How to Stop a Cat Scratching Wallpaper and Walls

If your cat is peeling the wallpaper or clawing the walls, they're after height and a place to mark — and the fix is to give them a legitimate vertical outlet right where they're targeting. A tall, sturdy scratcher next to the damaged spot, ideally paired with somewhere to climb, redirects the behaviour better than any deterrent on its own.

Wall-scratching is almost always about marking and the urge to reach up and stretch. Cats have scent glands in their paws, and a prominent wall is a billboard. You won't stop the instinct, but you can move it somewhere acceptable.

Why cats scratch walls and wallpaper

Walls tick several feline boxes at once: they're tall enough for a full vertical stretch, firmly anchored so the claws get resistance, and often in high-traffic spots perfect for leaving a visible, scented mark. Textured or woodchip wallpaper is extra tempting because it shreds satisfyingly and rewards the effort.

Look at the height of the scratch marks. High marks mean your cat wants to reach up and stretch tall, so a short scratcher won't cut it — you need something that lets them extend fully. If those marks sit high up, you're firmly in vertical-scratcher territory, as our Horizontal vs Vertical Scratchers guide explains.

Put a tall, stable scratcher exactly where they scratch

The single most effective move is a tall, rock-solid scratcher placed against the wall they're targeting. It must not wobble — a scratcher that tips mid-stretch teaches a cat to distrust it and head back to the reliable wall.

• A tall cat scratching post strong natural sisal gives the full upward stretch a wall-scratcher is craving.
• A red mushroom cat scratching post toy adds play appeal for younger cats.
• For corners and skirting, a cat scratch furniture protector DIY scratching mat shields the wall edge directly.

Placement is everything — same wall, same height, same room. We cover the principle in Where to Put a Scratching Post: Placement That Works. Browse the full cat scratching posts range, plus cat trees and scratchers for combined options.

Give them height a different way: go vertical

Many wall-scratchers are really frustrated climbers. If your cat is trying to get *up* the wall, the deeper fix is vertical territory — shelves, perches and walkways that let them climb legitimately and survey the room from a height.

Adding a few cat wall shelves gives a confident, secure route up that satisfies the same drive far better than wallpaper. A cat with proper high-up spots to claim is far less interested in marking the plaster. Pair the climbing route with a scratcher at its base and you've covered both the stretch and the climb.

Protect the wall while the habit moves

Work both sides at once: make the alternative great and the wall dull. Temporarily protect the damaged area so it stops being rewarding:

• Tape a sheet of clear acrylic, a smooth panel or double-sided tape over the targeted patch — cats hate the texture.
• Rub catnip on the new scratcher and reward every use.
• Add a soft resting spot like a round plush bed or a cooling pet mat near their new vertical zone so it becomes a place they want to be.

Keep the protection on the wall only until the habit transfers, then quietly remove it.

Be consistent — and rule out stress

Never punish a cat for scratching; shouting or spraying water just makes them anxious and harms your relationship without teaching anything useful. Reward the right surface every time and give it a week or two. The same redirect-and-reward approach works for furniture in How to Stop a Cat Scratching the Sofa for Good, and our cat scratching hub pulls it together.

If the scratching has ramped up suddenly, become frantic, or comes alongside spraying, hiding or overgrooming, it's worth raising with your vet, as a spike in marking can point to stress or a medical issue rather than simple decorating mischief.

Wall-scratchers want to reach up and leave their mark. Give them a tall scratcher and a vertical climb in the same spot, and the wallpaper gets to grow old gracefully.