Scratching is not a bad habit to be trained out of a cat. It is how they shed the worn outer sheath of the claw and stretch the whole length of the back at the same time, and the only real question is what it gets done on. Corrugated cardboard is the texture most cats choose when given a fair option, because it shreds satisfyingly and gives under the claw.

This one is concertina-folded rather than flat, so the board curves up into an arch shaped like a cat's face. The curve does two useful things at once: it offers a near-vertical surface for the long overhead stretch that a flat pad cannot provide, and it forms a low tunnel underneath that most cats will either sit in or drape themselves over. A scratcher that also works as furniture tends to stay in the room, which is half the battle won.

• Concertina-folded corrugated cardboard
• Curved arch with a cat-face profile
• Suits the stretch-up scratch and the flat-out scratch
• Doubles as a perch and a low tunnel
• Single design, no assembly required

Two things worth knowing. Cardboard scratchers shed, so expect crumbs on the floor around it and a vacuum every few days. And placement decides whether it works at all: put it beside the piece of furniture your cat already scratches, not in the tidy corner you would prefer. Cardboard is also a consumable, and a keen scratcher will eventually work through it.

Who it's for: Cats who scratch and lounge in equal measure, and owners trying to move claws off the arm of the sofa.