My cat scratches the sofa: what can I do? First give up the idea that it is going to stop scratching: that is impossible, and it is not desirable. A cat scratches to maintain its claws, to stretch, and above all to mark its territory, by sight and by smell. The sofa is the dream object for that: tall, stable, in the middle of the room, right next to where it sleeps, covered in a fabric that catches the claws. The only method that works, and the studies measure it, is to offer it something better than the sofa, in the right place, and to make the sofa uninteresting while it changes its habit. Here is why it scratches, why it scratches the sofa even though it has a scratching post, the scratcher a cat really adopts according to the surveys carried out on thousands of households, the three-step plan, the protections, claw care, and what you must never do: punish, spray, and declawing, which is banned in France.
Cat scratching the sofa: the essentials in brief
| Why it scratches | to wear down and renew its claws, to stretch, and to mark its territory: scratching leaves a visible mark and a scent, deposited by the glands in its paw pads. A need, not naughtiness |
|---|---|
| Why the sofa | upholstery fabric is the most scratched material in the home; the sofa is tall, stable, at the centre of family life and near where it sleeps; it scratches on waking and when entering a room |
| The right scratcher | sisal or cardboard, vertical and stable, taller than the cat at full stretch: at least 60 cm, better above 90 cm according to the largest survey; one per cat plus one; an extra horizontal one if it scratches the rug |
| The right place | against the part of the sofa it scratches, near where it sleeps, not in a corner; reward it on the scratcher, never force its paws; then move it away a few centimetres a day |
| Protecting the sofa | anti-scratch mat or adhesive scratch pad on the arm, smooth cover, double-sided tape: put on with the scratcher next to it, taken off once the habit has changed; claws trimmed every two to three weeks |
| Ruled out | shouting, spraying, punishing: no measured effect on scratching, and a cat that fears you and scratches when you are out; declawing, an amputation banned in France since 2004 |
Sources: International Cat Care (page updated 7 October 2026), Cornell Feline Health Center, Cats Protection, PDSA, the Indoor Pet Initiative at Ohio State University; surveys by Wilson et al. (2016, 4,105 households), Cisneros et al. (2022, 2,465 households), Moesta et al. (2018); studies by Zhang et al. (2019, 2020), Bol et al. (2017), Martell-Moran et al. (2018); European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, French Code rural.
Contents
Why a cat scratches
For three reasons, always mixed together, none of which is to annoy you.
- Maintaining its claws. By dragging its front claws downwards over a surface that grips, the cat sheds the worn sheath of each claw and uncovers a new point, explains International Cat Care. The little transparent shells you find at the foot of the sofa are these claw sheaths.
- Stretching. Scratching stretches the muscles of the front legs and the back, hence the big stretch on waking, standing up against the first tall object to hand.
- Marking. This is the main function according to the Cornell Feline Health Center: scratching leaves a visible mark, and glands between the paw pads deposit a scent that other cats read. The guidelines of the American and European feline veterinary associations (AAFP and ISFM, 2013) list scratching areas among a cat's basic needs, and specify that marking is never to be punished.
A cat scratches more, and in more places, when it does not feel safe: a new cat in the house, neighbourhood cats at the window, building work, a house move. International Cat Care notes that scattered scratching, especially around doors and windows, often signals insecurity, and Cats Protection that the most frequent cause of this indoor marking is the presence of another cat. Finally, a cat that has worked out that a scratch on the arm of the sofa brings its human running repeats it to get attention. The kitten, for its part, starts scratching at about five weeks: that is the age at which its habits are formed.
Why the sofa, and not the scratching post
Because the sofa ticks every box. In a survey of owners of "scratcher" cats, upholstery fabric was by far the most scratched material, rated 3.1 out of 5, against 2.3 for carpet and 0.3 for leather; eight offending cats in ten went for the furniture (Moesta et al., 2018). A sofa is tall, it does not move when pulled on, it sits in the middle of the room where the family lives, next to where the cat sleeps, and it already carries its scent, which encourages it to come back; a new sofa, on the other hand, smells unfamiliar, and the cat marks it to make it its own, notes the PDSA.
"My cat scratches the fabric sofa, my cat scratches the leather sofa": the material changes the damage, not the cause, and the most frequent phrase in these complaints is "cat scratching sofa… even though it has a scratching post". Almost every cat has one, and it is not enough. In the largest survey published, 4,105 households in 36 countries, all had at least one scratching post, 83% had several, and 52% of the cats still scratched forbidden objects; in seven cases out of ten, the cat's favourite scratcher was in the same room as the damage (Wilson et al., 2016). The problem is not the lack of a scratching post, it is the scratching post itself: too low, too light, in the wrong material or the wrong placement. A cat that grew up with its little kitten scratcher, now shorter than the cat itself, turns to the sofa, which is the right size. The surveys say precisely what makes the difference, and that is the subject of the next section.
The scratcher a cat really adopts
It is not a matter of personal taste, or not only: three surveys carried out on several thousand cats agree.
- Vertical, and taller than the cat. In the survey by Wilson et al., cats whose favourite scratching post was more than 91 cm tall scratched elsewhere less often than those whose post was shorter (55% against 65%); the most used scratchers were multi-level cat trees, then simple posts. The criterion of Cornell, International Cat Care and the PDSA is the same: the cat must be able to stand on its hind legs, front legs outstretched, without touching the top. Cats Protection gives 60 cm for an average adult cat; the ASPCA advises 90 cm. Take 60 cm as the minimum, and taller if you can.
- Stable. A light scratching post that tips over when the cat pulls on it is abandoned at the first attempt, and the sofa never tips over. A wide, heavy base, or fixing to the wall or to the sofa.
- Sisal or cardboard, not fabric. Sisal rope is the most used material when it is offered (Wilson et al.); in the Canadian survey of 2,465 households, a sisal scratcher was associated with less damage, and a fabric-covered scratcher with three times more (Cisneros et al., 2022). In adult cats tested at home, rope and cardboard attracted more scratching than sofa fabric, and upright cardboard beat cardboard lying flat (Zhang and McGlone, 2020). Kittens, for their part, prefer corrugated cardboard (Zhang et al., 2019).
- Several, not one. Households with more than ten scratchers had half as much unwanted scratching as those with seven or fewer, 32% against 60% (Wilson et al.), and each additional scratcher reduced the risk in the Canadian survey. International Cat Care recommends one scratching post per cat plus one, in different places. You will not put out ten; put out three.
- An extra horizontal one if the cat also scratches the rug or the stair treads: a flat cardboard or sisal scratch pad, a scratcher basket, a sisal cushion.
Two misconceptions to finish: a carpet-covered scratching post does not teach the cat to scratch your carpets, writes International Cat Care, for want of any evidence; and catnip impregnated in a scratcher only attracts one cat in two or three, a third of cats being insensitive to it (Bol et al., 2017). Silver vine (matatabi) gets a response from nearly 80% of cats, including most of those that catnip leaves cold, and it increases scratching on the treated scratcher (Zhang and McGlone, 2020). We detailed how to choose a cat tree, height and stability included, in our guide which cat tree to choose.
From the sofa to the scratcher: the three-step plan
1. The right scratcher, in the right place
The scratcher goes where the cat scratches, not where it suits you: against the part of the sofa it is damaging, usually the arm, and near where it sleeps, because it scratches on waking. Cornell, Cats Protection and the Indoor Pet Initiative at Ohio State University describe the same method: a scratcher next to each scratched area, then, once the cat uses it, you move it towards its final place a few centimetres a day, 7 to 8 cm at most according to Ohio State University. A flat sisal scratch panel fixes directly onto the arm or the side of the sofa, at the exact spot of the scratch marks: it is the simplest solution for a cat that is attached to that spot.
2. Make it irresistible
You attract, you do not force. Play with a wand toy around and on the scratcher, so that its claws sink into it in the excitement of the game; a pinch of catnip or silver vine on it; a treat and a stroke every time it uses it. This last point has been measured: 80% of rewarded cats used their scratching post every day, against 68% of the others (Wilson et al.), and rewarding reduced the damage in the Canadian survey. International Cat Care even suggests scoring a new post with a few lines from the tip of a screw, to leave a visual cue. What not to do: take the cat's paws and rub them on the scratcher. International Cat Care, the ASPCA and Cats Protection advise against it: it frightens the cat, and it then avoids the scratcher, and you.
3. The sofa, less tempting while it changes
While the scratcher takes its place, the sofa must stop paying off. Cornell is frank: the only guaranteed method is to bar access to the room, and indeed, restricting access to the scratched areas was one of the most effective measures in the Canadian survey. Failing that, you change the texture: an adhesive anti-scratch mat or an adhesive scratch pad stuck on the arm, a throw or a smooth cover, double-sided tape, plastic sheeting, for a few weeks. These protections do not reduce the urge to scratch, the veterinary behaviourists of the journal JFMS pointed out in 2019: they displace it, and without a scratcher next to it, it moves to the armchair. You clean the scratched area to remove the scent, diluted laundry detergent then surgical spirit, testing on a hidden corner first, advises Blue Cross. And when the cat has been using its scratcher for a few weeks without touching the sofa again, you remove the protections, one by one.
Shouting, spraying, punishing: what not to do
Seven owners in ten shout, one in three sprays water, and none of these methods changes how often the cat scratches: that is what the survey by Moesta et al. measures, and the survey by Wilson et al. reaches the same result for reprimands, punishments and carrying the cat to the scratching post. Worse, in the Canadian survey, cats that were scolded scratched more, as did those that were sprayed or interrupted, without it being possible to say whether the punishment causes the scratching or whether a cat that scratches more simply gets punished more. What is certain, writes Cornell, is that a punished cat learns to fear its owner, scratches when they are not there, and can become aggressive; the behaviourists of the journal JFMS describe fear, avoidance, anxiety, and sometimes even more scratching. Marking, the AAFP and the ISFM repeat, is never punished: punishing a natural behaviour confuses the cat, and if it scratches out of insecurity, punishment adds insecurity. Shop-bought repellents follow the same logic: at best they displace the scratching, at worst they make the living room hostile, and none has been evaluated.
Trimming the claws, nail caps, and declawing
Trimming the claws limits the damage while the cat learns, without changing the need to scratch in any way. The ASPCA advises you to trim the claws every two to three weeks; the British charities, the PDSA and Cats Protection, consider that most cats that scratch enough do not need it, except the older, arthritic or indoor cat whose claws thicken and end up growing into the pad. The method: press the toe gently to extend the claw, find the quick, the pink area where the blood vessels and nerve run, and cut only the transparent tip, two or three millimetres from the quick, with dedicated cat nail clippers, never human nail clippers, which split the claw. One or two claws per session at first, a treat each time, and styptic powder within reach just in case. The details of gentle restraint and the kit are in our cat grooming collection.
Silicone nail caps glued onto the claws prevent the damage without preventing the action. The ASPCA and the AVMA count them among the alternatives, to be renewed every four to six weeks, reserved for indoor cats that tolerate having their paws handled; Cats Protection opposes them, considering that they interfere with retraction, scratching and grooming. We see them as a transitional solution, while the scratcher takes hold, not as a solution.
Declawing is not an option. It is not a trim, it is the amputation of the last bone of each toe. The European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, which France ratified in 2003 and which has been in force there since 1 May 2004, explicitly prohibits "declawing" other than for medical reasons, and the French Code rural prohibits any non-curative surgical procedure on a pet animal. The American Association of Feline Practitioners has strongly opposed it since 2017, and a study of 137 declawed cats measured why: compared with intact cats, they had 2.9 times more back pain, 7.2 times more inappropriate urination and 4.5 times more biting (Martell-Moran et al., 2018). A declawed cat also keeps the urge to scratch.
Kitten, older cat, several cats, stressed cat
The kitten scratches from five weeks and forms its habits during its socialisation period: this is the time to offer several materials and orientations, corrugated cardboard first, and to reward every scratch in the right place. A kitten is not punished, and catnip does nothing for it before several months of age. Plan to replace its scratcher when it outgrows it.
The older cat scratches less often and less hard, often prefers carpet to rope after the age of ten according to the Wilson survey, and appreciates an angled or horizontal cardboard scratcher, easier on stiff joints. Its claws, which it wears down less, thicken: regular trimming, and an eye on very thick or brittle claws, which can signal arthritis or a thyroid problem.
Several cats: one scratching post per cat plus one, in different places and on the routes to the food bowls and litter trays, so that each can mark without crossing the other. Scratching that explodes after the arrival of a second cat is tension marking, often invisible to you; the extra scratcher helps, but it is the cohabitation that needs sorting out, separate resources first. The same mechanism applies to urine marking, which we detail in our article on cat urine.
The cat that scratches at night, or when you come home, is most often after your attention, or does not have enough to do: in a study carried out in France on 1,211 indoor cats, the heavy scratchers were the cats that were active at night, playful, described as "disruptive", and the authors recommend short, regular play sessions rather than long ones (Salgirli Demirbas et al., 2024). Ignore the scratching, praise the scratcher, and keep it busy: our article on the bored cat gives the typical day.
The cat stressed by a house move, building work or strange cats at the window scratches more, and everywhere: close the cat flap or make it selective, offer high perches, keep it to one or two rooms for the first few days, and if the scratching persists along with other signs, house-soiling, withdrawal, talk to your vet, who can refer you to a behaviourist. As for the synthetic pheromones sold for scratching, let us be precise: the only controlled trial involved 19 laboratory cats with no scratching problem, the field study that claims 89% success had no control group, and a critical review in 2021 judges the evidence weak. It costs little to try, but not instead of the scratcher.
Scratchers and protections: our selection
A scratcher that fixes where the scratching happens, posts and trees tall and stable enough, a horizontal one for the rug, something to protect the arm of the sofa while the cat learns, and something to trim the claws with. The whole cat trees and scratchers collection.
Flat sisal scratch panel, to fix to the wall or the sofaView product
Adhesive anti-scratch mat, cut to sizeView product
Adhesive scratch pad and sofa scratch guard, 30 × 100 cmView product
81 cm scratching post, wide baseView product
Vertical cardboard scratcher, 43 or 68 cmView product
98 cm cat tree, 7 sisal postsView product
Picture-style wall scratcherView product
Horizontal scratcher basketView product
Sisal scratcher cushionView product
Sisal rope to re-wrap a postView product
Nail clippers with safety guard, with fileView product
Frequently asked questions about the cat that scratches the sofa
How do I stop my cat scratching the sofa?
By giving it something better: a sisal or cardboard scratcher, vertical, stable and taller than the cat, right against the scratched part and near its bed, rewarded at every use; and by protecting the arm with an anti-scratch mat while it changes its habit.
Why does a cat scratch the sofa?
To maintain its claws, to stretch and above all to mark its territory, by sight and by smell. The sofa is tall, stable, in the middle of the room, near its bed, and its fabric catches the claws: it has everything a cat looks for in a scratching post.
How do I correct a cat that scratches?
You do not correct it, you redirect it: reprimands, water sprays and punishments have no measured effect on scratching, and make the cat fearful. You reward the scratcher and make the sofa uninteresting.
How do I protect my sofa when I have a cat?
Anti-scratch mat or adhesive scratch pad on the arm, smooth cover or throw, double-sided tape on the corners, and a scratcher right next to it, otherwise the scratching moves to the armchair. The protections come off once the scratcher is adopted.
My cat has a scratching post but scratches the sofa: why?
Because the scratching post does not suit it: too low, too light, fabric-covered, or badly placed. In the largest survey, every household had a scratching post and half the cats scratched elsewhere. Go taller, more stable, in sisal, and place it against the sofa.
What height for a scratching post?
Taller than the cat standing up, front legs outstretched: 60 cm minimum for an adult, and better above 90 cm, the height from which the surveys measure less damage elsewhere. A multi-level cat tree is the most used scratcher.
Where should I put the scratching post so it uses it?
Against the part of the sofa it scratches and near where it sleeps, never in a corner. Once adopted, you move it a few centimetres a day towards the spot you want. One scratching post per cat plus one, in different places.
Does cat repellent work on a sofa?
No repellent has been evaluated, and anything that makes the sofa unpleasant displaces the scratching without reducing the urge: without a scratcher next to it, it moves to the armchair. An anti-scratch mat or a smooth cover does the same job without the smell.
Is a spray bottle effective?
No: one owner in three sprays their cat and the frequency of scratching does not change. The cat associates the punishment with you, scratches when you are out and becomes fearful. Veterinary behaviourists advise against it without exception.
Should I trim my cat's claws?
It limits the damage while the cat learns, without changing the need to scratch. Every two to three weeks according to the ASPCA, only if necessary according to the PDSA; essential for the older cat whose claws thicken. Only the tip, two or three millimetres from the quick.
Are silicone nail caps a good idea?
They are a transitional solution: they prevent the damage without preventing the action, to be renewed every four to six weeks, for an indoor cat that lets you handle its paws. Cats Protection opposes them; they never replace the scratcher.
Cat and leather sofa: what to do?
Leather is the least scratched material in the home, but every mark stays. Same method: a tall, stable scratcher against the scratched spot, claws trimmed, and a throw or a cover on the arm while the cat learns, rather than an adhesive on the leather.
My kitten scratches the sofa: what to do?
It is the best time to form the right habit: several scratchers, including the corrugated cardboard it prefers, near its bed and the sofa, a reward at every use, never punishment. Catnip does nothing for it before several months of age.
Do pheromones and catnip help?
Catnip only attracts one cat in two or three; silver vine (matatabi) gets a response from nearly 80% of cats and increases scratching on the treated scratcher. For synthetic pheromones, the evidence is judged weak by a 2021 review. Worth trying in addition to the scratcher, not instead.
Is declawing legal in France?
No. It is the amputation of the last bone of each toe, banned by the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, in force in France since 2004, and by the French Code rural. Declawed cats have more pain, house-soiling and biting.
Sources
- International Cat Care, "Scratching on furniture and carpets", updated 7 October 2026: the functions of scratching, insecurity, one scratching post per cat plus one, the older cat
- Cornell Feline Health Center, "Feline Behavior Problems: Destructive Behavior", 2018: place then move, protections, punishment, declawing
- Cats Protection, "Cats and Scratching", PDSA, "How to stop my cat scratching" and Indoor Pet Initiative, Ohio State University, "Scratching"
- Wilson et al., "Owner observations regarding cat scratching behavior: an internet-based survey", JFMS, 2016: 4,105 households, height, material, number of scratchers, reward
- Cisneros et al., "Unwanted Scratching Behavior in Cats: Influence of Management Strategies and Cat and Owner Characteristics", Animals, 2022: 2,465 households, sisal, reprimands, water spray
- Moesta et al., "Survey of cat owners on features of, and preventative measures for, feline scratching of inappropriate objects", JFMS, 2018: scratched materials, deterrent methods with no effect
- Zhang et al., "Preference of kittens for scratchers", JFMS, 2019 and Zhang and McGlone, "Scratcher preferences of adult in-home cats and effects of olfactory supplements on cat scratching", Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2020
- Bol et al., "Responsiveness of cats to silver vine, Tatarian honeysuckle, valerian and catnip", BMC Veterinary Research, 2017
- Salgirli Demirbas et al., "Evaluating undesired scratching in domestic cats: a multifactorial approach to understand risk factors", Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2024 (study funded by a pheromone manufacturer)
- DePorter and Elzerman, "Common feline problem behaviors: Destructive scratching", JFMS, 2019 and Goins, critical review of the interdigital pheromone, Veterinary Evidence, 2021
- American Association of Feline Practitioners, "Declawing Position Statement", 2017 and Martell-Moran et al., "Pain and adverse behavior in declawed cats", JFMS, 2018
- French Senate, bill authorising the ratification of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, article 10 and Code rural et de la pêche maritime (French Rural Code), article R214-21 (in French): declawing under French law
- ASPCA, "Trimming Your Cat's Claws" and Cats Protection, "How to trim cat claws"
Article updated 2 November 2026. The photos in this article were generated by AI. See also: which cat tree to choose, the bored cat and cat urine.
