DIY toy guide

Sisal Doormat Scratch Pad

A cheap coir or sisal doormat turned into a hard-wearing floor scratcher

A plain sisal or coir doormat is one of the cheapest, most durable scratchers you can offer. Laid flat or fixed to a board, its coarse natural fibre gives horizontal scratchers exactly the rough texture they crave — no gluing rope for hours required.

Difficulty
Easy
Time
15 min
Cost
£3–£10

🧺 You will need

  • A natural sisal or coir doormat (unbacked or rubber-backed)
  • Optional: a piece of plywood or stiff board the same size
  • Optional: strong double-sided tape or a few tacks
  • Optional: a little dried catnip

🔧 How to make it

  1. Choose a natural-fibre doormat — coarse sisal or coir works best; avoid anything with a loose, easily-shredded pile.
  2. Lay the mat flat in a spot your cat already likes to stretch and scratch, such as near a favourite sleeping place.
  3. If it slides on a hard floor, fix it to a board with double-sided tape or a few tacks, or set it on a non-slip surface.
  4. Sprinkle a little catnip over the fibres to draw your cat's attention the first few times.
  5. Encourage your cat to try it by scratching the surface with your own fingers while they watch.
  6. Once it wears smooth in the middle, flip or rotate it, and replace it cheaply when it is finally spent.

💡 Tips

Many cats prefer to scratch horizontally, and a floor mat suits older or less mobile cats who find tall posts hard to reach up. Placing it where your cat naturally wakes and stretches makes it far more likely to be used than a scratcher tucked away in a corner.

Safety: Pick a mat made of natural fibre with no loose plastic pile that could be swallowed, and check it as it wears for shed strands. If your cat pulls out and eats the fibres rather than scratching them, take it away — ingested fibre can cause a gut blockage. Make sure a fixed mat cannot slide out from under a scratching cat.

📝 Notes

It is far cheaper than a shop-bought scratcher and can simply be replaced when worn, which makes it easy to keep the texture fresh. Offering a good scratching surface also protects your carpets and furniture by giving that natural urge a proper outlet.

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