Buying a scratching post for your cat and watching your cat choose the couch next to it to sharpen its claws is disheartening. You can experiment with a few techniques to train your cat to use the scratching post. Choose a better spot. If you place the scratching post in a corner or someplace your cats don't spend time, consider moving it closer to where your cat enjoys scratching. Remove access to usual scratching spots. Try to block off spots that your cat has grown accustomed to clawing at in your home. For example, if your cat is clawing the arm of a sofa, you can place a blanket over the spot to dissuade it. If a cat fixates on a spot on the carpet, even better — put the scratching post there. Put catnip on the post. If your cat loves catnip, throw a pinch or two on the post.