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If you're wondering how to stop your cat from scratching furniture, it's essential to understand that scratching is a natural feline behavior. Cats scratch to communicate, claim possessions, and stretch and condition their claws, says Andrea Sanchez, a veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital. Anti-Spraying Tape
There are a variety of reasons why a cat might be attracted to scratching furniture. Some don't have healthy alternative scratching posts or pads or don't have them in the right locations. Others enjoy the furniture's height or the feeling of scratching a couch or carpet. Whatever the reason, you can stop your cat from scratching furniture by offering them more attractive alternatives.
To select the best products to protect furniture from cat scratching, we spoke to veterinarians and cat behaviorists and tested 17 products to prevent destructive scratching.
Read more about how Insider Reviews tests and evaluates pet products.
Best overall: Sofa Scratcher Squared - See at Chewy Part furniture guard, part scratching post, the Sofa Scratcher does double duty to protect furniture from destruction.
Best scratching post: On2Pets Skyline Sisal Cat Scratching Post - See at Amazon The On2Pets Skyline Sisal Cat Scratching Post has three poles and a wide, turf-covered base for happy vertical and horizontal scratching.
Best furniture guard: Clawguard Furniture Shields - See at Chewy Clawguard Furniture Shields are an easy-to-install, semi-permanent fix to protect furniture and carpet from a cat's claws.
Best scratch tape: Sticky Paws on a Roll Furniture Strips - See at Chewy Sticky Paws On a Roll temporarily deters a cat from destruction by making furniture scratching too sticky to be enjoyable.
Best floor scratcher: Our Pets Double-Wide Cat Scratcher - See at Chewy The Our Pets Double-Wide Cat Scratcher satisfies even timid cats with its simple design.
Best nail caps: Soft Claws Cat Nail Caps - See at Chewy Soft Claws Cat Nail Caps allow your cat to scratch and use their paws naturally without causing damage to your furniture.
Pros: Combination scratcher/furniture guard; fits snugly against a couch, chair corner, or furniture leg; held in place by weight of furniture instead of tape or pins; made of toxin-free sisal; available in five colors
Cons: More expensive than furniture guards and most scratching posts, light assembly required
The genius of the Sofa Scratcher Squared and its half-moon-shaped cousin, the Sofa Scratcher, is that its sisal-covered edges fit snugly against a couch or chair. This provides a cat with an appropriate place to scratch right at the center of the room where felines prefer to mark their territory, says Christine Calder, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist at Calder Veterinary Behavior Services. The Sofa Scratcher lines up flush against furniture, and its wood core prevents your cat from sinking their claws into the upholstery.
My furniture-scratching cat seemed to enjoy flexing his claws on the Sofa Scratcher Squared as much as he enjoyed using them on my couch. He tore at the sisal guard every time he jumped onto the furniture for a nap. After nearly six months of use, it still looks brand new.
Unlike shields and tape, both Sofa Scratcher models have a rectangular polycarbonate base that slips under the leg of a couch or chair, using the furniture's weight to keep it in place. Felt backing on the scratcher prevents pilling on your upholstery. The 24-inch-tall square scratcher and its two 5.5-inch-wide panels perfectly covered the chair and couch I tested it on.
If you have taller furniture, you may need scratch tape or a furniture guard to protect the remaining inches of exposed furniture. Because the half-moon scratcher didn't match the shape of my furniture, it left gaps large enough for a determined cat to reach the upholstery.
Pros: Three scratching posts of different heights, sisal-covered posts, broad base covered in scratchable artificial turf, holds up to 32 pounds
When figuring out how to stop your cat from scratching furniture, the goal is not to punish them for their behavior but to redirect it. Every cat has their personal scratching preference. Suppose your cat is scratching vertically on your furniture. In that case, they will likely prefer a vertical scratcher, says Daniel "DQ" Quagliozzi, a cat behavior consultant and owner of Go Cat Go! If they scratch carpets or rugs, a horizontal scratch pad is more likely to satisfy their desire. Some, like my cat Osito, enjoy both. Whatever they like, Calder says it's important to have multiple scratchers.
The Skyline Sisal Cat Scratching Post was the clear favorite of the seven vertical scratchers we tested. Both of my cats returned to the scratcher multiple times a day during the first month of testing. Six months later, one still scratches there daily.
Resembling a city skyline, this scratcher has three sisal-covered vertical posts at heights of 30.5 inches, 22 inches, and 16.5 inches arranged together at the center of a broad rectangular base. The base is covered in scratchable artificial turf. After six months, the scratcher's sisal is a little shaggy but still looks nice overall.
The sturdy scratcher can withstand up to 32 pounds of cat. It requires some light assembly and falls in the middle of the pack in terms of price. Considering how frequently my cats use it, it's well worth the cost.
Pros: Transparent, flexible, made from durable marine-grade vinyl, withstands sharp claws, easy to install with upholstery twist pins, waterproof, comes in four sizes, can be cut down to smaller sizes, long-lasting
Cons: Visible on furniture and carpeting, upholstery pins may leave marks on delicate materials
S Sanchez says that one way to stop a cat from scratching furniture is to make their favorite scratching spots less desirable. Covering an area with slick vinyl can discourage destructive tendencies.
Of the two vinyl guards we tested, the Clawguard Furniture Shield offered the most protection and took less than five minutes to install. The transparent, flexible material attaches to upholstery or carpeting with twist pins inserted through holes that run the length of the shield's edges. When the shield is secured tight, the clear plastic caps on the pins look like small buttons.
After figuring out the vinyl was unpleasant to scratch on his first attempt, my furniture-scratching cat did not touch it again, preferring to use the nearby posts and pads instead. Not even a utility knife left marks on the guard, and a pushpin could only fully penetrate it with heavy pressure.
You can choose from four sizes, which come in packs of two. You can also cut them down in size with scissors. Aside from how well they protect furniture, the best thing about the shields is that they will last for months, if not years.
Despite being made of clear vinyl, Clawguard Furniture Shields are easily visible. And while my upholstery did not show signs of being embedded with pins when I removed the guard after testing, more delicate materials may.
Pros: Adheres to a variety of surfaces, transparent, comes in multiple sizes including a tape roll, easy to remove, doesn't leave residue, not too aversive for cats
Cons: Debris clings to tape's sticky exterior, visible on furniture
Like furniture guards, scratch tape takes the fun out of scratching a couch leg or the edge of a carpet. Of the two versions we tested, we found the one recommended by Quagliozzi, Sticky Paws, best at deterring scratching without causing unnecessary fear, pain, or discomfort.
Sticky Paws is a transparent, double-sided tape. One side adheres to upholstery, carpeting, and other household materials, while the other sticky side faces outward. When cats scratch, the tape briefly grips their nails and paws, preventing them from digging in. "Sticky tape is not too aversive for cats," says Calder. It may be unpleasant to scratch, but doing so doesn't cause discomfort or fear.
Sticky Paws comes in different shapes and sizes, but our favorite was Sticky Paws On a Roll, which works like a packaging tape dispenser so you can easily cut the tape to size. Like the furniture guards, after my cat got his paws on the tape just once, he chose not to focus any more energy on it, turning instead to nearby posts and pads.
The biggest problem with using Sticky Paws is the reason it works in the first place: Stuff sticks to it. Dust and hair collect on the adhesive outer layer, although I was surprised that after three weeks on my furniture, it had collected less debris than expected. While the interior of the tape adhered well, it's more temporary than a furniture guard, was more easily penetrated in our testing, and requires frequent replacement. The tape didn't leave any residue, but it's not the most aesthetically pleasing option.
Pros: Simple design, affordable, made from recycled materials, recyclable
Cons: Slides around on smooth floors
Some cats like to scratch vertically, others horizontally, and some a little of both. If you've found destruction on rugs, carpets, and couch cushions, your cat falls into one of the latter two categories, and providing them with a properly placed floor scratcher may solve your problem.
We tested four floor scratchers and found the simple design of the Our Pets Double-Wide Cat Scratcher was the most universally attractive to our feline testers. This affordable scratcher made from recycled corrugated cardboard is 18 inches long and 10 inches wide and sits inside a cardboard frame. It also comes with a small bag of catnip to help entice cats.
The durable interior pad of the scratcher is reversible, so even if your cat claws through the top layer, you can turn it over. How long that will take is specific to individual cats, but ours still looks almost new after nearly two months of use by my two cats. When it's completely worn out, the pad and frame can be recycled.
The scratcher slides around a bit on a smooth floor when a cat really gets clawing, but ours has never flipped over or shot across the room. Despite the sliding, this is hands down my timid cat's favorite scratcher. She uses it multiple times daily and snoozes or watches squirrels outside the window while on the pad.
Pros: Flexible vinyl, fits medium-sized claws well, variety of colors, last four to six weeks, comes with 40 caps plus nontoxic adhesive and six applicators, affordable, doesn't interfere with natural scratching and claw extension
Cons: May be difficult to get on, may fall off before four to six weeks are up, many cats will not tolerate them
Nail caps prevent your cat's claws from scratching your furniture. Calder likes Soft Claws (also called Soft Paws), and out of the two nail cap brands we considered, we found the medium-size Soft Claws nail caps to be better sized for a 9- to 13-pound cat's claws.
Soft Claws are made of durable, flexible vinyl that slips over the nail. The cat claw covers don't interfere with a feline's ability to extend or retract their claws and come in a variety of colors. Super strong, nontoxic adhesive keeps each cap secure for four to six weeks. Each package comes with 40 nail caps, two bottles of adhesive, and six applicators.
According to Calder and Sanchez, nail caps can be a good solution for preventing damage without removing a cat's ability to practice the innate behavior of scratching. While it's important to teach a cat to focus their scratching on posts and pads, in the short term, "these nail caps may be just the relief your furniture needs," says Sanchez.
The biggest drawback of nail caps is that many cats, including mine, will not tolerate them. Even those whose cats are okay with their claws being handled may find getting them on and situated correctly challenging. It's also not uncommon for caps to fall off before their four- to six-week lifespan is up.
All of the products were provided as editorial review samples by their manufacturers, except the nail caps, Max and Marlow Tall Scratch Post, and Furniture Defender Cat Scratching Guard, which Insider Reviews purchased.
To objectively compare the products in each category of this guide, I devised the following tests:
Scratch test: To determine how the furniture guards and scratch tape would hold up over time, I scratched them with three different tools: a fork, a push pin, and an X-acto knife. Each tool was dragged across the same section of the product 50 consecutive times, and I noted if any penetrated the material and how long it took to do so.
Penetration test: I used the same three tools in the penetration test. I conducted three trials with each tool as I attempted to make a hole through the material. First, I applied light pressure, then medium pressure, and finally, my full strength.
Nail caps test: Because neither of my cats volunteered to try out the nail caps, I tested their longevity by sticking two caps from each brand onto the tines of a plastic fork. Each week over five weeks, I scraped the fork on a scratcher 100 times and looked for any shifting or loosening of the caps.
Longevity test: Our best overall product and top scratching post have remained in use since testing for the first version of this guide began in October 2020. I assessed each to identify any aesthetic or functional deterioration in their material over time.
Cat attract test: I doused each floor scratcher and scratching post with catnip and introduced them to my cats. I placed each in the locations they prefer to scratch and rotated them weekly, noting which scratchers they avoided, which they used occasionally, and which they returned to again and again.
Scratching is a natural behavior for cats. "Scratching serves many functions for a cat, including a communication tool that leaves both scent and visual marks at a site, a way to clean and condition the claw beds, and a great way to stretch the muscles of the legs and toes," says Sanchez. Cats who don't have easy access to scratching posts or horizontal scratch pads may turn their claws toward furniture and carpeting.
Owning a scratching post or pad isn't helpful if it's not where your cat likes to scratch. Cats need a variety of choices in various locations to be fully satisfied. Sanchez recommends placing them in high-traffic areas and near your cat's favorite resting spots. The material a scratching post or pad is made from may also determine whether your cat prefers your furniture to a scratching post or pad. "Some cats will strictly scratch on softer materials such as cardboard boxes or scratch pads, while other cats will only use carpeted or tall, sturdy posts," says Sanchez. Many cats enjoy scratching a sisal rope or cloth, but some may find other materials more attractive. If your cat is attracted to carpet, Quagliozzi recommends framing a piece of carpet for them to use.
Our experts say that cat scratching deterrent sprays do not help redirect furniture scratching. "They don't really work, and they're an aversive," says Calder. An aversive is any tool or technique that uses discomfort, pain, fear, or intimidation to force an animal to change their behavior. Deterrent sprays are aversive because they irritate a cat's acute senses of smell and taste, making them sneeze and cough. Using scratch tape or furniture guards combined with training is a more effective long-term strategy for changing a cat's behavior. "Our goal is not to scare the cat; it's more about finding out why the behavior is occurring in the first place," says Calder.
To prevent a cat from scratching, some veterinarians offer declawing, a surgical procedure that removes a cat's claws. Although declawing techniques have become less painful with laser technology, it's a surgery that still carries potential complications.
Some countries and US cities have banned the practice. The American Veterinary Medical Association also discourages the practice and instead recommends providing scratching surfaces like the ones featured in this guide, frequent nail trims, and positive reinforcement training. Complications of this procedure can include infection, tissue necrosis, and back pain, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
In addition, removing a cat's claws prevents them from practicing innate behaviors such as scratching and climbing. Veterinarians do not know how or if, declawing impacts a cat's quality of life and psychological well-being.
A cat typically heals from laser declawing in around three weeks, and pain can be managed with medications such as fentanyl patches. However, Bob Murtaugh, a veterinarian and chief professional relations officer at Thrive Pet Healthcare, does not believe the procedure is necessary unless there is a valid medical reason.
"I think the best thing is to just provide them with some scratching opportunities and to train them," says Murtaugh. "Part of having a cat recognizing the fact that they might take it out on a sofa every once in a while."
In addition to providing a cat with acceptable scratching alternatives, such as scratching posts and scratch pads, covering a cat's claws with nail caps is a more humane option than removing them altogether. Some veterinarians will even put them on for you, says Murtaugh.
All of the products we tested for this guide to protect furniture from cat scratching are high-quality enough to get the job done. Here are the ones that didn't quite make the cut but may work for your needs.
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