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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

3269.0. "Leather furn. and cats" by WORDY::GRACE (Wait, I'm LIVING in Grace-land!) Mon Jan 22 1990 15:44

    Can someone tell me how do cats react to leather furniture?
    
    I'm planning on buying a leather sofa & loveseat in a month and I'm 
    wondering whether or not cats sink their claws into the leather. 
    
    I know that he enjoyed my burlap covered speakers (admittedly he was a 
    younger, more foolsh kitten), and he found the weave of the sofa that is 
    currently in my living room irresistable. He's tailed off in that area 
    in the last 6 months or so, but am I inviting trouble for myself?
    
    I wouldn't think of declawing him, even though he's basically an indoor 
    cat, so that option is out.
    
    I know that my 2 yr. old (neutered male) cat has settled down quite a 
    bit, but I don't want to find out the hard way that it wasn't a good
    (read $$$ expensive) idea.
    
    Does anyone out there with a cat AND leather furniture, have good luck?
    
    Russ  
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3269.1Not much help but ...XNOGOV::LISAMon Jan 22 1990 15:5013
    Mt neighbour has a small kitten and a leather sofa plus two chairs.
    (Whoops sp, meant MY!). They have trained :-) her not to jump on
    the furniture, but they haven't been 100% successful. It still looks
    perfect to me, but my neighbour can see the minute claw marks at 50
    paces!
    
    Try it or you'll never know!
    
    There are lots of notes on keeping cats off furniture, perhaps you
    should take a peek before deciding.
    
    Lisa plus P&P
    
3269.2Some pointersVAXWRK::LEVINEMon Jan 22 1990 16:0112
I just went back and added the keyword LEATHER to notes with leather
in their title, so typing SHOW KEY/FU LEATHER will give you a place
to start.  You might try DIR/TITLE=FURN to find notes where furniture
is discussed, since I've never keyworded that.

For what it's worth, I have a leather chair that has not been damaged
by my cats.  But mine are pretty good and don't seem to damage things
and all have all their claws.  Now if I could just stop Orson from
eating the wallpaper!

Pam
3269.3BTU = Burmese Thermal UnitsDYO780::AXTELLDragon LadyMon Jan 22 1990 16:246
    My cats aren't too hard on the leather chair, but they do cause
    some damage to my leather saddles. They like to sit on the saddles
    and leave scrathes from the "mounting" process.  They might be leaving
    the chair alone 'cuase it's not in a favorite basking place.
    
    
3269.4WR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JOset home/cat_max=infinityMon Jan 22 1990 18:2614
    I would start an all out, do-not-scratch-furniture campaign now,
    and start teaching the cats not to claw the sofa you have now. 
    Then, when you are confident that they know that you mean it, then
    go buy your leather sofa.  Why let the training start on the sofa
    that you want to protect.  You can bet there will be an occassional
    mistake if they aren't already trained not to use the sofa.
    
    You will have to provide them with an alternative place to scratch,
    since it is instinctual for them.  If you don't provide one, they
    will find it themselves.  Also, if you keep the points trimmed off
    their nails, they will be less likely to leave "tread" marks in
    the leather.
    
    Jo
3269.5CIRCUS::KOLLINGKaren/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca.Mon Jan 22 1990 18:598
    I've had the same experience as .3, assuming a "saddle" is a footstool.
    I have two leather chairs with footstools.  The cats like to sleep in
    both the chairs and on both the footstools.  There is no damage
    except to one footstool, which is a favorite place for territorial
    tussles to break out;  I think the scratches come from flying leaps
    up and down in the process of the latter.  That particular footstool
    doesn't look very wonderful.
    
3269.6Kittys like to ride!PFSVAX::PETHMy kids are horsesThu Jan 25 1990 14:215
    Saddle as in what horses wear! I have had the same problem with saddles
    I just make sure there is always a cover on them when they are not on
    the horse. It keeps them from getting dusty too.
    Sandy
    
3269.7ROYALT::MORRISSEYDezyne AddictThu Jan 25 1990 19:379
		Animal-Lovers' Special

	From the Seventh Generation mail-order catalog: "Protect and
	waterproof your leather.  ...  Our leather seal is nontoxic
	and uses no animal products."

	(This was crossposted from another file)