Claws, fur, muddy paws

Sofas that survive cats and dogs, and how to pick one

A sofa lives with a pet or it does not. The ones that do have a tight, smooth cover the claws cannot hook, a colour that forgives fur, cushions you can flip or wash, and a frame that takes a running jump. We keep performance-fabric and leather seating on the floor in Northfield so you can run your own nails across a cover before you commit, and the Outlet has as-is pieces for the puppy year.

Performance-fabric sofa at Kensington Furniture, Northfield NJ

Kensington Furniture is a family-owned store in Northfield, New Jersey, since 1912. Ashley Nuvella and Durapella, Bassett performance fabrics, top-grain leather and the Kensington Outlet are on one two-acre floor. Call 609-241-0807.

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What actually matters with a pet in the house

Four things decide it. Colour is the one people get right; weave is the one they get wrong.

1. A weave claws cannot hook

Tight and smooth beats soft and loopyCats scratch by hooking a claw into a loop and pulling. Chenille, bouclé, tweed and anything with a visible loop gives them exactly that. A tight, flat weave such as microfiber, a performance fabric or a smooth canvas gives the claw nothing to catch, so the sofa gets scuffed at worst instead of shredded. Run your fingernails across the swatch: if it snags, so will a cat.

2. A surface that cleans in place

Performance fabric, or leather with a finishPerformance fabrics such as Ashley's Nuvella and Durapella and Bassett's performance covers are made so that mud, drool and most accidents wipe off with water and mild soap, and a few models have machine-washable pillow covers. Protected leather wipes cleaner still. What does not clean: velvet, linen, natural cotton and anything labelled dry-clean only.

3. Leather, with one honest caveat

Great for dogs, a gamble with catsLeather does not hold fur, wipes clean and ages well with a dog on it. A cat's claws puncture it, and a puncture cannot be brushed out the way a fabric scuff can. If you have a cat and want leather, choose a distressed or heavily grained finish that hides marks, and give the cat a post it prefers.

4. Cushions that come off, a frame that takes a jump

Loose cushions, reversible, a hardwood or engineered frameLoose seat cushions can be flipped when one side wears, and removable covers can be washed. A tight-back sofa has fewer crevices for fur and no back cushions to drag off. Ask what the frame is made of and how the seat is sprung; a large dog landing on the same cushion every day finds a weak frame in a year.

Colour, fur and the honest rule

Match the sofa to the animal. A grey cat on a charcoal sofa is invisible; the same cat on cream is a daily chore. Mid-tones and small patterns hide the most; a heather or tweed-look performance fabric hides more than a flat solid at the same price. No fabric is fur-proof; the goal is a sofa that looks fine between vacuumings.

Fabric, leather or the Outlet, side by side

Judged on the things a cat or dog does to a sofa.

Performance fabric (Nuvella, Durapella, Bassett performance)Protected top-grain or leather matchMicrofiberOutlet, as-is
ClawsTight weave: scuffs, rarely tearsPunctures from cats; dogs fineTight weave: scuffs, rarely tearsWhatever it is, it is already yours to wear out
FurBrushes and vacuums off; tweed-look colours hide itDoes not hold furHolds fur more than performance fabric; a lint roller jobDepends on the cover
Accidents and mudWater and mild soap; some pillow covers machine-washWipes off; condition the leather afterwardsMost stains lift; water rings possibleDepends on the cover
SmellLow; the fibres do not absorbLowCan hold odour in the cushion coreAsk, and sniff
Best forMulti-pet homes, kids, light colours you would otherwise avoidDog homes wanting the leather look and easy wipe-downBudget homes with a dogThe puppy or kitten year, a mudroom sofa, a rental
On the floor nowNext-Gen Durapella sofas, loveseats and recliners; Biscoe with washable pillowsLeather recliners and sofas from Ashley, La-Z-Boy, BassettAshley fabric sofas across the floorRotating; ask what came in this week

Floor models rotate; the ones named were on the floor when this page was written.

Test it before you buy it

The swatch test

Ask a consultant for a swatch of the cover you like and try what your pet will: drag your nails across it, press a damp cloth into it, rub a dark cloth on a light one. Performance fabrics pass the first two in front of you. A floor sample is not a swatch, so we do the test on samples, not on the sofa.

What to tell us on the phone

Cat or dog, roughly the weight, whether they are allowed on the sofa, and the colour of their coat. With those four facts a consultant can pull the covers that fit in a few minutes and have them ready when you come in. If you prefer, describe the room and we will suggest a layout with the sofa away from the window the cat sits in.

$0 DOWN, 0% INTEREST FINANCING

36 equal monthly payments on furniture, no minimum purchase. Mattress purchases of $999 or more: up to 60 months. Kensington Furniture Synchrony HOME™ Credit Card, subject to credit approval.

See if you prequalify

Tell us about the animal. A consultant calls you.

Cat or dog, size, coat colour, and whether they are allowed up. A Kensington consultant calls back, pulls the covers that fit, and has swatches and the sofas ready for your visit.

Or call 609-241-0807, Monday to Saturday 10 am to 7 pm, Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.

What is it for?

A Kensington consultant calls back the same or next business day. No spam, no list.

Delivery, testing and the floor

Delivery and pickup

We deliver throughout South Jersey: Atlantic City, Ocean City, Cape May, Somers Point, Linwood, Margate, Ventnor, Galloway, Mays Landing and the Shore towns between. In-stock pieces are available for pickup or fast delivery.

Delivery is white-glove: our crew brings the piece in, sets it up in the room and takes the packaging away. Removal of old furniture or a mattress is available for a charge and has to be arranged when you schedule the delivery.

Bring the question, not the pet

Every cover on this page has a swatch in Northfield you can scratch, wet and rub. Call 609-241-0807 and a consultant will have the swatches and the sofas ready. Our crews deliver, set the sofa up in the room and take the packaging away, so the only thing left to do is let the dog on it.

Come see it at 200 Tilton Road

Kensington Furniture & Mattress, 200 Tilton Road, Northfield, NJ 08225. Exit 36 off the Garden State Parkway. Phone 609-241-0807.

  • Monday to Saturday10 am to 7 pm
  • Sunday11 am to 5 pm

Get directions

Pets and sofas, the questions we get

What is the best sofa material for cats?
A tight, smooth weave a claw cannot hook: microfiber or a performance fabric such as Nuvella or Durapella, in a mid-tone or tweed-look colour that hides fur. Avoid chenille, bouclé, tweed with loops and velvet. Run your nails across the swatch; if it snags, the cat will too.
Is leather good for a house with cats?
For dogs, yes: leather does not hold fur and wipes clean. For cats it is a gamble, because a claw punctures leather and a puncture cannot be brushed out like a fabric scuff. If you want leather with a cat, choose a distressed or heavily grained finish and give the cat a post it likes better.
What is Nuvella fabric?
Nuvella is Ashley's performance fabric: a tight weave made to resist stains and fading and to clean with water and mild soap. We carry it on sofas, sectionals, recliners, dining chairs and outdoor cushions. Durapella is the related performance cover on Ashley's power-reclining lines; both are on the floor in Northfield.
Can I wash the cushion covers?
On some models, yes: a few Ashley pieces, the Biscoe reclining sofa among them, have machine-washable pillow covers, and loose seat cushions can be flipped when one side wears. The product page says when covers are removable; otherwise assume spot-cleaning with water and mild soap.
Does performance fabric hold pet smell?
Less than ordinary fabric, because the fibres do not absorb, but the cushion core underneath can. Clean accidents at the surface quickly, air the cushion, and choose a sofa with removable covers if odour is your main worry. Leather holds the least.
Which colour hides pet hair best?
The colour of the pet. A grey cat on a charcoal sofa disappears; on cream it is a daily chore. Mid-tones, heathers and small patterns hide more than flat solids, and a tweed-look performance fabric hides more than a smooth one at the same price.
What sofa frame holds up to a big dog?
Ask what the frame and springs are. A hardwood or engineered-wood frame with sinuous or 8-way hand-tied springs takes a daily landing; a soft frame does not. Tight-back sofas and loose, reversible seat cushions also spread the wear. The product pages list construction where the maker publishes it.
Is the Outlet a good idea for a new puppy?
Often the best idea. Kensington Outlet pieces are floor samples and as-is items at reduced prices, sold final, so a chewed corner in year one is not a tragedy. Buy the sofa you really want when the puppy is two.
Do you have swatches I can take home?
Yes, for most fabric lines; ask a consultant. Take it home, put it where the sofa will go, and let the cat have a go at it for a week. That tells you more than any label.
Which pet-friendly sofas are on the floor in Northfield?
Ashley Next-Gen Durapella sofas, loveseats and recliners, the Biscoe reclining sofa with washable pillows, leather sofas and recliners from Ashley, La-Z-Boy and Bassett, and whatever came into the Outlet this week. The floor rotates; call ahead and we will confirm.
Where can I try pet-friendly sofas in South Jersey?
Kensington Furniture is at 200 Tilton Road, Northfield, NJ 08225, off Exit 36 of the Garden State Parkway, open Monday to Saturday 10 am to 7 pm and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm. Call 609-241-0807 first and we will tell you which models are set up that week.
Do you deliver to the Shore towns?
Yes. Our own crews deliver throughout South Jersey, and in-stock pieces are available for pickup or fast delivery. Delivery is white-glove: we bring the chair in, set it up in the room, plug in a power recliner and take the packaging away. Removal of an old chair is available for a charge and is arranged when you schedule.
What financing is available on a sofa?
Furniture financing at Kensington is 36 equal monthly payments with $0 down and 0% interest, no minimum purchase, on the Kensington Synchrony HOME credit card, subject to credit approval. Prequalifying does not affect your credit score.