Two things fill a cat's day if you let them: something to shred and something to ambush. This box offers both, with a corrugated cardboard pad on top for scratching and a whac-a-mole game built into the unit, with targets to hook and bat at from above. The scratching surface would earn its place on its own, and the game is what keeps a bored indoor cat coming back to it.

The cardboard top takes the claws, so the stretch-and-drag that would otherwise land on your sofa arm lands here instead, and the openings below hold targets a cat can get a paw into. Wooden mallets are included for the human half of the game, though most cats prefer to do the popping themselves once they have worked out where the targets appear. It is compact and stays stable while a cat leans into a proper scratch.

• Corrugated cardboard scratching pad on top
• Built-in whac-a-mole game with pop-up targets
• Wooden mallets included
• Two functions in one compact unit
• Encourages scratching away from furniture
• Suits kittens and adult cats alike

On the cardboard, and on the mallets. The scratching pad is a consumable that will shed card and wear down with use, while the game part will outlast it comfortably. Keep the mallets for supervised play and put them away afterwards rather than leaving them within reach as chew toys. Place the unit where your cat already scratches, because a scratcher in the spare room does nothing at all.

Who it's for: Indoor cats who get bored between naps, in households that want a scratcher doing rather more than simply sitting there.