Best furniture for cats? We updated this guide to provide you with the latest and most helpful information.
Our pets are an adorable and essential part of our lives. But while it’s relaxing to bond with them on the sofa, dealing with pet dander, drool, odours, or scratches is inevitable. These can cause stains and damage to your couch fabric. It’s truly a challenge to keep the prime quality of your sofa with your adorable pets around.
However, you can start by choosing a new pet-friendly sofa material that is more durable, stain-resistant, anti-scratch, and easy to clean.
Dog & Cat Proof Sofa: What Are the Characteristics of a Pet-Friendly Sofa Material?
When looking for the best couch material for your dog or cat, here are the three main characteristics you should look for:
- The couch must be scratch-resistant. Pets love to play with surfaces, including the sofa. Some sofa materials may hide the scratches, but many don’t.
- The sofa must be stain-resistant. Spills and stains are inevitable, so it’s highly advisable to choose a couch fabric material that is stain-resistant or easy to clean.
- The sofa must allow you to remove pet hair easily. Pets may leave some hair or fur on your couch, clothes, or even your mattress. To prevent attracting pet hair, opt for a tightly woven sofa or a style with no weaves at all, like a leather couch. Also, choose a material that can be easily vacuumed or cleaned with a brush.
- Tight-woven fabrics like denim, canvas, and other human-made materials are safe from cat claws.
| Quick Trivia: Cats are not fond of scratching very soft or sleek-textured fabrics. But it's always good to train your little friend to not scratch on furniture surfaces. |
Here are some pet-friendly sofas and materials to make your home a home for both you and your adorable pet.
Pet-friendly Sofa Materials (for dogs, cats and other pets)
Leather
Leather sofas are known for their durability and ease of maintenance. The leather or faux leather material gives the sofa its smooth texture, which means that pet hair will not stick to the surface. A leather sofa is also less porous and spill-proof; thus, you can easily wipe away stains and fix pee accidents when they occur without dealing with tough odours.
In terms of colour selections, genuine leather sofas come in a myriad of colours. If you’re looking for more options, a faux leather sofa offers more colour varieties. However, we recommend prioritising a genuine leather material for your couch, especially if durability is your top priority.
Pros:
- Leather is naturally durable
- Leather is easy to clean
- Leather sofas are less porous
- Genuine leather ages nicely and develops patina over time
Cons:
- Some leather types may still be prone to cat-scratching
- Genuine leather couches are generally more expensive than other sofa types
Microfiber
Like faux leather, microfiber is also a synthetic sofa material that is known for its stain resistance. But, of course, these two are very different in many areas. However, like faux leather, microfiber fabric doesn’t absorb liquids easily and can be spot-cleaned using mild soap and a vacuum cleaner.
Note that some microfiber couches are pet-hair magnets, so choose a colour that matches your dog or cat's fur. The trapped pet hairs from the microfiber sofa can also be removed using a lint roller.
Pros:
- Microfiber is made of strong threads that can withstand pet activities
- You can easily clean a microfiber couch using mild soap water
- Unlike leather, microfiber is not prone to scratching
- Microfiber sofa material can help hide pet dander
Cons:
- If not regularly cleaned, microfiber sofas may trap allergens due to pet dander
- Microfiber sofas are not very safe for pet pee accidents
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Tips:
1. Vacuum your microfiber sofa regularly to get rid of dust and pet dander. You can also remove stubborn pet hair from the surface of your sofa using a lint roller. 2. When buying a microfiber sofa, look for a variety with water-resistant properties. |
Outdoor Fabric
Outdoor sofa fabrics are created to withstand extreme weather changes and constant wear and tear. Outdoor fabric sofas are generally stain-resistant and are very efficient at handling pet-induced wear and tear. Modern outdoor fabric sofas come in a wide variety of colour options, so you’ll surely enjoy their style on top of their durability.
Pros:
- Outdoor sofa fabrics are water-resistant.
- Quality outdoor sofas are designed to withstand heavier use
- Outdoor sofa materials are easy to clean
Cons:
- Some outdoor sofa designs might not fit your living room's aesthetics, so it's good to consider a variety of options before buying one
Canvas
Canvas is a tightly woven material that does not easily trap pet hair. This durable fabric does not wear out easily and can be cleaned with mild soap and water. If you plan to buy a new sofa and make it pet-friendly, a canvas slipcover is an affordable choice.
Pros:
- Canvas is an easy-to-clean and inexpensive pet-friendly sofa material
- Canvas is not easy to stain
- Canvas is also less prone to retaining claw marks
Cons:
- Canvas sofas generally have a "casual" look, which may not fit some interior themes
Denim
Speaking of casual, if you are going for a casual living room style, an anti-scratch sofa made from denim fabric is a good choice. Denim is safe from cat claws and is easy to clean using a vacuum cleaner.
Pros:
- Tight-woven denim sofas are cat-claw safe compared to other materials
- You can remove pet dander from a denim sofa with ease using a vacuum cleaner
Cons:
- Like canvas sofas, denim couches have this casual look, which may not fit some interior themes
Dark-Coloured Fabric
If you want to explore more sofa types while still maintaining a dog, cat, and pet-friendly living room, look for a dark-coloured or patterned sofa. Dark-coloured sofas hide stains better than light-coloured varieties, plus they add a stylish depth to your interior design.
Pet-friendly Couch Material: Takeaway
Keep a happy and comfortable environment that you can safely share with your family, dogs, cats, and other furry friends with a wide selection of pet-friendly sofas for your cosy living room. Select a sofa based on the characteristics that we listed to enjoy your sofa better.
Buy premium furniture pieces that suit your preferences and lifestyle. Megafurniture offers pet-friendly sofa selections in Singapore, including leather, faux leather, velvet, and more pet- and family-friendly materials.