Cat owners, how long do you keep a cardboard scratching pad?

Do I keep turning it over until she scratches all the way through?

Is it one of the flat ones that sits on the floor? I let them wear it down a fair amount, but I’ve never let it get to the point of wearing all the way down. If it’s the kind that I think you’re talking about, you can usually get a two or three pack on Amazon, some of which come infused with catnip. But the only problem with them is that as they get used more and more, you get those little cardboard slivers all over the place so I’m forever sweeping.

Oh, but yes, I definitely turn it over.

My daughter has one in her room for her cat and we bought it in the fall and just replaced it within the past week or so, when it was becoming little shreds all over.

We bought a 3 pack from Walmart, I think it was 20 dollars.

I have four cats and they scratch anything and everything including the doormat and the wood frame around the door.

Yes, it’s the flat kind that lay on the floor.

Until they start making a mess, or the cardboard starts getting soft/smashed, or the cat throws up on it, or the cat hasn’t touched it in a very long time (in which case, I don’t get another one for that cat).

What @Zaku said

I didn’t like the cardboard ones. I usually opted to obtain squares of carpet to use where needed. . Back in the good old days, I could go into the local carpet store & they’d give you the sample squares just to get them out of the store. Now days, people are greedy & insist on selling everything!!!

My Dad used to repurpose leftover wood & I’d get the carpet samples or odd cut pieces that the store was stuck with & he’d make me a perfectly good scratching post.

It will get to the point where it becomes so smooth the cats claws will no longer embed in the cardboard.