Georplast Flipper Cat Scratcher with Two Play Balls - Beige

The Georplast Flipper Cat Scratcher with Two Play Balls is a scratch pad with two balls running in a circular track around the outside - the cat scratches in the middle and bats the balls round the edge, which keeps them at it far longer than a plain pad.

Key Features

• Scratching surface with a moulded track around it
• Two balls that run in the track and cannot be removed or swallowed
• Combines scratching and chasing in one object
• Suits kittens and adult cats
• Compact enough to move between rooms
• Five colours: Beige, Green, Navy Blue, Blue and Red
• Beige and Navy Blue are in stock; Green, Blue and Red are out of stock

Why Cats Scratch, And Why It Matters Where

• Scratching is not sharpening claws. It sheds the dead outer layer, stretches the whole body from shoulder to toe, and leaves both a visual mark and a scent mark from glands in the paws
• It is not optional behaviour and it cannot be trained out. The only working approach is to give them somewhere better than your sofa
• Placement decides everything. Put the scratcher where the cat already scratches, and next to where they sleep - the first thing most cats do on waking is stretch and scratch
• A scratcher in the spare room will be ignored. One in front of the sofa they have been shredding will not

Why Track Toys Work

• A ball in a track moves unpredictably and cannot be captured, which is exactly what keeps a cat engaged - a toy that gets caught stops being interesting
• The balls are captive, so there is nothing to lose under the sofa and nothing small enough to swallow
• It is a solo toy. Cats will use it alone, which makes it genuinely useful for a cat left during the working day
• Rotate it out of sight for a week occasionally. Novelty is most of what makes a cat toy work

Who Makes It

• Georplast s.r.l. is an Italian manufacturer founded in 1970, based at Mezzago just outside Milan
• They injection-mould their own plastic rather than buying it in, and the whole pet range is made in Italy
• Design is done with an Italian studio, which is why the trays and carriers look less utilitarian than most of the category

Good To Know

• Check it over regularly for cracks or loose pieces, and replace it if the track or housing splits
• Replace the scratch surface, or the whole unit, once it is worn flat. A worn scratcher stops being satisfying and the cat goes back to the furniture
• Supervise a cat that chews rather than scratches
• Colours vary by batch and the photograph is a guide. Pick on size first - the colour is the part that matters least to the cat