How to stop a cat scratching?

[PenfoldsFive]

Our cat is shredding the newel post. Apart from tin foil, can anyone recommend something to stop her? She has no interest in a scratching post, until now she scratched the shed and a fence post, so she’s obviously keen on wood.

They don't like citrus, try rubbing the post with the skin of an orange or lemon or if it's okay and won't ruin it squeeze the juice on it too. If that produces some results, continue or get hold of lemon or orange essential oil which should linger on the post for a bit longer.

How tall is the scratching post and how many does she have? It needs to be at least as tall as she is when she's stretching up, otherwise it's pointless. Many of them are too short.
You could also offer her a cardboard block scratcher as some cats prefer these

Offer her a couple of scratching posts of appropriate height, place one of them next to the newel post

Don't use citrus as you'll likely just stress her and create more problems. Scratching is a normal behaviour that she needs to perform.

She doesn’t have a post at all, we bought one when we first adopted her but she wasn’t interested in it. We’ve had her for about 4 years and she’s only just started doing this. Come to think of it, she did have one of the cardboard box ones and loved it, it was in the hall, so I wonder if she is turning her claws to the nearest thing. I’ll get her a new one.

Yup she needs to scratch - it's a normal feline territorial behaviour. If you give her something appropriate to perform her normal behaviours in, she'll likely use them

Pets at home do an extra tall one, ours loved his because he could stretch right up high.

Thanks! The new cardboard scratcher is on order. Hopefully now we have nicer weather she will also rediscover the joys of scratching the fence and the shed.