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Step 1
Observe your cat. If it's already scratching your furniture or carpeting, this will give you an idea of what kind of material it prefers to scratch. Scratching posts are made with many different kinds of material, and you will need to experiment to see which kind it will use. For a new kitten, buy at least a couple of different kinds to start.
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Step 2
Observe your cat's position when it scratches. Does it prefer to scratch the floor--such as a carpet--or a vertical surface like furniture? Choose either a flat or upright/hanging scratching device based on your cat's preference.
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Step 3
Place the posts. If your cat is already scratching, place them in front of the piece of furniture or on the spot on the carpet. Once you've got the cat using the post, you can gradually move it to a more convenient location.
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Step 4
Rub the scratching posts with catnip to get your cat's attention.
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Step 5
Praise your cat whenever it uses the post, and pet it afterwards. However, if you've always yelled at your cat for scratching, it doesn't realize that the furniture is the problem--it thinks that it always gets yelled at for scratching. So be careful to use a quiet voice. You don't want to scare it away from the post when it's doing exactly what you want.
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Step 6
If your cat is still startled every time you speak when it's scratching, try teaching it a praise word. Get some treats, and as you feed each treat, say something like "Good kitty" in a positive tone. Do this repeatedly for a week or so. Then try using that phrase to praise the cat when it uses the post.
