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Do Cats Ruin Leather Furniture – & Tips To Stop It!

Do Cats Ruin Leather Furniture – & Tips To Stop It!

If there is one thing that cat owners hear all the time, you should never buy leather furniture. It seems like cats are attracted to leather furniture to ruin it! You may have never had a leather couch before with a cat, so you ask yourself this: do cats ruin leather furniture?

Yes, cats do ruin leather furniture. Cat’s nails are sharp, which can cut through the leather and can cause irreparable damage. It is best to provide alternative scratching options or deterrents to protect leather furniture from cats.

It will be an upward battle to keep your couch protected from your cat’s sharp nails, but that doesn’t mean you will never be able to own a leather couch when you are a cat owner. Keep on reading to learn more about why cats love leather couches and some strategies to keep your couch protected.

Can I Have A Leather Sofa With Cats

You can have a couch with a cat, but that does not mean that it will not get torn up.

Cats can dictate what kind of furniture is a good investment, but there are no couches that you technically can’t have with a cat.

It comes down to whether or not it is a good idea to have a leather couch with a cat.

Chances are, your leather couch will not survive in a house with a cat, and the odds are even higher if you have multiple cats.

Although you might adore the look of a leather couch, you might want to keep walking to the next showroom. 

Are Cats Attracted To Leather Furniture 

Yes, cats are attracted to leather furniture.

One reason that cats are attracted to leather furniture is that it is fun to scratch. It is stimulating and a good time, but that is not the only reason.

Cats are attracted to the smell of leather too.              

Even though leather is fun to destroy, it’s the scent of leather that keeps your cat coming back. 

You can’t smell the scent that leather gives off. Well, you may like the smell of leather too, but it does not give off the same intoxicating scent that it does for cats.

Why Do Cats Love Leather

Cats love leather because it is easy to scratch. 

Leather is smooth and tears easily with even the dullest blade.

Cats, therefore, will love a good leather couch to work their nails on.

Many cats love to see their path of destruction, which sounds funny enough. As your cat scratches your couch, he can see the claw marks happening. You might also notice that your cat loves to see his ruined toys, so it’s much the same. 

Leather isn’t as effective as sharpening your cat’s nails as a scratching post may be, but your cat has a good time ruining it! 

How Do You Fix Cat Scratches In Leather

Once a cat begins to scratch and destroys leather, it can be challenging to fix the cat scratches.

Here are some methods you can use to fix cat scratches on your leather couch:

  • Use a leather marker to fill in some of the more minor scratch marks
  • Find a person who specializes in leather repair if your cat is more expensive
  • Cover your couch with new fabric, whether it is leather or otherwise
  • As a temporary solution, cover ruined sections of your couch with a blanket or throw pillows

Most people end up living with a couch with scratch marks because it can be expensive to fix. 

After you spent so much money on the couch itself, you do not expect to put more money into your couch.

Strategies To Protect Your Leather Furniture From Cats

We all want to protect leather furniture from cats, so here are a few strategies that you can use, so your new purchase doesn’t get destroyed:

Get Your Cats Declawed

First, I do not support getting cats declawed, but a declawed cat is the best way to protect your furniture and house for many people. 

Declawing is a painful process for your cat, and there could be complications that arise because of it. 

I would not say that declawing is your first and best option, but it is an option nonetheless. 

Spray Your Furniture With A Smell That Cats Do Not Like

You can purchase sprays with a sour scent that sends a cat running! The smell to you may not smell very terrible, but your cat will hate it.

Depending on the personality and taste of your cat, this may be enough to protect your leather couch.

Some cats, however, will ignore the smell and continue scratching. Thus, this spray can be helpful, but it is not a full-proof option. 

Teach Your Cat Not To Scratch The Leather

While this won’t save your couch from immediate doom, teaching your cat not to scratch the leather is a good idea. 

This lesson – as long as it works! – will save all of your leather, not just your couch. 

Get A Scratching Post

Your cat may scratch leather because there is nowhere else for your cat to sharpen his claws, so he chooses your couch as his victim. 

You can put the scratching post next to your couch for your cat to use. That way, if your cat is scratching the couch, you can easily move him to the scratching post, so he learns to scratch the post instead of the arm of the couch. 

Put A Blanket Over Your Leather Couch To Protect It

This is in no way a long-term solution to your problem, but putting a blanket on your leather couch can deter your cat from scratching the couch.

Of course, your cat can push the blanket out of the way to continue scratching, but there is also a chance that your cat will forget that he was scratching.

Plus, the blanket may encourage your cat to take a nap if he was going to rip up the furniture in the first place.

Use Leather Scratch Guard

Leather scratch guard is a surprisingly good choice if you want to protect your couch from your cat’s nails.

Scratch guard comes in several different sizes, but the use is always the same. The scratch guard is almost like a double-sided tape that you stick onto your couch. It doesn’t ruin your leather, but it will stop your cat from scratching.

Your cat’s nails, fur, and paw pads stick to the scratch guard, which your cat doesn’t like. 

Your cat still may scratch around it, but if there is a spot that your cat particularly likes scratching, it could do wonders! 

Things To Consider

If you want the look of a leather couch, but you have a cat, you may second guess that beautiful, expensive leather couch you spotted on the showroom floor at your local furniture store. 

You don’t have to give up on your dream of owning a leather couch completely. You have more than one option.

Skip The Real Leather Couch

You can skip real leather – and the cost of a leather couch – by buying a faux leather couch. 

You will get something close to what a leather couch will look like, but you will not be out as much money if your cat starts to ruin your furniture.

Buy Secondhand 

To save some money, you can buy your leather couch second-hand, which means that it will be cheaper.

Much like buying a faux leather couch, you will save some money by buying your couch used.

Skip The Leather All Together

You might have your sights set on a leather couch, but you may need to forego that dream if you are a cat owner. 

Sometimes it is impossible to protect your couch from the destruction of your cat, so if you don’t want to lose out on the couch, you may need to go with a fabric couch. 

Cats and leather couches are like oil and water, meaning that they do not mix well together. That doesn’t mean that you can never have a leather couch if you have a cat, but you need to be prepared if your couch does not survive in your house.