Does my kitten need a scratching post?

I would say 99% of the time, the answer is yes. Scratching is normal behavior for cats, and we need to give them an outlet for it because if we don't, they will scratch things we don't want them to. And so things to think about are the surfaces. Cats have different preferences. Some cats like to scratch on carpet, some cats like cardboard, and some cats like that sisal rope that you'll see. So you need to find the substance or substances that your cats enjoy. And then locations also important. Cats oftentimes want to scratch where they are sleeping or eating. So oftentimes they'll wake up, do a good stretch and do some scratching. And so you need to have locations throughout the house where they have that opportunity and they need to have opportunities to do it on substances that they enjoy.

Ideally, yes. Cats naturally have claws and a preference for scratching on horizontal or vertical surfaces. Providing an appropriate scratching post or pad can help them express their normal behaviors without damaging your furniture or carpets.

Yes, providing a scratch post or other scratching toys from an early age can help prevent them from scratching furniture in the future.