Each of these materials has its own benefits, so consider your cat's scratching habits and your home décor when choosing one ...

Given a chance to flex my creative muscles with a DIY cat scratching post made from a pool ... inch-by-18-inch piece of ½-inch-thick particle board and heavy-duty glue. From Amazon, I ordered ...

This gives a cat an appropriate place to scratch right at the center of the room where felines prefer to mark their territory, says Dr. Christine Calder, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.