Believe it or not, when I had cats years ago, I just did not know some of the basic etiquette of cat behavior and cat grooming care like I do today. For example, when my cats would inevitably scratch (and consequently shred) my furniture, I would scold them to stop which was a tactic that very rarely worked. And if they weren’t scratching the furniture, they would be shedding all over it and telling them to stop doing that clearly didn’t work either. And truthfully, you don’t want them to stop – cats were born with claws for a reason and scratching is an instinctual behavior that is important to their health and well-being. The same with shedding – it is a normal, healthy, and natural way for them to lose dead hair and maintain proper body temperature.

The SisalAngle™ Incline Scratcher and the BrushUp™ Self-Grooming Post from SmartyKat®

The good news is that there are numerous products available today that have been designed specifically to effectively redirect kitty from scratching our furniture or to help aid in the grooming process and nowhere was that more evident than when I went to the Global Pet Expo this past March and saw the SmartyKat®  brand of products from Worldwise, a company dedicated to manufacturing products for our kitties that are stylish, functional, affordable, and environmentally responsible. And the even better news – I was given two of these products to try out with my feline gang – the SisalAngle™ Incline Scratcher and the BrushUp™ Self-Grooming Post and I am thrilled to report that one lucky reader can win a set of these great items for their cat(s) as well!

When my test products arrived at the house, what I liked right off the bat was the compact size of the SisalAngle™ and the BrushUp™. With all the paraphernalia I have for my cats, we are starting to run out of room and these two pieces are small and portable enough that I can tuck them wherever I want without them being too obtrusive. We actually keep the SisalAngle™ on the floor level of one of our cat condos – it fits right in with no problem and adds a wonderful additional scratching element to the existing set up. Typically when the cats walk down the hallway, they make a quick detour to give the SisalAngle™ a scratch and then they saunter off to wherever they were going.

Jazmine strikes a model pose to show us just how functional and stylish the SisalAngle™ Incline Scratcher is.

The SisalAngle™  is 15.25″ x 7″ x 7″ and comes in two attractive and neutral colors (Timberwolf and Taupe) that should be able to fit in just about any interior setting. The incline is perfect for kitty to reach up with his/her paws to scratch (allowing for that important need they have to both exercise and scratch) and comes with a bag of organic catnip to help encourage scratching. This is a great technique for those of you that might have cats that scratch furniture to distract them from the furniture and redirect them to where you actually want them to scratch.

Rolz takes a much more paws on approach to testing the scratcher and is quite pleased to exercise his claws!

Add the catnip… oh baby!! Rolz says this is pure bliss!!

So far the sisal (a renewable plant fiber) has held up well with my gang of seven and is not showing any adverse signs of wear or tear. The sisal is stapled securely to a natural wood platform that is made from recycled post-industrial sources and my cats and I are very pleased with the overall look, functionality, and quality of the product.

The BrushUp™ Self-Grooming Post is also small – 11.5″ x 11.5″ x 15″ and is an easy to assemble product that comes with a microfiber covered base to trap cat hair and a soft rubber bristle post to aid in grooming as well as a fun feather toy attached to the grooming post. It is available in the Timberwolf or Taupe color and to test this product, I also put it next to the cat condo in our hallway, but rather than keeping it under the condo like the Incline Scratcher, I put it next to it so that the cats can quickly and easily access it when they feel the need for a good self-induced back scratch/brushing.

Jazmine strikes a model pose again to point out the features of the BrushUp™ which include the feather toy, self-grooming brush, and microfiber base.

I find that my cats are especially attracted to the microfiber base and I often find them napping on top of it. My only suggestion would be that perhaps this grooming post should be designed so that the base is also made for scratching (with replacement scratch pads). I say this because my cats have really beaten up the base of this piece by scratching it and as a result the microfiber is starting to come lose from the base and is becoming quite frayed and threadbare.

As far as the self-grooming aspect of this product, I honestly can’t judge it with complete objectivity because my cats already have a rigorous grooming regiment put in place with me – I brush each of them like clockwork every night, so they have a lesser need for a product like this. But, I have seen them rubbing their sweet little faces up against the post on many an occasion, so I do know they enjoy the feel of the rubber bristles.

And now Jazmine demonstrates just how wonderful the bristles feel on her sweet little head!

All in all I would say my cats have given the SisalAngle™ and BrushUp™ their paws up of approval. And I have found an extra-special bonus to it all – because these items are so lightweight and portable (while still being sturdy) I have taken it upon myself to bring them into my office for the cats to use while I am on the computer. They really love that I do that for them and it gives me great pleasure to see them hanging out with me while they are able to scratch, groom, and nap in style! Then when I am done for the day, I just bring the scratcher and groomer back to the hallway where they belong!

The SisalAngle™ and BrushUp™ retail for $27.99 each and if you would like a chance to win a set for your cat(s) please leave a comment about why you think your cat(s) would like them. The contest is valid for U.S. residents only and will end on Sunday, September 28th (midnight EST) and the winner will be announced on Wednesday, October 1st.

Good luck to all and thank you to Worldwise/SmartyKat® for hosting such a generous giveaway. To look at the full range of SmartyKat® products that includes cat beds, cat scratchers, grooming and hygiene products, cat toys, catnip products, cat treats, and litter box items and accessories, as well as to find a retailer in your area who carries the brand, please visit www.smartykat.com.

My darling Zee with me in my office. He is quite content to nap on the base of the BrushUp™!

Editors Note: I was not compensated monetarily for this review/giveaway, the opinions shared are of my own volition and shared because I felt they would be relevant to my readers.