Best scratching post for a new rescue cat

Congratulations on the new rescue — starting from zero with supplies is actually a good position to be in, because you can get things right from the start rather than replacing stuff that never worked. Quick heads-up on scratching posts before we get into it: the most common reason cats ignore them is they're too short for a full stretch, too wobbly when pressed, or made of carpet or rope that just doesn't satisfy the urge. You want sisal, height, and a solid base. Tell me a bit about your cat — roughly how big are they, and do you have any sense yet of whether they tend to scratch vertically (door frames, furniture sides) or horizontally (carpets, rugs)? Also, what are they currently going after in the house, if anything?

Good intel — a fabric sofa corner is classic vertical scratching, and at 4kg she'll want a post that's at least 60cm tall so she can get a proper full-body stretch going. That's really the minimum; shorter posts just don't cut it for adult cats. Since you're starting from scratch on a budget, you don't need anything fancy — you need something tall, sisal-wrapped, and heavy enough at the base that it won't tip when she leans into it. What's your rough budget for the post itself?

Totally reasonable, and you can absolutely get a good post in that range. I'd go with the Rosewood Purrfect Scratching Post — the tall version. It's around £15–18 on Amazon UK, it's 60cm high, wrapped in natural sisal, and the base is weighted well enough that it holds steady under use. It's not decorative, but it does exactly what it needs to do. For a newly adopted cat who's already showing vertical scratching behaviour, this is the practical starting point. Place it right next to the sofa corner she's been targeting — within a foot or two — and she's likely to switch to it fairly quickly once she realises it's there and feels better to scratch than fabric does. Once she's settled and you know her habits better, you can add a second post or a horizontal scratcher if she shows interest in rugs, but this one post will cover you for now.

Catnip can help, yes — sprinkle a little on the base or rub it into the sisal and some cats go straight for it. That said, not all cats respond to catnip (it's genetic, roughly 50% don't react), so don't worry if she ignores it. The more reliable trick is placement: put it right next to the damage site so it intercepts the behaviour she's already doing. You can also try dangling a toy near the top of the post to get her pawing at it — once she starts scratching it and gets that satisfying texture, it tends to stick.

Good choice — simple, solid, and well within budget. One last thing worth knowing: rescue cats often take a couple of weeks to fully come out of their shell, so if she doesn't use it immediately, don't read too much into it. Once she's comfortable in the space, she'll start scratching properly and you want the post already in position when that happens. Good luck with her — sounds like she landed well.