Save your sofa, drapes and pant legs by letting your cat take his or her big-cat instincts out on a designated abuse taker: a cat scratching post. Cat scratching posts come in a variaty of styles and features, but all are designed to be more attractive than any home decor items that you would prefer remain free from perforation. A proper cat scratching post is engineered to offer a semi-soft surface for your cats claws to sink into, and to have enough give to give your kitty the impression that she really is bringing down a gazelle on the African plains.