Are Leather Couches Good With Animals?

Cats

• Indoor cats scratch and claw. It's inherent cat behavior that cats engage in for exercise, enjoyment and as a means of marking territory. Unfortunately, if your cat designates the leather couch as a scratching post, the leather within a short time with will be punctured and shredded. To protect your couch, there are some behavioral methods you can employ. Provide an appropriate scratching post or area, rub it with catnip to entice the cat. Marking-type sprays can also be purchased at any pet store. While you train the cat, keep his nails filed or use a vinyl cap that covers your cat's claws and prevents scratching and clawing.

Dogs

• Scent is an important identifier to a dog. A dog's sense of smell identifies food, danger, other dogs and his relationship to them and most importantly his owner. To a dog, an owner's scent conveys comfort and security; if the scent is embedded in a leather couch, a dog will garner comfort by lying close to that smell. Unfortunately, a dog's natural odor and drool can stain your leather couch. If your dog is a chewer or scratches, it can puncture or scratch the leather. While leather can be wiped cleaned of dog hair and drool with a dusting cloth, if you cover your leather couch with a washable, couch cover or dog bed, it will protect the leather against mishaps.

Animal Urine

• Leather repair expert LeatherSolutions.com reports that dog urine is relatively mild and can be cleaned with a gentle soap solution or leather cleaner. Cat urine, on the other hand, can damage leather permanently. If the cat is marking your couch, the urine composition include pheromones that have a pungent, hard-to-irradicate smell. If you wish to salvage the leather on the couch, clean the urine stain early, blot up as much urine as you can and then spray with an enzymatic cleaner. Enzymatic cleaners neutralize and break down the odor and stain without ammonia and harsh chemicals that can further damage and dry out the leather.

Care

• Couches upholstered in leather, especially distressed or other unprotected leather surfaces are particularly difficult to clean. Water-based cleaners can stain or shrink the leather. If you must clean the leather, clean the entire cushion from edge to edge. Remove the stuffing from the cover and wipe the entire surface. For general leather cleaning, dust dander and animal hair from the couch daily. Vacuum the couch with a hand attachment and focus on cracks and grooves where mud and hair can accumulate. Also, consider purchasing a couch cover or pet pad, one that drapes over the back and front of couch. Many couch pads come with an impermeable membrane backing, one that prevents urine from soaking into the leather.