I have come across some practical suggestions on how to stop a cat from scratching. One way is to use a spray bottle of water on the cat the first few times that you see him scratching. Because cats don’t like water, he will very quickly refrain from doing it again. This is a safe way of discouraging a bad habit. Since I have never tried it, I wonder how effective this can be.

A more effective way is to provide him with scratching posts. When cats stretch and pull against the scratching post, he benefits from the exercise. It is also a way to maintain the suppleness of his muscles and the sharpness of his claws. Commercial scratching posts are available in various designs which range from the simple and inexpensive to complex, more expensive cat towers. Choose one that your cat will love and save the smooth finish of your sofa legs.