Protect stair banisters from kittens

Smart move coming here before the damage happens — banisters are exactly the kind of smooth hardwood that cats find irresistible once they discover it. The most common reason cats ignore scratching posts is that they're too short, too wobbly, or the wrong material. Cats need a post tall enough for a full stretch and stable enough that it doesn't tip when they lean into it. Since you've got a young kitten, I want to get this right from the start: how big is she right now, does she tend to reach upward or stretch out flat, and have you noticed her going for any surfaces yet?

Good — you're in the best possible position because you can shape her habits before she develops any bad ones. Vertical scratching is the default for most cats, so you're right to assume that's where she'll go. At 1.5kg she's tiny now, but Scottish Folds grow steadily and you don't want to buy something she outgrows in two months. What's your feeling about where to put a post — near the stairs specifically, or somewhere else in the house?

Perfect — placement near the thing you're protecting is genuinely the most effective strategy. For a small hallway and a kitten who'll grow into a medium-sized cat, I'd go with the Vesper Cat Furniture Basic Tower. It's a sisal-wrapped post on a solid, weighted base — no wobble at all, which matters enormously because one tip and a kitten will never use it again. It's about 50cm tall, which is enough for a full stretch even as she grows, and the base is compact enough for a hallway. Sisal is the material that most closely mimics tree bark, so it's reliably what cats prefer over smooth wood. Put it within a metre of the banister and she'll almost certainly choose it.

At 16 weeks she's at the ideal age to be guided. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of dried catnip on the base and gently take her front paws and make a light scratching motion against the sisal once or twice — not forcefully, just enough for her to feel the texture. Do that a couple of times over the first few days. Most kittens need very little encouragement once they feel sisal under their claws. The main thing is keeping the post in that hallway spot rather than moving it. Consistency of location is what builds the habit.

Yes — for the first few weeks while she's learning, a strip of Sticky Paws double-sided tape along the lower section of the banister works well. Cats dislike the texture on their paws and will avoid it without any stress or fuss. It peels off cleanly without damaging hardwood and you can remove it once the scratching post habit is properly established, usually within four to six weeks. Between the post right next to it and the tape on the banister itself, you're giving her a very clear signal about where to scratch.