Leather furniture - cat proof?

gettingready

It depends on the quality of leather to be honest.

My boys punctured rather than scratched when they were young and yes it shows on leather.

NewShadow

I've three little furry monsters, and while none of them scratch the suite, the suite is most certainly scratched.

They jump, run, bounce, leap, up, over, and around. It's impossible to think they won't slip or overbalance, and then the claws come out to steady themselves.

Decent leather (Full grain not that PU junk or thin suede) should 'heal' most puncture marks with a good feed.

I do recommend making sure you use a feed rather than just a cleaner - but do expect your cats to be very interested in the smell/taste of the sofa for a bit afterwards (most 'feed' is non-toxic, but check).

Tigsteroonie

We have a leather suite, and a middle-aged cat.

The cat will choose to curl up on the sofa or the chair, quite happily, loves curling up alongside my legs when I recline the chair. He'll also sleep on a footstool, on a dining chair, on top of the toolbox in the outhouse, in littl'uns pop-up tent, in the garden moss ... He really doesn't care where he sleep!

Our suite bears no marks from the cat. MIL's suite, on the other hand, is horrifically scratched by her cats. I don't think it's the suite, or the cat, it's the owner. Our cat knows better than to scratch our furniture

Flick216

I used to have leather furniture - whilst the cats would happily sit and sleep on it, they would not scratch it.

Now we have upholstered furniture and it's the scratching post of choice

no1catman

Thanks everyone for the replies/comments.


We have a mature rescue calico cat - doesn't go berserk with the furniture, but even lying down and scratching along the base - it's disheartening to see threads adrift!


I may not like it, but it maybe too much not get some accidental scratches - but want I certainly don't want to find are punctures, and rips, in new leather furniture - especially considering how expensive it can be.
Did have a scratching post, but she ignored that, sometimes she goes on the side gate, and sometimes the landing carpet -- arrrggh!!


Next then - is any recommendations on which retailer gives the best 'deal' good product, up to safety standards (not fake ones), with a traditional look??

Pollycat

We had a fabric 3 piece suite, my cat used to sleep on the back of the chair - the cushion was attached to the back of the chair making a sort of sling - IYSWIM.

When we changed it to a leather suite, he went to jump up on the cushion then up to the back - and recoiled!

The salesman had told us that there was something that deterred cats from getting on the furniture.

I'm sure the smell faded but by then he'd got out of the habit of sleeping in that particular place.

HB58

Our previous sofas were ruined in just a few weeks by the cats we had then.

We got new sofas recently and went for leather again. We lightly sprayed with stuff that is supposed to deter cats - having checked on an inconspicuous patch first. Whatever the reason, they haven't had a concerted attempt to scratch.

They do like to sit/lie on the furniture, the fact that it is leather doesn't seem to have put them off.

no1catman

Only trouble, when you start looking at the leather furniture itself, the cheaper ones get quickly discarded.


And before you know it you're around the three-grand area!!
For example - like the DFS supreme, but a local company so far is the favourite at just under two and a half - it would have been much more but for 'Sale' reduction.

peachyprice

We've just got rid of a leather sofa, the cats had scratched one particular arm to pieces.