Cat Claws, Inc. was founded by avid cat owners, Bill and Gale Seliskar in 1986. Bill, who worked in the corrugated box industry, noticed that their cats were naturally interested in the cardboard samples he often brought home. Gale and Bill agreed this was a more preferable (and affordable) alternative to their cats usual scratching spot: their couch. So with a little handiwork, they began assembling the corrugate samples into scratching posts for their cats.
It was an instant success! The cats loved them and quickly lost interest in tearing up the sofa, especially after they ingeniously sprinkled catnip onto the pads. As word of this new concept spread among family and friends, the demand for an affordable solution to destructive cat scratching behaviors became evident. So in 1986, the Seliskar family began manufacturing and marketing the first corrugated scratching post, the Cat Claws Scratching Pad, from the basement of their home in Melrose Park, Illinois.
The company soon expanded into a larger warehouse, where they grew from a single product into a full mail order catalog dedicated to cat products. In 1993, Cat Claws relocated to Morrilton, Arkansas and expanded into ecommerce, as well as private label manufacturing. The company continued to develop innovative cat products, and in 2006, they re-energized the commodity scratching category with the introduction of Scratch 'n Shapes.
Scratch n' Shapes were the first of their kind: uniquely shaped, corrugated scratching posts that complemented the cat owner's home decor and provided cats an ideal space to scratch, relax and play. Consumers loved the benefits they provided and retail demand grew. As a result, Cat Claws launched the retail brand, Imperial Cat, in 2007. This brand is recognized internationally for safe, fun and functional products that enhance the lives of cats and the people that love them.
Cat Claws continues to be family owned and operated by the Seliskar's daughters, Ginger and Jill.