The internet’s cat-scratching advice (buy a post, spray Feliway, trim nails) fails because it’s prescriptive: it hands you a fixed solution without asking what your specific cat needs. This post walks through a descriptive approach instead, using material, orientation, and location preferences to figure out what actually works. It also covers how to manage the damage while you test options, and why cats absolutely can be trained to scratch appropriately once the approach fits the individual animal instead of a generic formula. The goal isn’t a specific product — it’s a process for reading what your cat is already telling you.
