Last updated on November 4th, 2022
Many people say that when you decide to bring a cat into your home that you are also signing up to make some sacrifices. From having less money due to food, toys, and vet bills to making sure that your home is cat-proof, you are going to see fewer funds in your bank account. You might even have moments of anxiety and stress!
This, of course, is to be expected when bringing any animal into your home. But for cats specifically, one of the sacrifices that many pet owners have to make is nice-looking furniture.
Cats are known to have the desire to sharpen their claws. And sometimes, no matter what you do, your cat might start using your beloved furniture to do so.
Cats don’t scratch velvet furniture, however, if the velvet material is covering a chair cushion, it’s vulnerable to being accidentally punctured by your cat’s claws if their toy rolls onto it or if they’re stretching out their paws.
This can be incredibly frustrating and stressful as furniture is not cheap. But what can you do?
Well, many cat owners look to alternative upholstery options for their furniture, hoping that there is something out there that cats don’t like to scratch. One suggestion that many point out is velvet.
Do cats like to scratch velvet material?
When determining whether or not a cat likes to do something, it is important to remember that each animal has its own personality.
With this comes individual likes and dislikes. All of this to say, every cat is going to be different, meaning that whether or not a cat likes to scratch velvet material depends on the individual.
However, it is typical for cats to avoid velvet and look for other materials to scratch on.
You see, velvet is a fairly flat material, meaning that it doesn’t have any raised textures. There are also no loose threads hanging off of it. Because of this, cats are typically not very interested in furniture made out of velvet.
Another reason that you might see cats choosing another material over velvet is that is it more difficult for cats to get their claws into velvet due to it lacking raised textures.
Are there benefits to cat owners having velvet furniture?
If you are wanting to own a cat, or already do, you might be wondering what you can do to avoid your house looking like your cat is the one who pays the bills.
No one wants to come home to their house in tatters, their furniture clawed at every day.
If you are one of these people, you are probably intrigued by the idea of velvet fabric being uninteresting to cats. But are there other benefits to having velvet furniture besides turning your cat away?
Yes! There are other benefits to having velvet furniture, especially if you own cats. In addition to the reduced risk of clawed up furniture, things made out of velvet material also repels pet hair!
Well, repel isn’t necessarily correct. You see, velvet doesn’t hold cat hair because it doesn’t have any ridges or textures which means that pet hair and other dander will typically just lay right on top of the material. This makes cleaning it up a breeze.
The pet hair will quite literally just slide off with a simple swipe!
Additionally, velvet comes in a plethora of vibrant colors, meaning you can easily match your house’s aesthetic.
The colors might also distract any visitors you might have from all the cat toys laying about on the floor. We all know that cats love to make a mess but just won’t clean up after themselves!
What do you do if your cat starts scratching your furniture and won’t stop?
If your cat starts scratching your furniture, it can be very frustrating and stressful. Trying to get your cat to stop or even figuring out why, especially if it started suddenly, can both be difficult things to do.
So, what exactly should you do if your cat starts going after your furniture with its claws?
The first thing you need to do just might be the most difficult. What is that, though? Well, you have to stay calm.
You see, cats don’t understand human behavior, so when you get mad and yell or try to punish your cat, you are ultimately giving your cat a bad experience to associate with you. This might start to damage your relationship with your cat.
The next thing you should do is evaluate whether your cat’s needs are met appropriately. If your cat isn’t getting the proper nutrition or is frustrated with his litter box, he could start to act out.
Additionally, cats may start exhibiting destructive behaviors if mentally understimulated. If your cat is mentally understimulated, it simply means that your cat is bored.
To make sure that you are keeping your cat entertained, be sure to provide plenty of toys, towers, and scratching posts.
If you are positive that all of your cat’s needs are being met, the next step you need to do is consult your vet.
Sometimes cats will start exhibiting destructive behavior because there is something wrong with their health. You will want to be one hundred percent positive that your cat is healthy.
Finally, if your cat continues to scratch your furniture no matter what you have tried, it may be time to give your kitty some claw caps. Claw caps are plastic covers that go over your cat’s claws.
These need to be changed out periodically and can be applied by a groomer or veterinarian. Claw caps are a much safer alternative to getting your cat declawed.