I hope the scratching post is 4 feet tall or better. A cat often uses furniture (or as we prefer) a scratching post to stretch out their muscles, more so than sharpening claws. If the post is too short, or not stable, the cat will not be inclined to use it. As others have said, cats differ on what they like to scratch. Some love the cardboard toss aways, while others like sisal, or carpet. And claw clipping is always a good idea.