The side of the sofa, the leg of an antique table, or even the edge of the rug—your cat shows no mercy, digging its claws into anything that feels comfortable. The question isn’t how to forbid the behavior, but how to redirect it in a way that satisfies your cat’s needs while keeping your home intact.

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Since scratching is an instinctive activity for cats, you can be sure you won’t be able to eliminate it entirely from your life. Still, it’s perfectly understandable if you don’t want to look at shredded furniture. So here are a few tips to help protect your belongings from those sharp little claws.

An instinctive behavior for them, an annoying one for us

Why your cat scratches furniture

Let’s make one thing clear: it’s not to annoy you. Scratching is a fundamental, instinctive behavior for every cat. And it’s not just about sharpening their claws.

• You’ve probably noticed that your cat often stretches up high and digs its claws into the fabric of furniture—this is similar to how we stretch in the morning.
• Scratching is also a form of territorial marking, not only visually but through scent: cats release scent markers from glands in their paws.
• On top of that, scratching helps relieve stress and has a calming effect on them.

A survey of cat owners

Researchers were also intrigued by this behavior and conducted a survey among owners whose cats scratched in undesirable places. An important criterion was that participants could only have one cat, to exclude scratching caused by conflicts between cats. Another condition was that each household had to provide at least one usable scratching surface.

According to the survey, most cats did use the scratching surfaces provided (63–74.8%). However, cats that scratched frequently tended to “attack” multiple locations, with sofas being their favorite target.

The results also showed that sex, breed, and physical condition did not affect how much a cat scratched. Personality, however, did: cats described as destructive or aggressive were more likely to be frequent scratchers. Playful and active cats were also more prone to scratching often. The presence of children in the household was also linked to increased scratching.

Why the sofa, specifically?

Cats often choose surfaces that are:

• stable and don’t move (like the side of a sofa);
• easy to sink their claws into (such as fabric or leather upholstery);
• located in central areas—where there’s more social activity, their urge to mark territory is stronger.

What can you do about it?

As mentioned, you can’t expect a cat not to scratch—but you also shouldn’t have to watch your home deteriorate. Fortunately, cat behavior experts offer several tips to help minimize damage. Scratching posts play a crucial role, but it matters how many you have, where you place them, their size, and their material. According to cat behavior expert Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado, the more scratching surfaces, the better.

For example, her three cats have 4 small scratching posts, 4 large cat trees, and 3 horizontal scratching surfaces—so they leave the furniture alone.

What makes a good scratching post?

• It should be stable and tall enough for your cat to fully stretch.
• Provide both vertical and horizontal scratching surfaces.
• Materials can include rope, jute, upholstery, or wood—but make sure at least one matches the material your cat prefers on your furniture.
• Place it where your cat previously liked to scratch.

Additional tips for success

• Double-sided tape is often recommended, as cats dislike sticky surfaces. If you try it, make sure it’s not strong enough to cause injury.
• Citrus-scented sprays can also help, since cats generally dislike these smells.
• Positive reinforcement is key: immediately praise and reward your cat when it scratches in the right place. This conditions the desired behavior and is far more effective than punishment—which can be counterproductive by increasing stress.

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