Cat Furniture & Scratchers

Cat Scratchers and Furniture Protection

Cats don't scratch to be destructive. Scratching sheds the dead outer layer of the claw, stretches the shoulders and back, and leaves a scent mark from glands in the paw pads. You cannot train the behaviour away — you can only give it a better target.

GIGO Jute Cat Scratching Mat (28x80cm) — knitted jute over an anti-skid latex backing, so it stays put instead of sliding when your cat pulls against it. Jute has a coarse grain that most cats prefer over carpet.

Where to place it: put the mat directly in front of the furniture your cat is already scratching, not in a separate corner. Cats scratch at specific landmarks — usually near where they sleep or at room entrances. Move the target to the spot, then shift it gradually once the habit transfers. Sprinkling a pinch of catnip on a new mat speeds up acceptance considerably.