Learn how to stop cat scratching furniture for good. Feline behavior specialist Lucia Fernandes explains why cats choose specific surfaces and how to redirect the behavior permanently

QUICK ANSWER Cats scratch sofas because the sofa is the best available surface for meeting biological needs that are not being met elsewhere: stretching the spine, maintaining claws, marking territory, and releasing physical tension. The behavior is never spite. It is a sign the cat lacks appropriate scratching posts, climbing surfaces, or daily enrichment. In this case study, a two-year-old cat named Luna stopped scratching the sofa entirely within days of receiving a tall s