Cool Stuff: Apartment & eyeball-friendly cat scratchers

By Annabel Lee | March 28, 2011 - 1:55PM

In the tight confines of a NYC apartment, where out-of-the-way nooks are as scarce as man caves and mud rooms, form matters as much as function. Unfortunately for cat-owning apartment dwellers, the typical cat scratcher is a true eyesore: either a cheap slab of corrugated cardboard or a space-hogging cat condo covered with putty-colored carpet.

But some stylish scratchers are as apartment-friendly as they are feline-friendly. The three scratchers below consume little space and are so good looking that you won't be embarrassed to keep them in the living room. They are also great if you want to avoid nailing anything to the wall.

All allow for the replacement of the scratchy part if your kitty wears it out, and can be sprinkled with catnip for extra oomph.

A sturdy, sleek scratch pad, from pet-furniture-maker lazybonezz.com, fits neatly beneath a table, or against a wall or corner. Size: 18" square with a gentle slope. Price: $125
The Wave door-hanging scratcher hangs from any doorknob. An aluminum frame encloses compressed layers of cardboard. It is likely best for cats who are already fond of scratching on the door jamb, says its creator, Kate Benjamin of moderncat.net. Size: Around 3" by 14", with 3" additional for the handle Price: $45
The Lo floor scratcher, from squarecathabitat.com, comes in assorted materials, colors and textures, and has skid-proof rubber feet. It can be easily slid under the couch or propped in a closet when your cat is taking a break. Size: Around 23" by 8.5", like two sheets pieces of paper placed end-to-end. Price: $50 or $75, depending on material

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