Whether you encourage your cats and dogs to hop up on the couch or have decided to wrap your entire home in plastic, what really is the best material for your furniture? With most homes having a cat or dog or both, is leather a good option for the furniture in your space? As much as we all love our furry friends we also love the brand new sofa we just spent our entire paycheck on. We have looked into this very question and have come up with the best list of furniture and our take on this entire debate.
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Leather furniture and pets have had a quiet alliance since the style of furniture was created. True leather is too thick to be punctured by a cat or dog's claws and is actually one of the easier styles of furniture to clean. From spills to pet accidents, this style of furniture is one of the top-rated for handling pets. The great thing about this is that you do not have to sacrifice your or your pet's comfort when it comes to having a leather sofa or piece of furniture.
Now that you have allowed your cat or dog back onto your sofa let's get into the nitty-gritty. As you continue to read we will be giving information and even cleaning tips for you and your pet-friendly furniture. And no, a kitten is not writing this article.
Leather Furniture And Your Pets
Have no fear if you have leather furniture and a household with pets. True, genuine leather does a lovely job of withstanding the inevitable activity of pets. The material can stand the test of time with its thick, sturdy build. While pets can very well scratch the leather, it can be repaired quite well. Pet hair is pretty easy to remove from this material, too.
Does faux leather hold up to pets?
Faux leather is very popular among furniture buyers who prefer a more sustainable option and holds up pretty well against pets. With faux leather being the friendlier option, it also packs a punch and fights off spills, claw marks, and even punctures. True leather does have a sturdier and thicker feeling to it versus faux leather but the two are extremely close. Either way, you are going to be thanking yourself for purchasing these materials compared to others for your home's furniture.
Below, we have attached an example of a leather and a faux leather sofa for you to compare for yourself.
Real Leather
This sofa is an example of an Italian tanned pure leather design from POLY & BARK. True leather tends to run on the higher end side of the furniture market and can be very expensive versus faux.
Click here to see this couch on Amazon.
Faux Leather
Our next sofa is an example of a faux leather material made by HONBAY. Faux leather still has that classic look and feel to it while also being more sustainable. This type of material also runs much cheaper than a standard true leather design.
Click here to see this couch on Amazon.
Do Cats Like To Scratch Leather?
Cats enjoy scratching everything. Leather, unfortunately, is not safe from your cat deciding to go full-on scratcher but there are habits and products to help prevent the destruction. Cats' claws are much finer and sharper than dogs and can actually shred many materials of your furniture. Leather tends to hold out the best of furniture styles and is your safest bet when owning a cat.
How do you keep cats from scratching leather?
We have found some products to hopefully keep your cat occupied while you enjoy your leather or faux leather furniture. Check out our favorites below.
Deterrent Spray
This first contraption is from PetSafe and trains your cat to not stick around certain areas of your home. This sprayer works as a deterrent for your cat when they are about to commit a heinous crime on or to your furniture. The spray is made from a colorless and odorless pet-friendly ingredient that also turns out to be eco friendly.
Click here to see this product on Amazon.
Furniture Shield
This next product is for a bolder cat who has decided the spray is not a strong enough option. These shield protectors are made by Stelluca and promise to safely adhere to any material sofa and are safe to use against cat scratches. This is more of a last resort option but may come in handy if your cat has decided they no longer have any regard for your furniture.
Click here to see this product on Amazon.
How do you fix cat scratches on a leather couch?
If even after setting traps and spraying your cat they have still managed to ruin your leather couch, we have got you covered. Although your leather may not look brand new after your cat has scratched it, there are products to lessen the effect they might have. We have found some great remedies to cat scratches on leather couches and have attached them below.
Leather Milk
Chamberlain's Leather Milk promises to repair scratched leather. The cool thing about this leather cleaner is that it is an all-natural leather moisturizer. You have to think of your leather furniture like skin and skin needs moisture to look good. Many pet owners have sounded off in the reviews and say this is the real deal.
Click here to see this product on Amazon.
Leather Restoration Kit
This next cat scratch remedy is from the Furniture Clinic and promises to buff out scratches on your leather furniture. This product is more of a full kit versus the leather milk and does come in specific colors to match your sofa's exact shade. The set includes a recoloring balm, leather cleaner, sponge, and a cleaning cloth.
Click here to see this product on Amazon.
How do you get dog hair off your leather couch?
Now that we have addressed the clawing and cracking of your leather couch, what about the hair? Dog hair can cling to leather and make for a very uncomfortable sitting experience. Luckily, there are products to end this dilemma. Dog hair is very specific in the way it almost sticks to leather furniture, so you have to choose the right product to fight against it.
Luckily for all of you, we dove into this question and found some amazing dog hair repellants for your couch.
Pet Lint Rollers
We found these pet hair lint rollers from Haer that promise to safely remove hair from leather furniture. These work as jumbo and extra sticky rollers that will remove the hair from your sofa without causing any leftover residue or damage.
Click here to see this product on Amazon.
Handheld Pet Vacuum
This next product comes from Bissell and is designed to catch and pick up dogs and any pet hair from furniture. This vacuum is leather friendly and is easy to store and clean.
Click here to see this pet vacuum on Amazon.
Will dogs scratch a leather couch?
Unfortunately, when it comes to pets scratching your leather couch, dogs are not immune. Dogs tend to accidentally scratch leather furniture and usually do not cause as much damage compared to their feline counterparts.
Dogs' claws are thicker and thankfully only cause surface or artificial damage in most cases. Using a good leather cleaner or moisturizer will get these surface scratches out and get your couch looking brand new. Do try to trim or file your dog's nails down every once in a while to avoid this type of thing from happening.
How to protect leather couch from dog's nails?
Protecting your leather couch from your dog's nails is very similar to cats. Dogs in nature do not outwardly try to destroy your things, so keeping up with leather maintenance is quite easy. Moisturizing and cleaning leather couches and furniture periodically will in turn allow your furniture to last longer.
Sticking with natural ingredients and high moisture products will keep your couch looking amazing while protecting it from future scratches. Blankets and leather couch cloth protectors have also been used to prevent dogs from scratching your leather while also keeping them comfy.
Painless Dog Nail Trimmer
This painless automatic nail trimmer is intended for dogs of all shapes and sizes and is made by Casfuy. The automatic approach versus a standard trimmer is less abrasive on your dog's nails and will make this trimming process easier.
Click here to see this trimmer Amazon.
Dog Bed For Sofa
This next approach to keeping your dog's nails off the couch comes from Petmaker and is so cute. Trying out a warm and comfortable solution to nail marks is a great way to keep that leather shining.
Click here to see this product Amazon.
How do you get pet odor out of a leather couch?
Now that you have got the nail marks out of your leather couch, what do you use to get rid of the smell? Pet odor can be matted in their fur and really end up causing a smell to your leather sofa. Luckily enough, getting a smell out of a leather couch is easier than those pesky claw and nail marks. We have done a little digging and have found some great products to use for any pet odors you may be experiencing.
We also have created a list of steps to follow when cleaning the affected area:
- Gather a washcloth or rag to use as a cleaning wipe on your leather.
- Mix a leather cleaning product of your choice with warm water.
- Rub the mixture onto your leather couch in circular motions.
- Polish the leather with a dry cloth when you are done.
- Now your leather couch smells fresh!
Guardsman Furniture Care Kit
This kit comes with a dusting cloth, leather preserving wipes, odor removing spray, and even wood cleaner for your couches finishings.
Click here to see this kit on Amazon.
Leather Honey
Leather Honey is a deep cleaning and moisturizing product that promises to rid your leather of any odors. Another note to add is that this product contains no toxins and is made in the USA.
Click here to see this product on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
When it comes down to the final answer of whether or not a leather couch is the right pet option, we have to say yes. You want to have a couch that makes everyone happy and will weather the many storms that will come its way. Leather has proven to be easy to clean and maintain with pets and even people. Although your cat or dog may decide one day to choose violence and scratch your furniture, there is always a spray or cream to fix it.
Now that you have realized your favorite leather couch is actually amazing for your pets as well, our final recommendation would be for you to cuddle your furry friend(s). Before you go, be sure to check out some of our other articles discussing leather couches:
9 Types Of Leather Couches By Leather Type
Which Throw Pillows Work Best With A Leather Couch? [21 Ideas With Pictures]