Been searching for this american product - Sticky Paws. It appears to be something like a double-sided sticky tape that you put round the corners of your furniture to discourage the cat from scratching. I bet it works too. You know what the cat is like when she gets sellotape on her paws on Christmas day - that'll be her every time she goes to scratch the sofa.
Cheapest Sticky Paws I've found in the UK so far is at
http://www.petsbitsonline.co.uk