encouraging post usage

I'm struggling with Cleo. She's nine now and the arthritis is really affecting her. She used to love her tall sisal post, but lately she just ignores it and goes for the corners of the couch instead. It's so hard to watch her struggle to get up onto the post. Does anyone have gentle ways to encourage her back to using it without stressing her out? Max is fine, but he's only five and still has good mobility.

Placement is usually the biggest factor. If she's targeting the couch, the post needs to be right next to it, not across the room. I wrote about this in Placement matters more than type. For a cat with arthritis, a lower post or one with a softer base might be easier to access than a tall tower.

Scent and reward work wonders. I detailed this in Getting them to actually use it. Rub some catnip on the post, or use a toy to dangle near it. If she scratches it even once, give her a treat immediately. Consistency is key. Also, make sure the post is stable. I saw My post keeps falling over earlier and I agree, if it wobbles, cats will avoid it.

I have the same issue with Mochi, she's three and healthy but very picky. I found that she prefers vertical scratching over horizontal. You can read more about that in Vertical or horizontal?. Since Cleo has arthritis, maybe a vertical post that she can lean against rather than climb would be less painful? I worry about her joints.

Terri, I'm so sorry about Cleo's pain. That must be so frustrating. I've been looking for good ways to maintain the posts too. I posted about securing them in My post keeps falling over but I'm wondering if there are specific materials that are better for older cats? Something softer but still durable?