The easiest way to get a cat to use a scratching post is to make it more appealing than the furniture: put it near an existing scratching spot, choose a stable surface your cat likes, and reward your cat when she uses it. Avoid forcing her paws onto the post.
The trick is not to stop a cat from scratching. Scratching is normal feline behavior. The real goal is to redirect that behavior from the couch, carpet, or chair to an appropriate scratching surface.
Why Do Cats Scratch in the First Place?
Before I try to change a cat's scratching habits, I want to understand why she scratches at all.
Scratching isn't simply a way for cats to sharpen their claws. It's part of normal feline behavior and serves several purposes.
Claw maintenance
Scratching helps cats remove older outer layers of their claws and keep their claws in good condition. That's one reason scratching can be considered part of normal cat claw maintenance.
Stretching and exercise
Watch a cat scratch after waking up. She may extend both front legs, pull her shoulders forward, stretch her back, and lean her entire body into the surface.
That's not just claw maintenance.
It's a full-body stretch.
Scent and visual marking
Cats also use scratching to leave both visible marks and scent information from glands in their paws. A scratching location can therefore become part of how a cat communicates and establishes familiar territory.
Emotional expression
Some cats scratch when they're excited, frustrated, or stimulated. Others scratch immediately after waking or when their owner comes home.
So if your cat scratches the couch when you walk through the door, I wouldn't automatically call it "bad behavior."
She may simply be expressing herself in a very cat-like way.
The important distinction is this:
Scratching is normal. Scratching your $2,000 sofa is the part I'd like to change.
Why Won't My Cat Use the Scratching Post?
This is probably the most frustrating situation for cat owners.
You buy a new scratching post, put it somewhere that seems convenient, and wait.
Your cat walks past it.
Then she scratches the couch five feet away.
I've learned not to interpret this as rejection. Very often, the cat is actually giving me useful information.
The Scratching Post Is in the Wrong Place
Imagine your cat scratches the sofa every morning after waking up.
You put the scratching post in a quiet corner of the dining room.
From a human perspective, that makes sense.
From the cat's perspective, it may make absolutely no sense.
Try putting the scratching post next to the sofa or directly beside the existing scratching area.
The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends placing scratching surfaces near locations where cats already scratch or rest.
The cat may not be saying, "I don't like scratching posts."
She may be saying:
"I want to scratch HERE."
Your Cat Doesn't Like the Texture
Some cats prefer sisal. Others prefer corrugated cardboard, carpet-like material, wood, or another texture.
If your cat repeatedly scratches a rug, giving her a tall sisal post may not immediately solve the problem.
I'd test a surface that resembles the texture she already chooses.
The Post Is Too Short
If your cat stretches almost her entire body against the couch when scratching, a tiny post may be physically unsatisfying.
A scratching surface should allow the cat to extend her body comfortably.
For a cat that likes vertical scratching, height matters.
The Post Moves When Your Cat Scratches
This is one of the easiest problems to overlook.
If the post wobbles, slides, or tips every time your cat puts her weight into it, she may decide it isn't worth using.
From her perspective, that's not a scratching surface.
It's an unreliable scratching surface.
Stability is especially important for larger or stronger cats.
The Scratching Direction Doesn't Match Her Preference
Some cats prefer vertical scratching.
Others prefer horizontal scratching.
Some like an angled surface.
If your cat scratches the carpet rather than the furniture, I'd test a horizontal scratcher before assuming she needs a traditional upright post.
Your Cat Has Already Chosen a Better Scratching Spot
This is perhaps the biggest lesson.
If your cat has spent six months scratching the same sofa corner, that location already has a history.
It smells familiar.
It's stable.
It's socially important.
And your cat knows exactly what it feels like under her claws.
A brand-new scratching post has to compete with all of that.
How to Train a Cat to Use a Scratching Post
Once I understand my cat's preference, I can start cat scratch post training.
Step 1: Find Where Your Cat Already Scratches
Don't start by choosing a location based only on how it looks in your home.
Watch your cat for a few days.
Does she scratch the couch after sleeping?
Does she scratch the rug when she's excited?
Does she scratch near a doorway?
That information is more valuable than a generic training guide.
Step 2: Put the Scratching Post There
Place the cat scratching post close to the existing target.
If the cat scratches the couch arm, put the post beside the couch arm.
If she scratches beside her bed after waking, put a scratcher nearby.
You're not asking the cat to completely change her routine.
You're changing what is available within that routine.
Step 3: Match Your Cat's Scratching Style
Vertical cat → vertical post.
Horizontal cat → horizontal scratcher.
Carpet scratcher → similar texture.
Cardboard lover → cardboard scratcher.
This simple matching process can make how to teach a cat to use a scratching post much easier.
Step 4: Make Sure the Post Is Stable
Before blaming the cat, test the post yourself.
Push it.
Does it wobble?
Slide?
Tip?
If yes, fix the setup first.
Step 5: Make the Scratching Post Interesting
I don't force the cat to interact with it.
Instead, I might play with a wand toy around the post, place a favorite toy nearby, or use catnip if I already know the cat responds to it.
Not every cat reacts to catnip, so I treat it as an optional tool rather than a magic solution.
The objective is simple:
Get the cat curious enough to investigate.
Step 6: Reward the Right Behavior
When my cat voluntarily uses the scratching post, that's the behavior I want to reinforce.
A treat, praise, or a short play session can follow.
The timing matters.
Reward the behavior when it happens rather than several minutes later.
And I would never grab the cat's paws and press them against the scratching surface.
The cat should discover that scratching the post feels good—not learn that the post is associated with being physically restrained.
How to Stop Your Cat From Scratching the Couch
When I want to know how to stop cats from scratching furniture, I use three ideas:
Management + Redirection + Reinforcement.
1. Temporarily make the couch less rewarding
If one particular corner has become the favorite scratching target, temporarily make that area harder or less satisfying to scratch.
The goal isn't to scare the cat.
It's to interrupt the established habit while another option becomes more attractive.
2. Put an appropriate scratching surface nearby
Don't put the alternative across the room.
Put it where the behavior is already happening.
If necessary, place the scratching surface directly beside the couch at first.
3. Reward use of the scratching post
Every successful choice matters.
The cat scratches the post instead of the couch?
That's the moment to reward.
Over time, the new behavior can become more automatic.
4. Gradually move the post if necessary
If you don't want a scratching post permanently beside your sofa, don't move it immediately.
Once your cat consistently uses it, move it a small distance at a time.
A cat that happily uses a scratching post beside the couch may not happily follow it halfway across the house overnight.
Where Should You Put a Cat Scratching Post?
The best location isn't necessarily the quietest corner.
In fact, that can be a mistake.
Cats often scratch in areas where they already spend time or near places where they sleep, interact with people, or have established scratching habits.
I'd consider:
- near the couch if that's where your cat scratches
- near a favorite sleeping area
- near a doorway or other frequently used location
- in a family or social area
- beside an existing scratching target
A useful rule is:
Put the first scratching post where your cat wants it, not where you want it.
Once the habit is established, you can experiment with moving it.
What Type of Scratching Post Does My Cat Need?
I don't think there is one "best" scratching post for every cat.
I look at six things first:
| Factor | What I look for |
|---|---|
| Height | Can my cat fully stretch? |
| Stability | Does it stay firmly in place? |
| Surface | Does my cat like the texture? |
| Orientation | Vertical, horizontal, or angled? |
| Location | Is it near an established scratching area? |
| Number | Are there enough options for the home? |
For a multi-cat household, I also prefer providing more than one scratching option.
Different cats can have completely different preferences.
That's one reason a home can benefit from combining a vertical cat scratching post with a horizontal scratcher instead of expecting every cat to use the same surface.
At Lovepetin, I think this is an important part of designing cat furniture too: the useful question isn't simply whether something looks attractive in a room. It should make sense for how a cat actually moves, stretches, rests, and scratches.
Can You Train an Older Cat to Use a Scratching Post?
Yes.
An adult or senior cat can learn to use a scratching post, but I would pay closer attention to physical comfort.
A younger cat may happily launch herself onto a tall scratching structure.
An older cat may still want to scratch but prefer something lower, wider, more stable, or easier to access.
If an older cat suddenly stops scratching, climbing, jumping, or stretching after doing those things for years, however, I wouldn't automatically assume she's being stubborn.
A change in scratching behavior can sometimes reflect discomfort or reduced mobility.
In that situation, the first question should be why the behavior changed, not simply how to retrain it.
How Long Does It Take to Train a Cat to Use a Scratching Post?
There is no universal timeline.
Some cats investigate a new scratching surface immediately.
Others need repeated opportunities before deciding that it's worth using.
I wouldn't promise that every cat can be trained in seven days—or any other arbitrary number.
Instead, I look for gradual changes:
First: the cat investigates the scratcher.
Then: she touches or scratches it occasionally.
Next: she chooses it in situations where she previously scratched furniture.
Eventually: the scratching post becomes part of her normal routine.
If nothing changes after repeated attempts, I don't simply repeat the same training.
I change something.
The location may be wrong.
The texture may be wrong.
The post may be too short.
It may wobble.
Or the cat may prefer horizontal scratching.
In other words, cat scratching post training is often less about teaching a new behavior and more about improving the environment so the natural behavior has somewhere appropriate to go.
FAQ
Do cats prefer vertical or horizontal scratching posts?
It depends on the individual cat. Watch what your cat already scratches. A cat that stretches up against furniture may prefer vertical scratching, while a cat that scratches rugs may prefer a horizontal surface.
How tall should a scratching post be?
A vertical scratching post should generally allow the cat to stretch comfortably while scratching. The exact height depends on the cat's size and preferred scratching posture.
Should I put catnip on a scratching post?
You can try it if your cat responds to catnip. However, not every cat is affected by catnip, so it shouldn't be the only strategy. Location, texture, stability, and scratching style usually matter more.
