Cats scratch to strip the dead outer sheath from their claws and to leave a scent mark, and they prefer to do it where they sleep and where the household gathers, which is precisely why the arm of the sofa gets it. Corrugated cardboard shreds satisfyingly under a claw, and this one is dished through the middle so that the same object also works as a bed.

The oval body is built from tightly packed corrugated card standing on edge, so claws catch in the open flutes and drag through them much as they would through bark. The dished centre gives a cat a rim to rest a chin on, and the curved sides give the body something to press against, which is what most cats are really after when they choose a container over an open cushion. Two footprints are available, both the same height.

• Oval corrugated cardboard scratcher with a dished lounging centre
• Choice of 45 x 30 x 9cm or 50 x 35 x 9cm
• White finish
• Works as both a bed and a scratching surface
• Low, flat profile suits cats who scratch horizontally
• Can be turned over when one side wears down

Cardboard is a consumable, and it makes a mess. A well-used scratcher sheds little curls of card onto the floor around it and will eventually need replacing, which is the trade for a surface cats genuinely take to. Put it beside the furniture your cat currently scratches rather than in a quiet corner. If your cat stretches up door frames instead, buy a vertical post.

What the options mean. Sold in sizes from 30x9cm to 35x9cm — £29.99 to £33.99.

Who it's for: Cats who scratch flat surfaces and like a shallow container to nap in, in homes where the sofa needs a serious rival.