Pet Friendly Sofa Guide

What Is the Best Sofa Fabric for Pets?

For most homes with cats or dogs, a smooth, tightly woven synthetic fabric made with high polyester content is one of the more practical choices because it is durable, easier to clean and gives claws fewer loose fibres to snag.

No sofa fabric is completely scratch-proof or stain-proof, but these qualities can make a sofa more practical for everyday life with pets.

What Fabrics Should Pet Owners Be More Careful With?

Fabrics with pronounced loops, loose weaves or highly textured surfaces are more likely to catch on pet claws and become damaged over time.

This includes many bouclé and loosely woven fabrics, where claws can catch and pull individual threads or loops away from the surface.

If you have cats or dogs that regularly use the sofa, it is generally best to avoid these fabrics and choose a smooth, tightly woven fabric instead. If your pet does not scratch, climb on or sit on the sofa, fabric choice may be less of a concern.

Is Pet Friendly Leather a Good Sofa Choice for Cats and Dogs?

Leather is easy to wipe clean, but in our experience it is more vulnerable to visible claw scratches than tightly woven pet friendly fabric.

We previously offered pet-friendly leather as an option for homes with pets. However, we saw noticeably more cases of visible scratch damage compared with our tightly woven pet-friendly fabrics. After discussing this with our leather suppliers, we found that they are also moving away from marketing these leathers as pet-friendly.

If your pet rarely uses the sofa or is unlikely to scratch the upholstery, pet friendly leather can still be considered. Otherwise, we generally recommend a smooth, tightly woven pet friendly fabric for better resistance to everyday claw contact.

Match Sofa Upholstery Colour to Your Pet's Fur Colour

Pet hair is more noticeable when it strongly contrasts with the sofa colour. If your pet sheds regularly, choosing upholstery in a similar tone to their fur can make loose hair less visible between cleans.

Lighter upholstery tends to hide light-coloured fur better, while darker upholstery is generally more forgiving for darker coats.

Removable Covers Make Pet Damage Easier to Manage

For homes with pets, we generally recommend fully removable covers as a useful fail-safe. If repeated scratching damages the fabric or a pet accident leaves a lingering odour, you can purchase replacement covers from us instead of replacing the entire sofa.

Fully removable covers make maintenance and replacement easier. However, our pet friendly fabrics are not machine washable, as the backing material may separate or come loose during washing. Dry cleaning is recommended to help preserve both the fabric and its backing.

Flexible Seat & Back Cushions Make Cleaning Easier

Pet hair, crumbs and dust often collect in the gaps between sofa cushions. With loose, removable seat and back cushions, you can simply lift the cushions out to vacuum and clean these areas more thoroughly. This is much harder to do when the cushions are fixed in place.

If pet urine penetrates the sofa covers and soaks into the cushion infill, it can leave a lingering smell. With loose, removable cushions, you can purchase replacement seat and backrest cushion infills from us and replace only the affected part instead of the entire sofa.

Consider Climbing and Perching Behaviour

Cats often perch, climb and jump onto sofa arms and backrests. For cat owners, we generally recommend thick armrests and a substantial back frame, which provide a wider and more stable surface for this behaviour.

Low Sofa Legs Help Keep Cats From Going Underneath

Some cats like to crawl underneath sofas, where they may scratch the fabric or base frame from below. In more severe cases, they may even reach and damage the foam or other internal parts of the sofa.

For cat owners, we generally recommend sofas with low floor clearance to make it harder for cats to get underneath and cause this type of damage.

Reapply Water & Stain Resistance as It Wears Off

Dogs tend to bring more dirt, moisture and everyday mess onto the sofa, so water- and stain-resistant upholstery is especially useful for dog owners.

Based on discussions with our fabric supplier, the protective treatment on pet friendly fabrics can gradually wear down with regular use, often within around 6 months to 1 year depending on usage and cleaning.

When you notice liquids absorbing more quickly instead of beading on the surface on the sofa fabric, consider reapplying a suitable fabric protector to restore water- and stain-resistant performance.

Choose a Low-Profile Sofa If Your Dog Uses It

Seat height is generally a more important consideration for dogs than cats. Cats can usually access higher sofa surfaces more easily, while smaller, older or less mobile dogs may find a high seat more difficult to get on and off.

If you want your dog to join you on the sofa, we generally recommend a lower-profile design to reduce the amount of jumping required. Pet steps or a ramp can also help where needed.