The author shares her home with two formerly stray cats. More articles on cat behaviors and products are available at Feline Info
Cats instinctively scratch, so trying to keep your cat from scratching will not work. But, there are ways that you can keep your furniture looking nice while giving your cat opportunities to scratch.
Kittens start scratching when they are about eight weeks old. Begin training the kitten on appropriate places to scratch at this time to head off problems as she grows.
Provide toys especially made for scratching to your cat. As there are several styles, you may need to try different ones until you find the one that your cat likes best. There are horizontal, vertical, and slanted versions along with various coverings such as sisal, cardboard, or carpet. If you have more than one cat, have more than one toy available, preferably of different styles to give your cats variety.
If your cat insists on scratching your sofa despite the toys you have provided, there are several ideas that you can try to get the cat to stop. If convenient, close off the room that the cat is using for scratching. Put the scratching toy in front of the item that you don't want your cat to scratch. Place catnip or treats on the scratching toy or attach another one of the cat's favorite toys to entice your cat to scratch the toy instead of your sofa.
You can further discourage your cat from scratching the couch by covering it in foil, double-sided tape, sandpaper, or cat-repellant. If you catch your cat in the act, spray your cat with water or clap your hands to startle your cat and then encourage the cat to use the scratching toy instead.
Keep your cat's nails trimmed every two weeks. If nails get too long, the cat will scratch more since she can't retract them into her paws.
The first option that many owners think of when their cat has scratching issues is declawing. In extreme cases where everything else has been tried, and the cat is facing eviction from your home, declawing may be used as a last resort. However, declawing is painful and actually involves partial amputation of your cat's toes.
It is possible to keep your furnishings looking nice and have pet cats at the same time. You just have to understand that cats will scratch something, and provide alternatives and proper nail care so that something isn't your prized couch.
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