bolted them to the wall will really solid bolts. Since the scratching posts are covered with fake fur the bolt heads don't stick out of the wall at all. The only bummer is the cats never use the scratching posts unless I sprinkle them with cat nip. If I had to do it all over again I would not have bothered putting the posts up. Waste of time and money.
 
kdbgoat said:
I guess I will open up a can of worms here, but why don't you have the cat declawed? Don't give me the "they need them for defense" reply because I know first hand they can kill rats as large as they are with no claws and climb trees just fine also.
Click to expand...

Just a quick reply...
The self defense is a valid point. Depends on the situation. Ever been to a gun fight with only a knife? Didn't think so. I don't care what you think you know.
Second point is declawing often includes removal of the claw up to the first joint of each toe.
Sound anything like pulling fingernails to you? Sound like fun?
Just saying. Eat your worms.
I'm done.
 
The fact that you knew you were "opening a can of worms", @kdbgoat, tells me you already know that's just an ignorant question.
Might as well ask why you don't have your fingers amputated at the first joint, because it's the same thing.

Please educate yourself, so we don't have to. If you decide your cat needs to be mutilated for your convenience, rather give him/her another home first.
 
Actually, the cat I was referring to was a rescue cat that was already declawed and spayed when we took her in. The cat did a very good job of defending herself a a farm cat, even without claws, so that's why I used her as an example. I'm not a cat cat person, but I'm not against cats either. I was asking for opinions out of ignorance, not asking an ignorant question.I had no idea of the procedure for declawing, (I said I'm not used to cats), so I was trying to get an education, no need to get nasty about it. Now that I do understand the procedure, no I wouldn't do that to a cat or any other animal. Same as cutting ears, tails, and removing dewclaws on dogs. That said, I wouldn't own an animal of any kind that destroys my home.

Denmarc- actually worms are a very nutritional food item, and considered a delicacy in some areas. Try the Red Agave if you like spicy foods, quite tasty. No, I don't make a habit of eating worms. In military survival situations, you may surprise yourself at what you would have to eat to make it through another day.
 
kdbgoat said:
I guess I will open up a can of worms here, but why don't you have the cat declawed? Don't give me the "they need them for defense" reply because I know first hand they can kill rats as large as they are with no claws and climb trees just fine also.
Click to expand...

I don't detect one word of curiosity or ignorance. Sounded rather direct to me.
Regardless, if you're true to your word, I forgive you.

I would not have replied. But after reading your last post, I though maybe it would be a good time to throw in a last word...
Owning a pet may be more complicated than you are aware of. Pulling the claws out of a cat is not a pleasant experience. It is an acceptable practice for some pertaining to kittens. Think circumcision.
No offense taken. The point of the OP was the best way to accommodate a kitty that needs a scratching place. A place other than the corner of a piece of furniture!

BTW, I've tried worms. Kind of like chewing on sand paper.  :p  ;)     

 
I can see where it can be taken as direct and that wasn't the intention. As I said, I'm not a cat person, so am ignorant of the issues with cats. As far as declawing, I had one that was declawed when we got it and she made out fine, so that was all the experience I have to go on. That cat was the Queen of the farm and would let any other animal know it, hence the statement about being able to defend themselves without claws. The reason for the statement "opening a can of worms" is because I have briefly heard bits and pieces of a couple of discussions that I wasn't involved in about declawing and assumed it was a debatable subject with cat owners. Now that I understand a bit better about what is involved, I wouldn't condone putting an animal through that.

denmarc said:
BTW, I've tried worms. Kind of like chewing on sand paper.  :p  ;)     
Click to expand...

And eating octopus is like chewing on a chunk of tire tread. ( the worms aren't on top of my favorite list either.)
 
Just did some reading to get an "internet education" on declawing. It's nothing like I would have envisioned. I just didn't envision removing part of the toe for declawing, I though it was a simple procedure to remove just the nail. It's no wonder she had the attitude she had. I would have had an attitude too.
I apologize for for my ignorance and am sorry if I offended anyone. :-[
 
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