Scratching post guide: picking one your cat will actually use

Scratching is not a bad habit in cats but a basic need: it keeps their claws in shape, gives them a full-body stretch after a nap and marks their territory. You cannot train it away, and you do not need to. Your only job is to offer a more attractive target than the sofa.

Tall enough, and rock solid

The first test is height. Your cat needs to stretch out to full length on the post, which means at least 60 centimetres of scratching surface for an adult cat, and closer to 90 for a bigger one. If your cat rears up against the arm of the sofa to scratch, they are showing you exactly how much surface they want.

The second test is stability. A post that wobbles at the first good pull will never be used again. A wide, heavy base is non-negotiable, and taller models do best against a wall or fixed in place.

Material and direction: watch what they scratch now

Classic sisal rope wins with most cats because it gives their claws the right resistance. But not every cat scratches vertically: a cat who works on the carpet is looking for a horizontal surface and needs a flat cardboard or sisal scratcher instead. Your cat's current targets are a precise order form: door frame means vertical, carpet means horizontal.

Placement matters as much as the post

A post hidden in the basement or a bedroom corner loses to the sofa in the middle of the living room. Good spots include:

• Right next to the current target, such as the scratched sofa corner.
• Near their favourite sleeping spot, because waking up almost always ends in a stretch.
• A visible, well-trafficked point of the home, where marking makes sense to a cat.
• In multi-cat homes, one post per cat plus one shared.

The switch itself is a patience game: rub the post with catnip, play with a wand toy around it and reward every voluntary use. Never press their paws onto it by force, which only puts them off. Cover the old target for a few weeks or make it unpleasant to scratch, and most cats move over on their own.

Torn between two models? Write to us and we will help you choose.