3 cats, one post & a chair scratcher

Three cats sharing one post is almost always the root of this — when resources feel competitive, cats find their own spots, and your British Shorthair has decided the dining chairs are hers. Scratching is completely normal: she's conditioning her claws and leaving scent marks, so the goal isn't to stop her, it's to give her something better in the right place. British Shorthairs tend to be stocky and low-energy — they often prefer a solid, stable post rather than a tall wobbly one, and they'll scratch both vertically and horizontally depending on mood. Before I point you toward anything specific: are the chairs vertical scratching (sides and legs) or is she going at the seat fabric horizontally, and is the current shared post sisal, carpet, or something else?

That tells me everything. A 50cm carpet post shared between three cats is genuinely not enough — she's not being difficult, she's been squeezed out and found the next best vertical surface. British Shorthairs are also heavier than people expect, and a short post won't let her do a proper full-body stretch, which is half the point of scratching for them. What are the other two cats — similar size, or smaller and more agile?

A Ragdoll dominating a 50cm post — yes, your British Shorthair never stood a chance. Here's what I'd do: get a second, dedicated post for her and place it right next to the dining chair she's targeting. Don't move it away immediately — put it directly beside the chair so she transfers the behaviour naturally, then inch it to a better spot over a few weeks. For the post itself, I'd go with the Feandrea 150cm sisal cat tree. It's tall enough for a proper stretch, the sisal rope is far more satisfying than carpet for claw conditioning, and it's heavy and stable — important for a solid British Shorthair who will lean into it with real weight. The Ragdoll could share this one too if needed given the height, but the key is your British Shorthair having reliable access to one that's hers. One thing to avoid: don't move the dining chairs or cover them with tape yet — redirect first, restrict later if needed.

Yes, but lightly. Double-sided sticky tape on the specific spots she targets works well — cats dislike the texture and it doesn't damage the chairs. Feliscratch by Feliway is also worth knowing about: it's a liquid you apply to the new post that contains synthetic pheromones and a visual attractant, and it genuinely speeds up the transfer. Use both together for the first two to three weeks and you'll shift the habit much faster than just hoping she finds the new post herself. Once she's consistently using the Feandrea post, remove the tape from the chairs — you want her scratching the post because she prefers it, not just because everything else is unpleasant.

That's exactly the right read. Most multi-cat scratching problems aren't about bad behaviour — they're about not enough resources. One post between three cats, especially with a dominant Ragdoll, was always going to produce a workaround. Get the new post next to the chair, add Feliscratch if you can, and give it two to three weeks. She'll sort herself out.