This cat scratcher saved our sofas from destruction

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A cat's claws can damage furniture in an instant — one stretch on the arm of the couch, and the fabric is snagged. And once a cat has marked a spot, they're likely to return. A scratching post that doubles as a couch protector can make all the difference.

We first tested the Sofa Scratcher five years ago. Since then, 2 testers across 2 households — and 4 cats total — have evaluated 21 products to stop cats from scratching furniture. After all that and conversations with veterinarians and cat behavior specialists, we still think the Sofa Scratcher is the best bet for keeping your sofa or armchair in good condition.

How it works

The Sofa Scratcher is a couch protector and a sisal scratching post in one. It protected our couches from being torn apart and also gave our cats a designated scratching spot right where they love to be — near their humans.

The Sofa Scratcher comes in two designs: the Squared and the Original. We preferred the fit of the Squared for the right angles of our sofa arms, but the Original is well-suited for furniture with curved arms. Both scratchers come in five neutral colors and work in the same way. The sisal panels fit snugly against furniture, either forming a 90-degree angle or wrapping around a curved arm.

Cats get 24 vertical inches of uninterrupted sisal to scratch, stretch, and dig into, while the sturdy wood core prevents their claws from reaching the upholstery. A polycarbonate base slides under the leg of the couch or chair, using the furniture's weight to keep the scratcher in place.

The Sofa Scratcher requires basic assembly. You insert three screws to secure the base to the post, which took us less than five minutes to complete.

Our review of the Sofa Scratcher

We both gave the Sofa Scratcher high marks in testing, evaluating its durability, sturdiness, ease of assembly, and appeal to our cats. Shoshi was especially impressed by its ability to protect her brand-new sofa from her cat Osito, the most determined scratcher of the bunch. "The Sofa Scratcher saved my couch," she says.

Osito's claws, along with those of our other cats, couldn't reach most of the couch arm upholstery, but the Sofa Scratcher left about 2 inches of the top of the couch arm exposed. While our cats could reach that small section, they couldn't dig their claws in and shred it like they could when the whole arm was exposed. For cats that can dig into that exposed edge, a small piece of Sticky Paws scratch tape can deter them.

When anchored beneath a couch leg, the 6-pound Sofa Scratcher is sturdy enough that it doesn't dislodge, even when the largest of our tester cats (12 pounds) sank in his claws and gave it his all. Unfortunately, if your cat's preferred scratching spot is on the sofa cushions or the top of the arm, the Sofa Scratcher won't help much, though a scratching guard could do the trick.

The Sofa Scratcher has held up well. It has some loose strands of sisal in the areas our cats enjoy scratching most, but it doesn't look ragged, even after a year of use. It's just as effective at redirecting our cats' scratching away from the couch upholstery today as it was when we started testing.

Cons to consider

While the Sofa Scratcher worked well enough to earn our recommendation, it may not be the best solution for everyone — or every cat.

For one, if you remove the scratcher, it could cause some issues. While the Sofa Scratcher may not teach your cat to scratch on all types of furniture, it can encourage them to see that specific spot as a great scratching surface. If you don't plan to leave the Sofa Scratcher on your couch long-term, consider providing more scratching posts or one of the best cat trees. Start by placing it near the area your cat likes to scratch. Reward them when they use it, then gradually move it farther away from your furniture.

The Sofa Scratcher is ideal for cats who only scratch the face or corner of the couch arm. If you're looking for something with more coverage, we also like the Hilde & Phil Cat-e-Corner. It wraps around the front arm or back if you have a chaise and extends 38 inches to cover the entire side of your couch. Although it's pricey, we think it's the most stylish option, and it doubles as a functional solid wood end table.

The bottom line

Scratching is a natural and necessary behavior for cats and not something you can — or should — try to stop completely. Because the Sofa Scratcher is a couch protector and a scratching post in one, your cat can scratch as they please while your upholstery stays intact. Plus, this setup takes little to no training since cats are instinctively drawn to marking their territory on key household items like the couch.