sparrow Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 We are finally replacing our couch. I'm planning on getting an EKTORP from IKEA. I just discovered it comes in leather. We have 6 cats and 2 dogs. Is this a stupid idea? Our current couch is slip covered because the cats have scratched at it. I'm thinking that with leather they may not scratch at it, BUT their claws may scratch the leather if they jump on it. I'm not terribly concerned with it looking somewhat "weathered", but I don't want it totally trashed either. Thoughts about leather furniture and pets and EKTORP sofas (fabric or leather) much appreciated :D! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 If you get a darker color leather, then it will probably be fine. We have a dark brown leather coach that has had some tough living on it for 10 years. It just keeps getting more 'character'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooblink Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I think leather is a fantastic choice for a busy kid/cat/dog home! We've had our set for over 15 years and, while..definitely...loaded with character, there are no rips or tears and they are very easy to clean. The only thing I don't like about ours is they are steel-blue. I dunno, it seemed like a good idea 15 years ago. I'd steer away from ivory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 With cats, I'd stay away from leather. We never allowed our cats on the couch, but they'd still get to playing and jump on the couch at times. They always left small tears in the leather (ours is black and you could still see it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 With cats, I'd stay away from leather. We never allowed our cats on the couch, but they'd still get to playing and jump on the couch at times. They always left small tears in the leather (ours is black and you could still see it). :iagree: My son's leather couch is destroyed by 1 cat. Holes, puntures and tears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 (edited) OK, all good things to think about. This is the one I'm considering: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30051615 ....but I could get this one and get this extra cover, for less than the leather couch. It's like getting two for one! ETA: Grrr. The links go to the white couch and cover. I am definitely NOT getting white!! I'm looking at the Idemo light brown and Abyn blue cover. Edited March 19, 2011 by sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I wouldn't do it with Ikea quality leather. It doesn't seem like it would be very forgiving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missesd Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 We have microfiber and 4 cats. They go at it all the time, and the ONE thing I can saw for the salesman where we bought it, is he was right... you can't even tell :D LOVE that thing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 We have a leather couch and a cat, and it isn't really an issue. The leather is great for cleaning up spills left by the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 We have had a few fabric couches, including one VERY expensive couch....which was torn to shreds by our one cat. Who isn't even a scratcher. Go figure. Anyway, my animal rights tendencies notwithstanding, DH bought a leather couch a year ago. And over the last year there have been zero scratches. It is a pretty high quality leather (tan in color) so that may be a factor. We recently adopted a puppy, and there have been some near misses-he scratched the couch but didn't tear it--it's barely noticeable, but from then on, we have been teaching him to "ask" before jumping on the couch, and he's not allowed on at all if he's in a "rambunctious" mood. I think it's a great choice for homes with animals And it cleans easily too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairytalemama Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 With cats, I'd stay away from leather. We never allowed our cats on the couch, but they'd still get to playing and jump on the couch at times. They always left small tears in the leather (ours is black and you could still see it). This is why we didn't get leather when we got our new couches. Our cats aren't big scratchers, but when they startle they tend to grab on to the closest thing (mostly my pants it seems) with their claws. A couple of times they've been startled on our cloth upholstered couch and I can still see their little claw marks in it. I just new we would have little tiny holes all over it if we opted for leather furniture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 FIne with dogs and kids! We don't have cats but when our ds was young he took a putty knife to the leather - that scratch is still there! Would think that it wouldn't be a good idea with cats in the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 Wow. I'm not quite sure what to do :001_smile:. Any opinions on the EKTORP sofa line in general? I'm leaning toward buying the fabric version, along with a another cover to switch out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gooblink Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Yeesh. I'm surprised to see all the leather naysayers! :lol: I guess one difference is our cats were *gasp* declawed (I was nowhere near when it was done, the cats came with the marriage). I guess, as with just about anything, you're going to get what you pay for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 I guess, as with just about anything, you're going to get what you pay for. Oh, stop! I still haven't learned that lesson(at my advanced age!) and I'm always trying to be cheap, ahem, frugal :lol:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Best investment we ever made, kids, dogs, spills and all (just wipe it down, no problem). I was *terrified* we'd destroy it, but so far it's more than risen to our demands. And, 7 years into owning it and it's just starting to look good. :-) Now we won't consider any other kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 We just replaced our old leather couch with new (nicer) brown leather. I have 3 cats and a dog. Thus far, my dog has scratched the leather on one of the cushions by "making his bed" when we weren't home (he is NOT allowed on the furniture when we are home to stop him), but nothing to write home about. My cats wear "soft paws" at all times, so no problem with the cats at all. I decided to get some "soft paws" for the dog too and now he can't scratch it either. IMO, leather is better with pets and kids than cloth...if you are willing to using the soft paws and train the animals to stay off the furniture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Yeesh. I'm surprised to see all the leather naysayers! :lol: I guess one difference is our cats were *gasp* declawed (I was nowhere near when it was done, the cats came with the marriage). I guess, as with just about anything, you're going to get what you pay for. Our cats were front claw declawed. They still left tears in our couch because they hang on with their back claws when they are jumping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Yeesh. I'm surprised to see all the leather naysayers! :lol: I guess one difference is our cats were *gasp* declawed (I was nowhere near when it was done, the cats came with the marriage). I guess, as with just about anything, you're going to get what you pay for. My older cat is front AND back declawed. He came that way from the shelter. My other two cats are fully clawed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 We have microfiber and 4 cats. They go at it all the time, and the ONE thing I can saw for the salesman where we bought it, is he was right... you can't even tell :D LOVE that thing!! :iagree: I don't have it, but I dream of microfiber. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeintx Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 My boys brought home a kitten last September. Our leather sofa has been destroyed. :glare: I vote no to the leather if you have a cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 No opinion on the leather, but we have a fabric-covered (red corduroy) EKTORP couch and I love it. It has held up remarkably well under very heavy use, I have washed the covers numerous times, and it still looks great. I have also forgotten to air-dry the covers a couple of times and put them in the dryer, but they still came out just fine. A little shrunken, but they still fit. Great couch. Love IKEA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bird Girl Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Our experience with IKEA slipcovers is that they wash up well, can be tumbled dry (on your air or cool setting) and last well. Of course, my giant brother broke the frame on our Ektorp loveseat, but IKEA took it back with no questions asked. I would feel confident buying from them. But I would not get a leather sofa in a house with cats. You'll get pinholes, at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 My cats totally scratched up the Natuzzi leather sofa we had. So, when I moved into my own home after the divorce, I bought a microfiber sofa. No claw marks on that thing at all. I missed leather, so I got a Flexsteel leather recliner and you can see claw marks on it. They don't scratch it, but just from jumping up and down on it, and from gripping it with their claws, it's marred. I still love my leather recliner, flaws and all, but you can definitely tell a cat's been on it! I am drooling over the Ikea sofas. We sat in them when we went to Ikea last month and dd still talks about how comfy those sofas are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in AZ Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 I wouldn't do it with Ikea quality leather. It doesn't seem like it would be very forgiving. We have this exact couch only the loveseat and oversized chair. I'm a big fan of leather in general, but we have become less and less a fan of IKEA furniture as all our stuff from there keeps breaking down. We do have scratches and tearing from when we had a cat (who spent most of the time outdoors and never got his nails clipped.) Also, from almost the first time we got it home we had some construction problems with the love seat. A support beam that goes across the front of the couch was weak on one side, so it sags on that side and has just gotten saggier as time goes by. Of course, we could have returned the couch early on. But that would have meant loading it up and hauling it back to IKEA. I'm the type that can't even bring myself to return clothes that don't fit. I have honestly given them away to Goodwill or a friend new with tags. I hate returning things that much, so a couch? The Ektorp brings us irritation every time we look at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in AZ Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Wow. I'm not quite sure what to do :001_smile:. Any opinions on the EKTORP sofa line in general? I'm leaning toward buying the fabric version, along with a another cover to switch out. Okay, one more thing. We also have a Potterybarn slipcover couch in the other room, which I LOVE. It's awesome to be able to take off the slipcover and wash it. (Though after 8 years of a stupidly chosen, prechildren, light yellow colored couch, I'm wondering when I might have the $700 to switch out the slipcovers for a new one...) Anyway, it also has snags all over the sides from the cat. Guess you can't win when it comes to cats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LidiyaDawn Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 We are finally replacing our couch. I'm planning on getting an EKTORP from IKEA. I just discovered it comes in leather. We have 6 cats and 2 dogs. Is this a stupid idea? Our current couch is slip covered because the cats have scratched at it. I'm thinking that with leather they may not scratch at it, BUT their claws may scratch the leather if they jump on it. I'm not terribly concerned with it looking somewhat "weathered", but I don't want it totally trashed either. Thoughts about leather furniture and pets and EKTORP sofas (fabric or leather) much appreciated :D! Haven't read the thread at all (yet) but as someone who has always had several cats, I will say this: never expect that they "won't scratch" at something, ESPECIALLY something as expensive as leather furniture! ;) I would never ever EVER spend that much money on furniture with pets - and kids - in the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LidiyaDawn Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 My cats wear "soft paws" at all times, so no problem with the cats at all. side trail: I saw those in person for the first time the other week - dd14 was looking after a friend's cat for a few days and she (the cat) had them on her paws... I went by the house with her to feed/play and this cat was sitting there with HOT PINK nails! :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 We had a leather couch 16 years ago and a cat scratched it to pieces- well, he actually used it to scratch and sharpen his claws or whatever it is that cats do. We replaced it and we have had our present leather couch and chairs for more than 10 years and they are in good condition. We are onto our 2nd cat with it- the cat we have now we got as an adult- hasn't scratched it. The previous cat didn't either. So I would say it depends on the cat, and kittens and puppies are probably the worst. Leather is nice though and if the animals are trainable and not too young, it might be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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