Is it true that cats don't prefer to scratch microfiber?

Don’t believe it. Cats certainly have preferences for the type of textures that they like to scratch on (and yes, they do prefer things like tree bark, sisal rope, carpeting), but microfiber is in no way a repellent. They will happily use it if there is not a handy alternative nearby.

Sounds like BS to me. My kitties like to do the ‘putty paws’ thing to microfiber.

@delirium: As do mine (they also hump my robe). But they don’t “scratch it” per se.

Do you have them fixed? My friends cat used to hump houseplants and teddybears before he was fixed. It was very strange.

@delirium: Both are fixed. Both are pervy humpers.

http://www.fluther.com/disc/4129/what-fabrics-are-best-for-upholstered-furniture-in-a-house-full/ has some interesting answers in regards to this question, though.

There was also a lot of helpful info : http://www.fluther.com/disc/11832/how-do-you-stop-cats-from-scratching-furniture/
to make them stop once they start.

And that’s… quite funny actually. My cats have never been particularly pervy in such a way. The worst they do is break in to bathrooms and demand attention because you’re at the perfect height to pet them.

Don’t believe it. I’ve a cheap-o couch from Target in tatters as we speak.

Slipcovers, slipcovers, slipcovers.

Well are you talking about ways to keep the cat away from the furniture, or cat scratch posts? My cat for instance though he has no claws always love to rub on our couch, which is a soft fabric, but hates the carpet scratch posts.

Well, since I have had a cat for 5 days and consider myself an expert now, Milo has scratched me,shredded corners of several wool rugs, and eaten an important report from Dr. only once, when I had forgotten to fill his food bowl. He ignores, thank heavens, my really nice Burgundy leather chair.

But he goes outside, has claws and I have seen him sharpening them on my railroad ties; the better to scratch me, I guess. (He is clearly the dominant macho male and I am the subservient little woman..I now know where the expression, “P*ssy-whipped.” came from.)

My cats used my microfibre couches as personal scratching post. My vet put plastic tips on their claws. They can scratch away now andy do no harm.

can I just add here that my cats drive me crazy!! Yes, They are very entertaining and have very unique personalites, but sometimes I could just !$?.,?@ them especially when they wake me very often during the night. But I have never had a problem with the humping. They like scratching textures that aren’t smooth.

iriemuffin, as far as a cat’s protection goes, is there any difference in plastic tips vs. Declawing?

yes, declawing is cruel, and painful.

I’m not a advocate of declawing because my cat’s love the outdoors and I wouldn’t deprive them of this. But I ask the question for indoor cat’s. I didn’t know that declawing was painful. I thought that this was done in vet’s office under anesthesia.

Its an awful procedure.

http://www.fluther.com/disc/11832/how-do-you-stop-cats-from-scratching-furniture/

Syz explains it Wonderfully there.

@Andrew: I think what I notice most about the microfiber (I have a microfiber slipcover- hi susanc) is that even if they do the “putty paws” (hi delerium- we call it “makin biscuits”) thing, it doesn’t show. By that, I mean the fabric doesn’t snag. There aren’t those threads pulled up.