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On the JJ Barnes Blog, I check out top tips from an interior design experts, Raf Michalowski from Meble Furniture and Zara O’Hare from Land of Rugs, for how to protect furniture and carpet from cat scratches.
Although cats adore scratching, it can be a problem for your carpet and furniture, and dealing with the aftermath of their scratching can be a complete nuisance. Even if you love your cat as much as I love my cat, Batman (yes, really), seeing a shredded sofa or clawed up carpet is seriously annoying.
To help me work out how to prevent my home getting ruined by my overly enthusiastic moggy, interior design experts Raf Michalowski from Meble Furniture and Zara O’Hare from Land of Rugs sent over their top tips to protect furniture and carpet from cat scratches
Scratching Posts
The experts recommend putting their scratching post close to where they spend most of their time, like close to their favourite napping spots.
Zara O’Hare from Land of Rugs recommends that you try not to move the scratching posts too much as this will make the cat want to use them less. It’s also a good idea to try and match the texture of the surface they enjoy scratching the most. It’s also a good idea to offer a variety of different scratching surfaces, such as sisal rope, carpet, corrugated cardboard, and regular wood to emulate trees. Plus try and offer a mixture of vertical, horizontal, and slanted scratching surfaces to cater to their varied preferences.
Use Sticky Paws
Sticky paws are designed to deter cats from scratching by creating a surface they find unpleasant, and eventually diverting their attention away from your furniture.
Raf Michalowski from Meble Furniture, however, points out that sticky paws can actually damage some surfaces, despite the fact that they will protect your furniture from scratches from cats. He advises that sticky paws might harm some specific furniture surfaces, such as wood finishings, leather and microfiber. Also, despite the fact that they’re transparent, sticky paws can make your furniture look unstylish.
Furniture Covers
While covers can shield your sofa from feline scratches, Raf isn’t fully persuaded due to the style consequences.
Even though covers can be useful for cats, it’s important to think about how they will look in your home, especially if you have modern or wooden furniture.
According to Raf Michalowski, covers have the potential to disrupt the straight lines of such furniture and compromise the overall design aesthetic that you intended for your space.
Deterrent Sprays
Another powerful strategy recommended by interior design professionals id the use of cat-friendly deterrent sprays. These contain ingredients that cats don’t like, such as lemon and orange, lavender and vinegar.
Even though cats hate it, Raf warns against using vinegar on furniture because it can damage it. He recommends picking a specific spray designed to use with cats.
Trim Their Claws
Zara advises that while it’s normal for cats to scratch, their nails can cause tangles, pulls, and even damage the fibers of your carpets. If your cat has damaged your carpet, you can restore some of the damage by trimming lose strands
On the other hand, if the damaged area involves frazzled fibers, cut out a matching patch from a hidden area of carpet and use glue to stick them to the damaged spot.
Conclusion
By following these top tips, cat owners can keep up with both their stylish interiors, and the joy of their furry friends.
Keep in mind that with a touch of proactiveness and imagination, it is totally possible to liver happily with our beloved feline partners.
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