OnTheBrink Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 It's beautiful. It's comfortable. It was a custom sofa with down cushions. I bought it used and as much as I want to be totally in love with it, I can't. The upholstery is velvet and there is no way on God's green earth to keep the freeking cat hair under control. I have to keep blankets over it to keep the fur off and what's the point of having a lovely sofa if you have to cover it? And I HATE blankets spread over anything other than beds. HATE it. So, I'm thinking of giving it away on Freecycle and starting over. Thankfully, I didn't pay much for it. It definitely needs a good cleaning, but I'm OVER this sofa. OVER. IT. I'm thinking of getting a gray microfiber sofa instead. Or maybe another navy sofa (the velvet one is navy), but never again will I fool myself into thinking a velvet sofa with 3 cats is a good ides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyco Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I am sorry the velvet isn't working out...it does sound beautiful! I wonder if microfiber wouldn't have the same problem with accumulating cat hair, though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Can you train the cats to stay off it? Can you spray some of that cat repellent stuff so they won't want to jump on it? Maybe have another piece of furniture or cat beds where they are welcome and the cat hair won't show or bother you as much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Give the kids some lint rollers and let them have at it. Send it to a furniture consignment store and get some money back out of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Keep the couch and Freecycle the cats? Kidding! Mostly. ;) A damp sponge gets more hair off than most anything I've tried. We have a velour couch. And at our fur-producing peak, we had 4 cats and 2 Golden Retrievers (one 100 lbs who shed like it was her job). Microfiber grabs hair too (and skin on people with dry skin...my DH and DD haaaaaate microfiber!). Leather is the most hair-repellant, but one of our cats shreds it. Least. Favorite. Animal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allearia Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 We have a microfiber sofa and three cats... It is great! We got them young and even though they scratch the couch sometimes (okay, a lot) it doesn't show. Also can't see hair on it. It is a light beige color. I have also been able to clean it really well with a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol, a scrub sponge and a stiff brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I'd sell it and use the money to buy a couch that works better for your family's needs. We're in the process of doing the exact same thing with our couch that the entire family thinks it too small and uncomfortable for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted March 24, 2014 Author Share Posted March 24, 2014 I've already told DD that when these cats "go", we're not replacing them! I love these cats and two of them we've had close to 8 years, but man, I'm tired of the fur. I wonder what it would cost to have some custom slip covers made out of microfiber. It's a huge sofa, though. Might be cheaper to get a whole new sofa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 We have a microfiber sofa and three cats... It is great! We got them young and even though they scratch the couch sometimes (okay, a lot) it doesn't show. Also can't see hair on it. It is a light beige color. I have also been able to clean it really well with a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol, a scrub sponge and a stiff brush. We bought a microfiber sectional at Costco (beige/light tan) and it matches our Tonkinese perfectly. I never see her cat hair on it. I don't even notice it sticking to the couch (it sticks to all our clothes unfortunately). I've gotten Sharpie and ink off of it with rubbing alcohol as well. Regular dirt comes off easily with a damp cloth. I love, love, love it. So maybe you can get something to match your cats' fur? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 What are you feeding your cats? A high quality food and plenty of water creates a soft, beautiful coat and minimizes shedding. When I switched to grain free kibble and one canned meal a day, I noticed a significant decrease in fur loss. We also have a Catit drinking fountain to encourage water consumption which is so important for long term kidney health. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evergreen State Sue Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I don't understand why people get a couch the same color as their cat's fur because they can't see the fur on the couch. How is that a good thing when your guest wearing black pants sits down on your couch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergiveup Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Good furniture is not cheap. Cats don't live forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Life's too short to hate your couch. If you can swing it, get a new one. PS Hairless cats don't shed. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Can you have a slip cover made? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimtaxi234 Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 but never again will I fool myself into thinking a velvet sofa with 3 cats is a good ides. I'll take a wild guess and say you probably have cat hair everywhere, not just on the sofa. I have a girlfriend that always shows up looking "hairy" with cat hairs on her clothes. She vacuums daily, but without much luck. On the other hand, I have another girlfriend that has one dog that sheds like crazy. I always come out looking "hairy" when I visit her house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Maybe you could get micro-fiber covers custom made for your cats instead...Cute little cat-jumpsuits that contain the hair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 My leather sofa is awesome for pet hair. Not great for scratch marks, mind. But the cats don't like the way it feels to sit on it, so they seldom get on it unless there is a lap to sit in. And when they leave hair, I can just wipe it down to the floor and sweep it up. Never thought I'd like a more or less "hard surface" couch, but it's my favorite thing I've owned by fur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 The best solution I've found to keep the cats off the furniture is to create a more desirable place for them. For ours that means cat-sized plastic storage containers from WalMart with a cheap pillow placed in them for beds. Total expenditure of about $10 per cat. I replace the pillows as needed (they're $2.50/each at WalMart). I started out with cardboard boxes, but the plastic containers look just a bit nicer, and they're cleanable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Let me tell you - cat hair sticks to microfiber, too. My three cats can confirm this. We use cheap throw blankets over the seats, and remove them (and the cats) when company comes over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Can you freecycle the cats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 The couch we last bought has great fabric for pets and kids. I don't know what exactly it is called. It is some sort of microfiber. But it's washable and the fur does not seem to stick to it. Plus it is a good color so you simply don't see the bit of fur that is on there (we have 2 cats). Must be similar to my microfiber sectional. My Tonkinese's fur does not seem to stick to it much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted March 25, 2014 Author Share Posted March 25, 2014 We bought a microfiber sectional at Costco (beige/light tan) and it matches our Tonkinese perfectly. I never see her cat hair on it. I don't even notice it sticking to the couch (it sticks to all our clothes unfortunately). I've gotten Sharpie and ink off of it with rubbing alcohol as well. Regular dirt comes off easily with a damp cloth. I love, love, love it. So maybe you can get something to match your cats' fur? I'd need a gray, black and orange couch, then. LOL (Not that I haven't considered that). What are you feeding your cats? A high quality food and plenty of water creates a soft, beautiful coat and minimizes shedding. When I switched to grain free kibble and one canned meal a day, I noticed a significant decrease in fur loss. We also have a Catit drinking fountain to encourage water consumption which is so important for long term kidney health. You know, I have NEVER thought of that. I just figured fur went with the territory. What brand of food are you using? I'll take a wild guess and say you probably have cat hair everywhere, not just on the sofa. I have a girlfriend that always shows up looking "hairy" with cat hairs on her clothes. She vacuums daily, but without much luck. On the other hand, I have another girlfriend that has one dog that sheds like crazy. I always come out looking "hairy" when I visit her house. I was trying to avoid admitting to this. LOL Yes, we have fur in other places. I got rid of carpet for that reason because it's easier to see that the floors need sweeping with hard floors over carpet. Maybe you could get micro-fiber covers custom made for your cats instead...Cute little cat-jumpsuits that contain the hair. Don't tempt me. Little kitty haz-mat suits! The best solution I've found to keep the cats off the furniture is to create a more desirable place for them. For ours that means cat-sized plastic storage containers from WalMart with a cheap pillow placed in them for beds. Total expenditure of about $10 per cat. I replace the pillows as needed (they're $2.50/each at WalMart). I started out with cardboard boxes, but the plastic containers look just a bit nicer, and they're cleanable. This is a really good idea. I have never thought of that at all. I think I'll give that a try, along with better food. Can you freecycle the cats? Oh, heavens. My dd would run away from home and never return! It would break her heart and I just can't do that to her. Besides, I love them too; just not their shedding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I don't have a cat but I do want a little kitty hazmat suit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Look for food with real meat as the #1 ingredient. Costco's maintenance cat is actually an excellent kibble with a high protein content, the right amount and type of fats to keep their coats glossy (and largely attached to their bodies), and no fillers. It compares well to the premium brands at a good price. You want to look for food that is high in protein and fat and as low as possible in carbohydrates. They would ideally get one meal as canned food. It doesn't have to be much...my two cats share a 3 oz can each morning. Since a good-quality canned food has no fillers at all, they need to eat surprisingly little of it. We feed our cats tiki cat because it looks like the food it's supposed to be and because they are big pains in the butt and won't eat anything that looks mushy. Here's a great article that explains cat food labeling: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/what-makes-the-best-canned-cat-food And this is an article explaining the thinking about kibble: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/choosing-the-right-dry-cat-food Another great by product of getting the right food combo going is that they poop a lot less and when they do, it rarely smells like anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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