Why Cats Scratch Furniture and How a Scratching Post Stops It

Almost every cat owner eventually finds the corner of the sofa shredded and asks how to make it stop. The short answer: you can't stop a cat scratching, and you shouldn't try. You can, very reliably, move the scratching somewhere you don't mind, and most cats switch within a few weeks once they are given a better option in the right place.

Why Cats Scratch

• Claw care. Scratching pulls off the worn outer layer of the claw and keeps the claws healthy.
• Stretching. A long scratch is a full-body stretch, which is why cats do it the moment they wake up.
• Marking. Cats have scent glands in their paws. A scratch leaves a smell and a visible mark that says "this is my home".
• Excitement or stress. Many cats scratch when you come home, at feeding time, or when another cat is around.

Because it is about marking, cats choose the most noticeable things in the room: the sofa in the middle, the door frame everyone walks past. That is also why a post hidden in a corner gets ignored.

Choosing a Post Your Cat Will Use

• Tall enough to stretch. The cat should be able to reach up fully with its front paws. Short posts get ignored by adult cats.
• Rock solid. A post that wobbles or tips once will be avoided for good. A heavy, wide base matters more than any feature.
• A rough surface. Sisal rope is the favourite of most cats: it shreds satisfyingly and lasts.
• The right direction. Watch what your cat scratches now. Sofa and door scratchers want a vertical post; rug and carpet scratchers often prefer a flat cardboard scratcher.
• A cat tree for indoor and multi-cat homes. Scratching, climbing and a high perch in one, which helps with boredom as much as with furniture.

Our Cat Scratch Post (Rs. 1,500) is the one we stock, and the cat toys shelf has the rest.

Where to Put It

Put the post right next to the furniture your cat is scratching now, ideally in front of it, and add one near where your cat sleeps, since cats scratch on waking. In a home with more than one cat, the usual rule is one post per cat plus one, in different rooms. Once the habit has moved, you can shift a post a little at a time to where you would rather it stood.

Teaching Your Cat to Use It

1. Make it interesting. Rub a little catnip on the post; the Catnip Tube Bottle (Rs. 500) lasts for months.

2. Play near it. Drag a wand toy such as the Feather Toy Sticks (Rs. 400) up and around the post so the claws catch the sisal.

3. Reward it. A treat or praise the moment your cat scratches the post.

4. Make the old spot less appealing for a while. Cover it with a throw, double-sided tape or aluminium foil until the new habit sticks.

Never pick your cat up and drag its paws on the post. It makes the post something to avoid. Never punish scratching either: it is normal behaviour, and punishment only teaches your cat to scratch when you are not looking.

Trim the Claws

Trimming the sharp tips every few weeks means less damage when your cat does scratch the wrong thing. Use a proper cutter such as the Cat Nail Cutter (Rs. 450), take off only the clear tip, and stay well away from the pink quick inside the claw, which bleeds and hurts. A few claws a day is fine for a cat that dislikes it.

Why Not Declaw

Declawing is not a nail trim: it removes the last bone of each toe. It causes lasting pain, can lead to litter box problems and biting, and is banned or regarded as cruel in many countries. A good post in the right place solves the problem without it.

Frequently Asked Questions

My cat ignores the new scratching post. What now?

Move it right next to the spot your cat scratches now, make sure it does not wobble, add catnip, and play around it every day for a week.

Will my cat stop scratching the furniture completely?

Most cats do once a good post stands in the right place, though it can take a few weeks.

Are cardboard scratchers enough?

For cats that like scratching rugs and carpets, often yes. For cats that go for the sofa or door frames, add a tall vertical post as well.