cat resistant carpet

NickB_99 · 3 Apr 2011

Hello all

Currently getting to the end of a refurb of our house, where I'm now completing the stairs and the hall.

I've got questions on both ultimately (but want to do some research on wood flooring for the hall first, to save wasting peoples' time and will post on that later)

I want to carpet the stairs, but we have 2 cats and they have picked a lot at the original 1970s carpet.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any new carpets available that have a good level of resistance to cat picking?

Thanks in advance.

lymmranger · 4 Apr 2011

It depends how destructive your cats are....

- avoid loop pile carpets because they will ladder, a twist pile carpet is more resilient, but at the end of the day only you know your cats.

I presume you have tried "diverting" their attention with a scratch post?

....maybe cheaper to change the cats????

flooringman · 4 Apr 2011

What a ridiculous thing to say lymmranger......I thought you might have come up with the more sensible suggestion of providing the cats with those little bootees available in all good pet shops!!

lymmranger · 5 Apr 2011

......I was tempted to suggest having the little darlings "de-clawed"

....but on reflection I think its time I retired!

How could I possibly have overlooked "booties" ,

Hmmm .........must get some in cos nowt else is selling at the moment

NickB_99 · 16 Apr 2011

lymmranger said:
It depends how destructive your cats are....

- avoid loop pile carpets because they will ladder, a twist pile carpet is more resilient, but at the end of the day only you know your cats.

I presume you have tried "diverting" their attention with a scratch post?

....maybe cheaper to change the cats????

Sorry for the delay on reply on this one - been away.

Thanks for the tip on avoiding loop pile carpet.
We've tried the scratching post - but alas they ignore it in favour of the carpet!

A couple of thoughts I've had since then -

The carpet was wrecked - so have taken it off ready for changeover a long time in advance to get them used to it gone.

I was thinking that a sisal carpet may be a bit tougher?

Perhaps also seen something reasonably common on stairs, is to run the carpet up in a strip, i.e. with leaving a gap of 8" or so from the sides. They do tend to go for the corners and this may help.

Thinking a combination of the above!

Failing that, declawing seems harsh - but the booties made me smile

crazydaze · 16 Apr 2011

Sisal will be a disaster and very very difficult to clean, avoid the natural style carpets as has already been suggested with avoiding the wool loops as well. You need a tough short pile product such as a resiliant twist, but alas I can't think of a product that is particularly 'cat resistant' If they attack a particular area, order extra carpet so you can refit that area/step when it shows unacceptable signs of clawing maybe?

lymmranger · 16 Apr 2011

Err - No! dont go for sisal

......its basically a type of grass/hay woven into a carpet - its quite expensive, and....

Your "little darlings" will shred it to buggery

Only time would tell if a runner would work - personally I doubt it - It seems (to me at least) that cats enjoy the feeling of playing with carpet. Also fitting a runner can work out more expensive, you will also need to be sure that your stairs would look good painted - are your treads and risers in good condition or are they like mine chipped and split to hell?

I am afraid you may be better sticking to my original advice and choosing a twist pile carpet

or you could re consider de-claw.... er Ok thats a no isnt it

NickB_99 · 17 Apr 2011

lymmranger said:
Also fitting a runner can work out more expensive, you will also need to be sure that your stairs would look good painted - are your treads and risers in good condition or are they like mine chipped and split to hell?

I am afraid you may be better sticking to my original advice and choosing a twist pile carpet

or you could re consider de-claw.... er Ok thats a no isnt it

Thanks, point taken on the sisal.

Stairs used to have a runner (when we got the carpet up, there was paint down the sides. However, it will prob be quite a bit of prep to get the sides back to a good standard. Carpet grips added at the ends would need removing/filling etc. And if it won't make much difference....

I like the sound of Crazydaze suggestion of ordering a bit of extra carpet to replace worn bits. When fitting carpet to stairs, how many stairs do fitters normally do with each piece? (The stairs are a run of 7 steps, then a little landing, then a run of 5).

And yes, I thought de-clawing was prob a bit harsh

crazydaze · 17 Apr 2011

How the stairs are planned is dependent on the width the carpet is made, and the size and shapes of the areas you are having fitted. Basically, the stairs can be fitted from one, two, or each stair from it's own cut, it just depends what is most economical from a waste point of view and what may affect the appearance of the install.

Essentially, all you would need to do is just ask that a little extra be allowed in the plan to replace the likely affected stairs in future.

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cat resistant carpet

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