Final batch from Hollis’s bench • only a few dozen left • no restock once they’re gone
Hollis's Hand-Carved Cat Back Scratcher
Hollis's Hand-Carved Cat Back Scratcher
Ships within 2–3 days
30-day money-back guarantee
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Hollis's Hand-Carved Cat Back Scratcher
Hand-Carved in the Blue Ridge Mountains
By Hollis Vance, 76 · carving from a single block of basswood for 44 years · one of the last of his kind
“I didn’t set out to make a back scratcher. I set out to carve my cat — her morning stretch, that reaching paw. Turned out the paw landed on the one spot a man can never reach on his own back.”
What arrives at your door
1 Carved Cat
A single hand-carved basswood scratcher, ~19 in long
Biscuit’s Story
A printed card with the story behind the carving
Care Note
How to oil the wood so it lasts a lifetime
Gift-Ready
Arrives clean and simple — ready to hand to a cat lover
Why one carved cat outlasts a drawer full of plastic
The One-Block Carve
Head, arched body, reaching paw and tail handle — all carved from a single block of basswood. No joints, no glue, no molded seam to crack.
The Biscuit Stretch
The curve is copied from a real cat’s morning stretch — the exact arc your arm needs to reach the dead center of your own back.
The Rounded Claw
Each little wooden claw is hand-rounded: sharp enough to hit the itch, smooth enough that it never scrapes the skin.
The Linseed Finish
Rubbed down by hand with linseed oil. The wood only grows smoother and darker with the years and the touch of your hand.
Full 19-Inch Reach
Long enough to reach the middle of your back with room to spare — no twisting, no straining, no missed spots.
Made By Hand, Not By Machine
No two are identical, because no two are stamped. Each is cut, shaped and smoothed by the same pair of hands.
“Basswood is the carver’s wood — tight, even-grained and warm to the touch, with no splinters to raise. Carved from a single block and finished in oil the way Hollis does it, a piece like this doesn’t just survive decades of daily use; it improves with them. This is the kind of object that used to be normal and has quietly become rare.”
Made for…
The quality you can feel in the hand
Solid basswood — real weight and real grain, not hollow molded plastic.
One continuous piece — nothing to snap off, nothing to come unglued.
Hand-rounded claws — scratches the itch without scratching the skin.
Hand-carved face — two eyes, two ears, a little different on every one.
Oil-finished — ages beautifully; a quick re-oil keeps it going for generations.
30-Day Peace-of-Mind Guarantee
Hold it, use it, feel the weight of the wood. If it isn’t everything you hoped, send one email and send it back within 30 days. No questions, no hassle.
A note on handmade: Because each cat is carved by hand from natural basswood, the grain, color, exact face and the position of a knot vary from piece to piece. Yours will not look exactly like the photos — that’s the mark of a real one, and the whole point.
The details
| Material | Solid basswood, single block |
| Finish | Hand-rubbed linseed oil, natural wood tone |
| Length | Approx. 19 in / 48 cm |
| Shape | Stretching-cat silhouette, carved face, reaching-paw scratcher |
| Made by | Hollis Vance, Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina |
| Use | Back scratcher & wall-hangable keepsake |
| Care | Wipe clean; re-oil lightly once a year |
| Each piece | Hand-carved — no two exactly alike |
The Final Batch
The Final Batch
A note from the workshop:
For 44 years Hollis Vance has carved back scratchers by hand at the end of a gravel road in the Blue Ridge Mountains — each one from a single block of basswood, shaped like his wife’s beloved cat mid-stretch. He first carved one for Nora, who couldn’t reach her own back after a fall. Now the cheap plastic imports have flooded the fairs and the trade is gone, so this is the last batch. When these ship, the bench goes quiet — there is no restock.
Free US Shipping
Free US Shipping
Free shipping across the United States
- Delivery time: 3–5 business days
- Each cat is hand-packed and ships from the US
- Solid basswood — carefully boxed to arrive safe
- 30-day money-back guarantee — just email info@marlowmarketco.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Email us anytime at info@marlowmarketco.com. We answer Monday–Friday 9am–5pm and Saturday 10am–3pm (ET). Whether it’s about your order, a gift, or just to say hello — a real person writes back.
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Of course. 30-day money-back guarantee. If it isn’t everything you hoped, email info@marlowmarketco.com within 30 days for a full refund. No questions. US shipping is free.
How is each one made?
How is each one made?
Each cat is hand-carved by Hollis Vance in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina from a single block of basswood — head, arched body, reaching paw and tail handle, all one piece, then hand-rounded claws and a linseed-oil finish. Because it’s solid wood worked by hand, no two are identical.