Apologies for taking this a bit OT but I'd like to know if there's a practical and reasonably humane* way to stop cats ruining soft furnishings.

Until now, and this hasn't been much of a problem because we have deliberately shabby furniture because of the two dogs and the cat and the stress-free life we have in not caring about furnishings. For one reason or another, we are going to replace the settee and chairs with new ones and it'll bug me madly to see the cat clawing his way across the top of the settee.

The dogs, incidentally, just bring mud into the house and we can remove that once it's dry, torn fabric isn't so easy.

* I can't wring his bleedin' neck 'cos he's loved by my son and my partner, what's the answer?

Before I forget; leather isn't an option we can consider.