How do I stop my cat scratching the sofa?

Put an appealing post right beside the spot, make the sofa arm temporarily unattractive with a cover or double-sided tape, and reward every use of the post. Never punish.

How many posts does one cat need?

At least two in different rooms, ideally one near where they sleep and one in the main living space.

Both, if you can. Watch your cat: flat cardboard suits horizontal scratchers, sisal posts suit cats who stretch up walls and furniture.

Scratching posts

How to Choose a Scratching Post That Your Cat Will Use

Scratching is not damage, it is maintenance and territory marking, and a cat will do it somewhere. Whether that is your sofa arm or a post comes down to four things: height, stability, surface and where you put it.

A tall sisal-wrapped cat scratching post on a thick wooden base with a sisal top and dangling balls

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What to look for

Taller than your cat at full stretch: Around 80 cm minimum for an adult cat. Short posts force a crouched scratch, which is why they get abandoned for the sofa.
A heavy, wide base: If the post tips or shifts mid-scratch the cat will never trust it again. Weight matters more than looks.
Sisal rope, tightly wound: Sisal shreds satisfyingly and lasts. Carpet teaches the wrong lesson, and cardboard suits horizontal scratchers better.
The right orientation for your cat: Watch where your cat scratches now. Vertical scratchers want a post; horizontal scratchers want a flat cardboard pad.

What to avoid

Hiding the post in a back room — it needs to be where the cat already scratches.
Punishing scratching; it does not stop the behaviour, only the trust.
Waiting until a post is stripped bare before replacing it.

Getting it right at home

Put the post directly in front of the furniture being scratched, then move it a few centimetres a week.
One post per cat, plus one near each sleeping spot — cats scratch on waking.
Reward with a treat the first few times you catch them using it.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I stop my cat scratching the sofa?: Put an appealing post right beside the spot, make the sofa arm temporarily unattractive with a cover or double-sided tape, and reward every use of the post. Never punish.
How many posts does one cat need?: At least two in different rooms, ideally one near where they sleep and one in the main living space.
Cardboard or sisal?: Both, if you can. Watch your cat: flat cardboard suits horizontal scratchers, sisal posts suit cats who stretch up walls and furniture.

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