If your cat's scratcher looks like it's thrashed beyond use, don't throw it away — instead, follow this hack from a clever TikTok user that will double its lifespan.
In a recent video, TikTok user Tondreanna shares her surprising discovery: Cat scratchers like this one have a longer life than you might expect.
Tondreanna made the discovery as she was breaking down the cat scratcher's box per her building's recycling rules and couldn't believe what she found.
@tondreannaesquilin idk if this was obvious but if you also didnt know…now you do #catmom #catsoftiktok ♬ original sound - Tondreanna Esquilín
"I was about to recycle my cat's scratcher thing. She loves these," Tondreanna says. "And then I started to wonder, does the base come out? Like, the thing that she scratches?"
After unfolding the sides of the box, she pulls the material out of its cardboard container and flips it around.
"There's a whole new side!" she exclaims.
Indeed, by flipping the scratcher material around, there is an additional side that looks as good as new, ready for a cat's scratching delight.
"I have been buying new ones, when, in fact, you can just flip it around and then your cat has a brand-new scratcher," she says.
Once every side of a cat scratcher has been torn to shreds, make sure you recycle the remains instead of throwing them in the trash — cardboard is easy to recycle, and 94% of Americans have access to community recycling programs, according to the American Forest & Paper Association.
And though about two-thirds of paper goods end up recycled, there's still a lot of room for improvement, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Users shared their thoughts in the comments.
"This seems very self explanatory BUT AS A CAT OWNER MYSELF I HAVE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS. Thank you for showing me this😅," one user writes.
"Yes most scratchers are double sided! Also if you collect enough boxes, you can make your own scratcher by gluing the boxes together," another commenter shares.
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