This is a specific conversation about Cat scratching furniture — redirect it properly — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Scratching is completely normal cat behaviour — your cat isn't being destructive, they're maintaining their claws and marking territory. The goal is never to stop scratching but to redirect it to something appropriate. The key is matching the scratcher to how and where your cat actually scratches. Before I point you in the right direction, can you tell me: is your cat scratching vertical surfaces, horizontal ones, or both — and what material are they going for, like fabric, leather, or wood?
She's a 3-year-old Norwegian Forest Cat. She's been using a sisal post fine but she's started going for the wooden legs of our dining table and the skirting boards. Feels like she wants something more like real wood. I want to switch her to a wood log scratcher but not sure which one.
inparticular.ai
That makes complete sense, and honestly it's a really good sign — she's telling you exactly what she wants. Norwegian Forest Cats are a large, powerful breed with a strong instinct for tree-bark scratching in the wild, so gravitating toward real wood over sisal is very natural for the breed. The table legs and skirting boards are just the closest thing she's found. A wood log scratcher will almost certainly satisfy that preference in a way sisal can't. How tall is she when she's fully stretched out against the table legs? That'll help me make sure we get something with enough height for her.
She's pretty big — probably stretches to about 70 or 75cm when she's fully extended. She tends to scratch vertically, really digging in high up.
inparticular.ai
Perfect — that confirms you need a log scratcher with decent height and real bark texture, not a shallow decorative piece. For a large vertical scratcher like her, I'd recommend the Catry Natural Wooden Log Cat Scratcher. It's a genuine birch wood log, roughly 50–60cm tall, with real bark that gives cats the fibrous texture and resistance they're seeking when they scratch wood surfaces. It's sturdy enough for a Norwegian Forest Cat's strength, and the natural bark scent often draws cats to it straight away without any coaxing needed. It sits flat on the floor so it won't tip, and the vertical scratching angle is exactly what she's been doing on your furniture. You can find it on Amazon UK — search 'Catry Natural Log Cat Scratcher' and it comes up easily. One tip: put it right next to the table leg she's been using for the first week, then gradually move it to where you'd prefer it to live.
That sounds ideal. Should I do anything to encourage her to use it instead of the table?
inparticular.ai
Yes — a couple of simple things. First, place the log right where she currently scratches, as I mentioned. Then rub a little silvervine or valerian into the bark surface to draw her attention to it; both work well on cats who aren't particularly responsive to catnip. When she uses it, reward her calmly — you don't need to make a fuss, just a quiet 'good girl' and a small treat nearby is enough. For the table leg itself, wrap it temporarily in double-sided tape or aluminium foil for a week or two — she'll find it unappealing and the log will become the obvious alternative. Once she's consistently using the log, remove the deterrent and she'll have made the habit.
Really helpful, thank you. I'll order it today.
inparticular.ai
Brilliant — she's going to love it. Norwegian Forest Cats really do take to real wood quickly once it's in front of them; you're working with her instincts rather than against them, which always makes the transition easier. If she ignores it for the first couple of days, don't worry — just keep the log in position and remove access to the table leg temporarily. She'll find it. Good luck!
