Would you get fabric sofas with 2 cats?

[rainywinterday]

We REALLY need new sofas. We've got leather currently and cats leave them alone but I'd much prefer fabric for various reasons - will the cats attack them? Can I do anything to reduce scratching? (They have scratch posts and boards generally which they use but they are a bit too interested in the bottom step of carpet....)

I’ve had fabric and leather with cats
And scratch poles
I’ve had unintentional scrapes or clicked threads from back paws As they’ve chased one another around
Just a hazard with cats I suppose

We have two cats and they don’t scratch our fabric sofa at all.

Mine are Scratched to bits

Our cats don’t scratch our fabric sofa but they do lie on it and cover it in car hair.

I've had 3 pairs of cats over time and none have shredded my fabric sofas.

cat hair

Leather and cats can be a nightmare. Think puncture holes. Hundreds of puncture holes.

Keep a scratching post by the sofa

We have two, and the sofas are unscathed. Our dining room chairs, however ...

We swapped a leather for a fabric sofa. My cat didn’t pluck the leather, and hasn’t touched the fabric one. He likes the carpets much better, so they look awful!

I read that velvet sofas are great when you have cats as they can't scratch it. Has anyone tried that? My fabric one has been ruined by the cat.

I really wouldn't move away from leather apart from the scratch risk my delightful fur babies have the equally delightful habit of puking up fur balls on the leather couch and chairs but at least leather is easily wiped!

I have fabric, leather and a new kitten. He only scratches the leather one.

I have fabric and my 2 cats are constantly scratching it . The scratches aren't too bad the fabric my couch is made of seems to hide it well but I've only had it since May so i know it will end up a mess over time. Following for tips

Having just ordered a new sofa one done a bit of research. I don't think cats scratch velvet but it's a bugger for trapping cat hair. Open weave fabrics are the worst as cats like them as they can easy get their claws in. Dense weave and they are not as interested.
FWIW I don't like leather.

My cats absolutely destroyed my previous fabric sofa, but we managed to keep the damage to a minimum on our newer sofa using a "pet behaviour" spray

My old leather sofa got scratched really bad and lots of punctures, my new cord fabric sofa they don't touch but I bought a cheap small sofa which was a felt type material for the dining area and they've scratched that so badly there's a massive hole and sponge coming out of it now 🤦‍♀️

You should also provide other scratching options nearby - we put a couple of scratching posts near our sofa which have been mainly ignored BUT they love to claw the hell out of the cheap rug!

Mine are also scratched to bits, along with the carpet. Scratching posts are ignored.

I've always had cats and done scratch others don't. I bought a new house recently and if course before any furniture purchase I adopted a cat. She scratches my lovely fabric design chair but not the leather sofa. Ive provided every scract post thing under the sun and have abandoned that lovely lovely chair to her.

In hindsight after numerous kitten accidents and the fact our outdoors cat will only get up on the sofa when she's got wet muddy paws, no. But they don't scratch it, so that's a bonus. Although I've no doubt they'd find a way to trash a leather one too so I say choose with your heart not your head!

mine don't touch my fabric sofa. Could be because it is a very close weaved fabric. I also have a lot of scratching posts including one right by the sofa

Luckily they don’t touch our expensive ones, but have torn a cheapo armchair to shreds.

Thanks all - as I thought, fickle cats mean anything goes!

I'm tired of leather sofas even though they are wipeable. There's some lovely fabric ones which would fit much better in our living room. Lucky we've got a great hoover and vax for cleaning fabric but I'd not thought about muddy paws so thank you for reminding me!

Mine have made light work of my sofas. Arms completely shredded, sofa about 18 months old. Leather next time.