Cat hair on furniture

[Smo]

Hey everyone,

I would really appreciate some help with my cats, there are two of them and every day I come home and have to clean their fur off the sofas before I can sit down. They have their own comfortable beds and I brush them with the furminator brush to cut down on the amount of fur they shed but they are still lying all over the sofas. I am sick of cleaning the sofas every evening before I can sit down and I feel awful whenever my brother visits, he is really allergic to cats I feels like he wants to remove his skin every time he comes over he is so itchy from their fur on the sofa.

I would really love any tips on keeping the cats of my sofa, thanks for your help!

 

[Missy]

I feel your pain Smo! I have to vacuum every day (literally every day) because especially in the summer, the cat hair floats around in big dust balls LOL all over the place. We have wood floors (mainly) so it is easier to keep clean than carpet IMO and leather furniture for the same reason. I just brush the wood furniture and leather couches with a damp microfiber cloth and easy peasy. But it is a pain to see cat hair floating through the air right after I cleaned! But gotta love em so worth the extra effort to keep everything as cat hair free as possible. It might help your brother to take an antihistamine right before he visits. Good luck!

 

[Smo]

Hey Missy, I use a cat fur comb thingy that my MIL bought and it is pretty amazing at getting rid of cat hair but can I ask about this microfibre cloth that you use?

With regard to your cat fur dust bunnies, can I suggest a roomba vacuum or similar. We got one when we moved into an apartment with mostly wooden floors and it really made a difference. The cat fur is so painful, I feel like it is everywhere and there is nothing I can do about it.

My brother has adult eczema plus asthma so unfortunately antihistamines ain't going to cut it! I feel so bad that he is so uncomfortable in our apartment, I just want him to feel comfortable which he isn't whenever he is here .

 

[Efe]

I have used a product called Sofa Scram. It is a battery operated pad that sounds an alert when stepped on by your pet. It startles them enough to make them jump right down. It worked pretty well for my two dogs. They sell it at Petsmart and most likely at Amazon.

 

[Missy]

Hey Missy, I use a cat fur comb thingy that my MIL bought and it is pretty amazing at getting rid of cat hair but can I ask about this microfibre cloth that you use?

With regard to your cat fur dust bunnies, can I suggest a roomba vacuum or similar. We got one when we moved into an apartment with mostly wooden floors and it really made a difference. The cat fur is so painful, I feel like it is everywhere and there is nothing I can do about it.

My brother has adult eczema plus asthma so unfortunately antihistamines ain't going to cut it! I feel so bad that he is so uncomfortable in our apartment, I just want him to feel comfortable which he isn't whenever he is here .

Aww, I know it really sucks.

We love our furbabies but their allergens can wreak such havoc! I have both allergic asthma and eczema and in fact am dealing with an itchy eczema rash right now- kitty induced. Tommy was kneading on me and I touched my face with my hand after touching him and bam, rash! So itchy and red. I feel for you and your desire to make your brother as comfie as possible so he'll feel welcome in your home. It's nearly impossible to get rid of all the cat allergens when you live with them- all you can do is the best you can. Short of keeping them off the couches (and that would be impossible with our kitties LOL). How about covering the couches with something you can remove when people come over? Though I don't much care for that idea as then you cannot enjoy your pretty furniture all the time and you would feel like you are living in a construction zone- I wonder if they make something functional but attractive that can be removed easily for cat hair free couches? But again, it might reduce but won't eliminate all the cat hair.

Is he allergic to the hair and/or dander because there are different reasons people are allergic. OK I am going nowhere here not really helping. I just really really empathize with your problem- it's not a small issue.

As for the microfiber cloth we buy them at Costco and Bed Bath and Beyond but you can get them anywhere I think.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/Product.asp?SKU=17734067

Thank you for the Roomba suggestion- I was thinking about it a while ago but thought it wouldn't be worth it. Now that you recommend it I am thinking I should get it. It's not so difficult to vacuum our apt but our house is a royal pain because there is so much more to vacuum...

 

[Okie_girl]

What about getting something to cover the couches, that you could remove when your brother comes over? I'm pretty sure I've seen things at Petsmart, or Drs. Foster & Smith online, that are made primarily for dogs, but would certainly work for cats. Or, even a flat sheet. Of course, that won't keep the kitties off of the couch, but you could take them off when company's coming, and the couches should be relatively hair-free.

 

[movie zombie]

for us its function over beauty: everything is covered.

also, aluminum foil all over the chair/sofa....cats do not like it....supposedly.

 

[Missy]

I cannot stress how much easier leather furniture is to take care of - we just wipe it down with the microfiber cloths and it's cat hair free (for a short while anyway LOL). Ofc that only works if you don't mind having leather furniture which I sort of have issues with but nevertheless we have leather because it is easier cat maintenance.

 

[movie zombie]

no problems with cat claw marks? i've always been told that leather would show the punctures.....

 

[zoebartlett]

Missy, my husband would be psyched if he found out that leather couches would work with our cats. When we looked for new furniture a few years ago, he saw a leather set he loved. We passed on it though because we assumed that it would show marks very easily.

We have fabric sofas (not microfiber), and we HATE how the cat fur clings to it. We have a Dyson Animal but I haven't quite figured out how to use it on the sofas yet. There's all these attachments to figure out and try. For now, we just use a lint roller to pick up the cat fur. We go through a lot of them!

 

[Laila619]

no problems with cat claw marks? i've always been told that leather would show the punctures.....

Yes, that's what I'm wondering too! Are your cats declawed, Missy? I can only imagine the damage my two cats could do to a leather sofa with their razor sharp claws.

 

[Missy]

no problems with cat claw marks? i've always been told that leather would show the punctures.....

Yes, that's what I'm wondering too! Are your cats declawed, Missy? I can only imagine the damage my two cats could do to a leather sofa with their razor sharp claws.

Oh no! We would never ever declaw a cat. It is so inhumane- it's like ripping a person's nail off from the nail bed to the knuckle according to my sister. Never ever. It's very traumatic. I would gladly replace furniture as often as we needed before declawing a cat.

This is what happened. We had a lovely leather couch and ottoman from ABC carpet that we bought in 2004. Loved it! Over the years the cats destroyed it but mainly our fault. They only went on it when we were on it (it's true- leather is not really their thing to lounge on, they prefer different materials) and then they would love to scratch their nails etc. Now my dh and I could have stopped them but for some reason we weren't vigilant about it- till it was too late. Fast forward to about (?) 6-8 months ago- after trying to patch the ABC couch we got rid of it and bought another leather couch and this time also got more scratch pads. Now they really mainly use the scratch pads and rarely (but sometimes and now we stop them) use our couch as a scratching pad. And as I said they do not lounge on the couch unless we are on it and then they hang out with us. And since we are there if they start scratching it we stop them. So, it hasn't been an issue since we got the new couch and have been paying attention plus getting more scratch posts/pads. Also, we try to cut their nails once/week now so on a more regular schedule.

I really think this is the best compromise as cats don't love leather and as long as they have another outlet they'll leave it (for the most part) alone. And it is easy to clean.

 

[Missy]

Missy, my husband would be psyched if he found out that leather couches would work with our cats. When we looked for new furniture a few years ago, he saw a leather set he loved. We passed on it though because we assumed that it would show marks very easily.

We have fabric sofas (not microfiber), and we HATE how the cat fur clings to it. We have a Dyson Animal but I haven't quite figured out how to use it on the sofas yet. There's all these attachments to figure out and try. For now, we just use a lint roller to pick up the cat fur. We go through a lot of them!

Oh Zoe, I really hope this option works for you. I am very pleased with the leather couches re the cats and also like the clean look and feel. I never loved fabric against my skin as my skin is so sensitive that with any allergens on it my skin would react badly. Eczema, welts and rashes the whole 9 yards. You do have to give the kitties other outlets to direct their scratching attention to and teach them to leave the leather alone but I figure if we could do it with 4 very different personality cats most people can successfully do it to. Good luck!

 

[Laila619]

no problems with cat claw marks? i've always been told that leather would show the punctures.....

Yes, that's what I'm wondering too! Are your cats declawed, Missy? I can only imagine the damage my two cats could do to a leather sofa with their razor sharp claws.

Oh no! We would never ever declaw a cat. It is so inhumane- it's like ripping a person's nail off from the nail bed to the knuckle according to my sister. Never ever. It's very traumatic. I would gladly replace furniture as often as we needed before declawing a cat.

This is what happened. We had a lovely leather couch and ottoman from ABC carpet that we bought in 2004. Loved it! Over the years the cats destroyed it but mainly our fault. They only went on it when we were on it (it's true- leather is not really their thing to lounge on, they prefer different materials) and then they would love to scratch their nails etc. Now my dh and I could have stopped them but for some reason we weren't vigilant about it- till it was too late. Fast forward to about (?) 6-8 months ago- after trying to patch the ABC couch we got rid of it and bought another leather couch and this time also got more scratch pads. Now they really mainly use the scratch pads and rarely (but sometimes and now we stop them) use our couch as a scratching pad. And as I said they do not lounge on the couch unless we are on it and then they hang out with us. And since we are there if they start scratching it we stop them. So, it hasn't been an issue since we got the new couch and have been paying attention plus getting more scratch posts/pads. Also, we try to cut their nails once/week now so on a more regular schedule.

I really think this is the best compromise as cats don't love leather and as long as they have another outlet they'll leave it (for the most part) alone. And it is easy to clean.

I totally agree with the bolded. Whew!

 

[movie zombie]

its the mad leaps onto and off a leather sofa that would leave claw marks that worry me as well.....

however, i could still cover it with the pads i have which would take the beating rather than the sofa!

shall ponder this further.....

 

[Laila619]

I think I read once that a tight microfiber fabric was the best sofa material for pet owners. It's too tightly woven for cats to be able to get their claws in there and pull out loops supposedly. Can anyone attest to this? if you get a color the same as their color fur, it'll blend right in.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks for the info, Missy! It's something we'll think about in the future when buying a new set.

Totally random question, if you don't mind. When clipping your cats' claws, do you clip them shorter or just clip the sharp ends off? I think of it as clipping our own nails. We clip our nails shorter, not just the tip. That's what I do with our cats (but obviously not short enough to cause damage). My husband thinks we should clip just the sharp tips off. I now think I may be doing it wrong.

 

[Laila619]

Thanks for the info, Missy! It's something we'll think about in the future when buying a new set.

Totally random question, if you don't mind. When clipping your cats' claws, do you clip them shorter or just clip the sharp ends off? I think of it as clipping our own nails. We clip our nails shorter, not just the tip. That's what I do with our cats (but obviously not short enough to cause damage). My husband thinks we should clip just the sharp tips off. I now think I may be doing it wrong.

Hi Zoe,

You're not supposed to go below the quick, which is the pink area.

I do what your hubby suggests, just cut the sharp tips off. Here's a photo I found on Google:

 

[Okie_girl]

I think I read once that a tight microfiber fabric was the best sofa material for pet owners. It's too tightly woven for cats to be able to get their claws in there and pull out loops supposedly. Can anyone attest to this? if you get a color the same as their color fur, it'll blend right in.

I have a microfiber couch and loveseat (the microfiber is a little thicker than usual, I believe they called it "elephant skin" at the store), and I have not had any issues with my cats scratching on it. The cat hair does stick to it a little, but will come off with a damp cloth. I also use those pet hair remover things that I think are made by Scotch. They have replaceable pads that are sort of like the loopy side of velcro. Comes right up! It also seems like this fabric is a little easier to vacuum, maybe the hair doesn't get quite as embedded in it.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Laila. I haven't cut below the quick (I make sure to stay away from the pink area), but I cut them shorter than my husband does. I think I'll just trim the very tips off.

 

[Missy]

Thanks for the info, Missy! It's something we'll think about in the future when buying a new set.

Totally random question, if you don't mind. When clipping your cats' claws, do you clip them shorter or just clip the sharp ends off? I think of it as clipping our own nails. We clip our nails shorter, not just the tip. That's what I do with our cats (but obviously not short enough to cause damage). My husband thinks we should clip just the sharp tips off. I now think I may be doing it wrong.

Hi Zoe,

You're not supposed to go below the quick, which is the pink area.

I do what your hubby suggests, just cut the sharp tips off. Here's a photo I found on Google:

We cut them a bit shorter but above the quick as Laila posted. But we do cut a bit more than the tips. I wish my nails grew as fast as our furbabies nails grow LOL!!

 

[Missy]

I think I read once that a tight microfiber fabric was the best sofa material for pet owners. It's too tightly woven for cats to be able to get their claws in there and pull out loops supposedly. Can anyone attest to this? if you get a color the same as their color fur, it'll blend right in.

I have a microfiber couch and loveseat (the microfiber is a little thicker than usual, I believe they called it "elephant skin" at the store), and I have not had any issues with my cats scratching on it. The cat hair does stick to it a little, but will come off with a damp cloth. I also use those pet hair remover things that I think are made by Scotch. They have replaceable pads that are sort of like the loopy side of velcro. Comes right up! It also seems like this fabric is a little easier to vacuum, maybe the hair doesn't get quite as embedded in it.

I had a microfiber couch and loveseat when I was single and in my first apt and the cats absolutely destroyed it. I mean destroyed LOL. But again, I was too permissive in those days so really more my fault than theirs!

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Missy!

 

[Missy]

You're very welcome Zoe! I hope it works out well for you whatever you decide.

 

[lulu]

I have two leather sofas and they both have claw marks. The better and sturdier one shows less, but they love to dig into it. In the family room I have microfiber sofas and unless we have company they're covered with throws that I wash once per week. When company comes I just pull them off.

 

[EricaR]

THIS is an amazing thing. Amazing. They are made to be disposable, but I can pop the rollers out, empty it, and it is good as new. It takes about 90 seconds to clean the entire couch with it, so no biggie.

http://www.pledge.com/en-US/Products/Pages/fabric-sweeper-for-pet-hair.aspx

HAHA! I took a close look and now they are marketing it as reusable.

 

[Dee*Jay]

THIS is an amazing thing. Amazing. They are made to be disposable, but I can pop the rollers out, empty it, and it is good as new. It takes about 90 seconds to clean the entire couch with it, so no biggie.

http://www.pledge.com/en-US/Products/Pages/fabric-sweeper-for-pet-hair.aspx

HAHA! I took a close look and now they are marketing it as reusable.

But when I look at the details under the second tab it says not to reuse it...?

 

[asscher_girl]

We have 2 cats and just bought new microfiber sofas from Room & Board. The hair comes off so easily w/ a lint brush (I do it at least once a day) but luckily the cats don't lay on our sofas all that much.

I also ditto the hardwood floors comment, so much easier to clean!

Also try a Roomba, it really cuts down on the hair build up on the floors.

As for claw clipping, we cut our boys nails pretty short but their quick's are really short/hardly extend into the nail so it would be pretty hard to cut the quick area. I think you are fine cutting them short as long as they have short quicks/not cutting close to the quick.

 

[Smo]

Wow! Thanks so much for the replies everyone!

I totally agree that microsuede sofas are the way to go for cats in terms of cat fur and also clawing at the sofas. We had fabric sofas before our current microsuede ones and the fur was easier to remove but the cats absolutely shredded the sofas using them as a scrating post.

With my bro's allergies, I think it is the dander as well as the cat fur. I know covering up the sofas with a old sheet or something will help but I just don't want to live like that. I am going to investigate the sofa scram and the pledge fabric cleaning. Thanks again everyone.

 

[justginger]

I wonder if I can find those Pledge fabric cleaners here in Oz? It usually takes YEARS for us to get all the new products though! In the meantime, I ignore the fur for 6 days, then spend Saturdays vacuuming all of the furniture by hand. We splashed out on a nice Dyson - never having pets with a different branded vacuum again!

We have both microsuede and regular cloth couches. The cats will sometimes stretch against the microsuede with their front feet up on them, claws out but not scratching. But the fabric couches? Definitely get clawed. I don't mind - I bought them ONLY because we needed a sofa bed for company visiting last year, and they were $200 used! Some cat trees are more than $200 here, so I consider them to be primarily cat toys now.

I am with mz - with our revolving door of foster animals, I've resigned myself to the fur. I do what I can to stay on top of it because it does make me feel yuck (seeing little tumbleweeds of fur!), but our house is an animal residence. I learned early in life (with 2 dogs and 5 cats growing up) that you either have a beautiful, pristine house, or a home full of furry love! I'm happy with my choices.