A bitter spray, sold to make a thing taste unpleasant enough that a dog or cat stops returning to it. Johnson's position it two ways: to discourage destructive chewing, and as an aid against self-harm, which is the more interesting of the two because it is the reason most people reach for a product like this.

What Johnson's publish about it is short. It is bitter-tasting and it is harmless to pets. They do not name the bittering agent, give a concentration, or list any other ingredient. It comes as a 150ml pump spray rather than an aerosol, which matters if you are treating something indoors or near an animal that dislikes the hiss.

* Bitter-tasting deterrent * Described by Johnson's as harmless to pets * For dogs, cats, puppies and kittens * 150ml pump spray * No active ingredient or concentration published

A deterrent treats the surface, not the reason. Bitter sprays work while they are present and taste of something, which means reapplying, and they say nothing about why the chewing started. Boredom, teething, anxiety and pain all produce the same behaviour and only one of them is solved by making the sofa taste bad. If the chewing is directed at the animal itself rather than at your furniture, that is a conversation with a vet before it is a purchase.

Who it's for: Owners who already have a plan for the underlying behaviour and want something to buy time on a particular chair leg, skirting board or cable while that plan does its work.