Why Do Cats Scratch Furniture, and How to Redirect It

Scratching sheds the outer nail sheath, stretches the back and leaves scent marks. A cat cannot simply be stopped from doing it; it has to be redirected.

Get the post right

Most cheap posts are too short and too wobbly. A cat wants to stretch fully — that means at least 75 cm for an adult — on something that will not tip.

Placement beats correction

Put the post exactly where the cat already scratches, and next to where it sleeps; cats scratch on waking. Move it a few centimetres a week only once it is being used.

Match the material

Sisal rope, cardboard and carpet all appeal to different cats. If your cat scratches the sofa's woven side, sisal is the closest substitute.

Never declaw

It is amputation of the last bone of each toe. It causes chronic pain and litter box avoidance, and is banned in many countries.