Sisal Arch Scratcher

Cats scratch to stretch and to mark, and they do it where they already spend time. That is why a scratcher in the spare room gets ignored and the sofa arm gets destroyed. This one is 55cm long and 22cm tall, which is small enough to put in the room you are actually sitting in.

The arch shape covers two postures at once: a horizontal drag along the flat middle and an angled pull on the rise. Cats that ignore a flat mat will often use the slope, and the curve doubles as a lookout perch for a cat that likes to be slightly off the floor.

Sisal is the surface most cats prefer over carpet, and this one is woven rather than wrapped rope, so it does not unravel into a long string when a claw catches it. When it eventually flattens, the pad lifts out and a replacement drops in. The frame outlives several pads.

Placement beats persuasion. Put it directly in front of whatever is currently being scratched, sprinkle the loose catnip sachet along the middle, and leave the old target covered for a fortnight. Once the habit moves, you can shift the scratcher a metre at a time to somewhere you like better.