Expand & Flex Toy: illustration of the Expand & Flex Toy in Wood
Designed by Dr Duncan
Cat scratchers

Jouet pour chat Expand & Flex

The cardboard scratcher that changes shape, with a bell ball in the middle, for the cat who is bored of the flat one.

4.54 out of 5.0, 13 reviews
Bois Jouet pour chat Expand & Flex Unique
$35.00 AUD
Type Unique One or two? Read the guide

Couleur Bois

In stock, ships tracked

Express checkout with Shop Pay and PayPal at the next step.

  • Ships worldwide, tracked
  • Secure checkout, Shop Pay available
  • Faulty or wrong item? Covered within 7 days

Vet designed

Designed by emergency vet Dr Duncan Houston. Tested at home by Gary, a Ragdoll who is particular about cardboard.

Why this scratcher

  • Designed by Dr Duncan Houston
  • Tested by Gary
  • Recycled corrugated cardboard
  • Folds flat to store

How it works

Why the Expand & Flex Toy works for indoor cats

Illustrated woman in a teal checked shirt and blue jeans kneeling and holding a hand out over the Expand & Flex Toy, the PURRZ™ corrugated cardboard scratcher stacked as a double ring with a red-and-white bell ball between the layers, a cat sitting beside it

One scratcher, four shapes

Open it flat and it is a scratch pad.

  • An arc to hide underCurve it and it is an arc to scratch the outside of and hide under.
  • A ring with a bed-shaped middleBring the two ends together and the magnets close it into a ring with a bed-shaped middle.
  • Changes on the days you rememberCats lose interest in a surface that never changes; this one changes on the days you remember to change it, which is the whole trick.
Illustrated woman in a teal checked shirt and blue jeans kneeling beside the Expand & Flex Toy, the PURRZ™ corrugated cardboard scratcher stacked as a double ring, a cat reaching a paw in to bat the red-and-white bell ball rolling between the layers

The ball is not decoration

A bell ball sits loose inside the ring.

  • Stalk, chase and catchIt rolls when a paw goes near it, rattles when it is hit, and disappears under the edge, which is the stalk, chase and catch sequence an indoor cat is short of.
  • Five minutes before dinnerFive minutes of that before dinner does more for a bored cat than a new bed.
Illustrated woman in a teal checked shirt and blue jeans kneeling beside the Expand & Flex Toy, the PURRZ™ corrugated cardboard scratcher stacked as a double ring with a bell ball inside, a cat digging its claws into the top rim and sending shreds flying

Cardboard on purpose

Corrugated cardboard shreds, and that is the point: claws sink into the flutes, the old outer sheath comes off, and the cat leaves scent from the glands in her feet, which is why she goes back to the same spot.

  • Made from recycled boardIt is made from recycled board and goes back in the recycling when she has finished with it.
  • Ball goes in the next oneThe ball goes in the next one.

Type guide

Single or Double: which one, and what is in the box

  • Selected
    12 x 11 x 8.5 cm folded

    Single

    One cat, one room

  • Selected
    12 x 11 x 17 cm folded

    Double

    Two cats, or two rooms

Three rules for choosing

  • One cat, one room: the Single. Put it where she scratches now, not where you would like her to.

  • Two cats, or one cat who scratches in two rooms: the Double. Two scratchers for less than two Singles; link them end to end for a longer run, or split them between rooms.

  • Start flat. Most cats find a flat pad first and discover the ring and the arc later. Change the shape once a week.

Illustrated woman in a teal checked shirt and blue jeans sitting beside the Expand & Flex Toy, the PURRZ™ corrugated cardboard scratcher stacked as a double ring with a red-and-white bell ball between the layers, a cat resting its front paws on the top rim

Specifications

Material
Corrugated cardboard (recycled), magnets in the end caps, one plastic bell ball per scratcher, wood-grain print
Types
Single (one scratcher) or Double (two scratchers)
Packed size
Single 12 x 11 x 8.5 cm; Double 12 x 11 x 17 cm
Care
Brush loose fibres off; keep it dry. Replace when the scratching surface is shredded through, and recycle the cardboard
In the box
Single: 1 scratcher, 1 bell ball. Double: 2 scratchers, 2 bell balls
Designed by
Dr Duncan Houston, emergency veterinarian, PURRZ™

How to

How to use a cardboard scratcher so the cat actually uses it

  • Illustrated woman in a teal checked shirt and blue jeans kneeling to set the Expand & Flex Toy, the PURRZ™ corrugated cardboard scratcher stacked as a double ring with a bell ball inside, beside a scratched blue sofa arm as a cat walks over to it

    Put it where she scratches now

    Beside the sofa arm, on the carpet by the door. A scratcher in the right spot beats a better scratcher in the wrong one.

  • Illustrated woman in a teal checked shirt and blue jeans sitting cross-legged and sprinkling catnip from a sachet onto the Expand & Flex Toy, the PURRZ™ corrugated cardboard scratcher closed into a ring with a bell ball in its middle, a cat sniffing the rim

    Start flat

    Open it as a pad for the first week. A pinch of catnip on the surface helps a hesitant cat find it.

  • Illustrated woman in a teal checked shirt and blue jeans kneeling with both hands on the end caps of the Expand & Flex Toy, the PURRZ™ corrugated cardboard scratcher closed into a ring, a cat leaning in with a paw on the red-and-white bell ball in its middle

    Change the shape weekly

    Flat, arc, ring. Cats notice a surface that changed; the ball in the ring is a new game.

  • Illustrated woman in a teal checked shirt and blue jeans kneeling to brush loose cardboard fibres off the rim of the Expand & Flex Toy, the PURRZ™ corrugated cardboard scratcher closed into a ring with a bell ball inside, a cat scratching the far side

    Let her shred it

    Loose fibres are the product working. Brush them off; do not glue anything back.

  • Illustrated woman in a teal checked shirt and blue jeans dropping a worn ring of the Expand & Flex Toy, the PURRZ™ corrugated cardboard scratcher, into a blue recycling bin while placing the red-and-white bell ball into a fresh ring, a cat watching beside it

    Recycle and replace

    When the surface is scratched through, the cardboard goes in the recycling and the ball goes in the next one.

Vet noteDr Duncan Houston, emergency veterinarian

Cardboard scratchers shed, and shredding is normal. A cat who eats the cardboard rather than shredding it, or chews the ball, should have it taken away and the habit mentioned to your vet; eating non-food has causes. The end caps hold small magnets: a chewed-open cap goes in the bin, and swallowed magnets are a same-day emergency for a cat, a dog or a toddler. Scratching that starts suddenly in a new place, or a cat who always scratched and has stopped, is a vet visit before it is a shopping trip.

Dr Duncan Houston outdoors holding Gary, his Ragdoll
Dr Duncan Houston Emergency veterinarian and founder of PURRZ™

Why I designed it

The scratcher I can put beside the sofa without apologising for it.

Cats scratch where they already scratch: the sofa arm, the carpet by the door.

  • A better surface, same spotTelling a cat off does nothing, and a scratcher in the spare room does less. A better surface in the same spot works.
  • Corrugated cardboard is that surfaceAnd corrugated cardboard is that surface: cheap enough to shred, satisfying enough that she comes back.
  • One that changes shapeThe trouble with a flat pad is that it is the same pad every day. I wanted one that changes shape.
  • Holds its shape, folds flatIt holds that shape when a big cat leans on it, and folds flat when people come over.
  • One more thing to huntAnd it gives a bored indoor cat one more thing to hunt.
  • Gary tested every versionGary tested every version. The ball was his idea, in the sense that he stole it.

Compare the range

Expand & Flex Toy vs the other PURRZ™ scratchers

See all cat scratchers
Expand & Flex Toy vs the other PURRZ™ scratchers
This productExpand & Flex ToySpin & ScratchScratch & LoungeScratch Me Happy PostGiant Cat Tunnel Set
Best forA cat bored of the flat pad; small spacesSideways scratchers who like to batScratch, then sleep in itUpward stretchers; the sofa-arm catTwo cats; tunnel, lounge and balls
Scratching directionFlat, curved or ringFlatFlatVerticalFlat and tunnel
MaterialCorrugated cardboardCardboardFelt and cardboardDense cardboard
Toy built inBell ballSpinning loungeNoNoWool balls
OptionsSingle, DoubleRound, squareOneWhite, White-NavyBlack, Wood
Price fromFrom $35.00 AUD$61.00 AUD$122.00 AUD$188.00 AUD$246.00 AUD
Reviews Rated 4.54 out of 5.0 from 13 reviews Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 from 8 reviews Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 from 8 reviews Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 from 9 reviews Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 from 12 reviews
Current itemView productView productView productView product

Goes with it

Complete the set

Bundle and save

Reviews

Expand & Flex Toy reviews

Rated 4.54 from 13 reviews on Judge.me.

Rated 4.54 out of 5.

Based on 13 Judge.me reviews

Write a review

Tell other cat owners

Reviewing Jouet pour chat Expand & Flex

Your rating

Shown with your review

Never shown

Photos (optional)

    Your name and review may be shown on this page; your email is not. Judge.me collects and checks reviews for us and emails you a link to confirm yours. Our privacy policy Judge.me's privacy policy

    • Cats love this. It is a bit smaller than I thought it would be but they love it regardless and they are fussy with toys.

      Anonymous January 2026

    • My cats have not yet discovered how much fun the toy can be. They are still exploring the toy

      Anonymous January 2026

    FAQ

    Expand & Flex Toy questions, answered by a vet

    Shipping and returns

    Dispatch
    Tracking sent when it ships; dispatch and delivery times by country are on the shipping page.
    Delivery
    Tracked, worldwide. International orders may attract duties.
    Returns
    Faulty, damaged or incorrect items are covered within 7 days of delivery. Email hello@purrz.com to start.
    Shipping and delivery detailsHow returns work
    Will it stop my cat scratching the sofa?

    It gives her a better option in the same place, which is the only thing that works. Put it flat against the spot she uses now, sofa arm or carpet, and leave it there for two weeks before you judge it. Move it a hand-width a day once she is using it. A scratcher in the spare room does nothing for the sofa.

    Single or Double?

    One cat and one scratching spot: the Single. Two cats, or one cat who scratches in two rooms: the Double, which is two scratchers and two balls for less than two Singles. Two also link end to end into a longer run for a cat who likes to stretch out.

    How long does the cardboard last?

    It depends on the cat. A light scratcher gets months; a heavy one gets weeks of flat-pad use before the surface is shredded through, which is when it has done its job. Turn the ring inside out or flip the pad to use the other face first. Then recycle it and keep the ball.

    Is cardboard safe if she eats bits of it?

    Shredding is normal and the loose fibres are harmless to walk on. Eating the cardboard is different: take it away and mention it to your vet, because a cat who eats non-food things often has a reason. The end caps hold small magnets; if a cap has been chewed open, bin the scratcher, and treat a swallowed magnet as a same-day emergency.

    Is it a bed?

    It is a scratcher first. Closed into the ring it has a bed-shaped middle that small and medium cats do curl up in, on the floor rather than on padding. If your cat wants a proper bed, the Bunny Shag Cave and the caves in Beds & Caves are the ones built for sleeping.

    Is it right for a kitten or an older cat?

    Kittens: yes, and it is a good first scratcher because it is low and flat; supervise the ball until you know she chases it rather than chews it. Older cats: the flat shape needs no step-up, which is the point. A senior who has stopped scratching, or who suddenly struggles to, is a vet check first.

    What if it arrives damaged or my cat ignores it?

    Email hello@purrz.com within 7 days of delivery with a photo and your order number; faulty, damaged or incorrect items are covered and we pay the return shipping when the error is ours. A cat ignoring it in week one is normal: a pinch of catnip, the right spot, and two weeks.

    Part of the Ask A Vet ecosystem

    Scratching, chewing or a sudden change? Ask a vet.

    PURRZ™ is the cat product arm of Ask A Vet, Dr Duncan Houston's animal health platform. Track your cat's weight, vaccinations and symptoms, set worming and flea reminders, and chat with a certified vet when something is not right.

    Get the Ask A Vet app
    Ask A Vet app vet chat screen
    Ask A Vet app pet profile screen
    Ask A Vet app health calendar screen
    Ask A Vet app live tracker map screen
    Ask A Vet app home screen

    Guides from the emergency room

    All articles
    Jouet pour chat Expand & Flex Unique / Bois
    $35.00 AUD