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Cats and leather sofas?

1K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  Pinkerbelle 
#1 ·
We have a fabric sofa that has been plucked to bits by the cats sharpening their claws. We are thinking about replacing it as one its WHITE (not good with cats and kids) and isn't big enough to fill the gap.


If we buy a leather sofa will the cats through habit still go to pluck it, therfore making a big mess of new sofa? Would we better off sticking to fabric and putting up with the plucking at it. They are no longer as bad as they were since we had been given a scratching post but old habits die hard.


Suggestions and experiences required before we make a BIG mistake.
 
#2 ·
My late brother had a black leather 90 degree sectional sofa that his two cats barely put a mark on. There were maybe 4 little claw marks on the whole thing. The marks were so small that you really had to search for them.
The cats had a number of cardboard scratch pads scattered around the room which they preferred to scratch on. :)
 
#4 ·
Same here, Gracie is completely uninterested in scratching the leather sofa, although she was half-heartedly scratching the two fabric-covered recliners (until we spritzed them with Feliway for a few weeks, and got a new cardboard scratcher, too. )

:) Fran
 
#7 ·
The OH wants a leather sofa set, even more so now that we've heard and been told by several people that cats generally don't like the feel of leather under their claws so they won't scratch it/scratch it has much. But I've also heard that some cats like to go to the bathroom on leather sofas. Not sure about how true either of these are, but from seeing the comments on how leather sofas have worked for other posters it may be true about them not liking the feel of leather, and I'm sure leather is easier to clean if something should spill on it.
 
#12 ·
They will not claw at the sofa but when they are running around, jumping onto the couch and down from the couch you may find puncture marks from their back claws. I used to have a leather couch and that was the only problem.

Kittens are a different story because they use their claws to climb everything until they are big enough to jump.
 
#14 ·
Before you get a leather sofa thinking it will be cat-proof, beware. I've had my kitty for only two or three months and my dark brown/black leather sectional is completely ruined. She doesn't scratch it intentionally, but rather when she runs across it or jumps off of it her claws leave big and deep scratches. Trimming her claws very short does not help at all. When I've brought her to visit my parents I drape blankets over their leather furniture just to be safe. But if you're simply asking whether a cat will intentionally scratch your leather sofa, I think the answer is probably no.

With that said, it is important to note that there are many difference types of leather with different "scratch-resistances". For example I have a few leather bar stools that don't have any scratches on them because they're made of much thicker leather.
 
#15 ·
Sebastian has shredded the corners of my leather armchair's cushion. I'm thinking of having a stiff fabric slipcover made for it because I hate looking at it this way.

If you're going to make the investment in a leather sofa, make sure you keep the kitties' claws cut short. That helps a lot.
 
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