Cats do not scratch the sofa out of spite. They scratch it because the arm happens to be the right height, the right texture and in the right part of the room, and arguing with that rarely gets anybody anywhere. Draping something more appealing over the exact spot they have already chosen does work, and that is all this is: a long sisal panel laid over an arm or a corner.

The mat runs 130cm by 45cm, long enough to fall down both faces of a typical sofa arm rather than perching on top and sliding off at the first proper pull. Sisal is the working surface, taking a claw the way tree bark does, which is what cats are actually after, and wearing down over months instead of shredding within a week. It comes as a plain panel or a shaped armrest cover, handed left or right.

• 130 x 45 cm sisal scratching panel
• Two styles: flat sisal panel or shaped armrest cover
• Left-handed and right-handed versions
• Light grey and dark grey
• Drapes over an arm or corner with no fixings needed
• Protects upholstery by redirecting scratching

One figure we will not repeat. The manufacturer's diagram gives the sisal panel width as 49M while every other number on the same drawing is in centimetres, which is a printing error rather than a 49-metre panel, and we are not going to guess what was meant. Use the overall 130 x 45cm when measuring, and choose left or right standing in front of the sofa.

Who it's for: Owners of a sofa already under attack who would rather redirect the cat than keep telling them off.