Are you concerned about the relationship between your cat and your carpet? Fair enough. The lifetime of your carpet is directly proportional to how your cat treats it. A toxic relationship between these two can cause irreparable damage to the carpet. You won’t have anything to worry about if your carpet and cat can co-exist well.
The best carpets for cats are polyester, nylon, berber and frieze carpets because they’re both stain-resistant and claw-proof. They will last longer than any other carpet type. And they’re surprisingly not very expensive.
If you’re looking for a rug for your cat (not a carpet!) my absolute favorite place to buy a rug is Natural Area Rugs. They have the best rugs for pets I’ve found!
4 Types of Carpets Best for Cats
There are a couple of factors that you should consider when buying a carpet for a house with a cat. It should be stain-resistant as sometimes the four-legged traffic in your house can have an “accident”. You can clean the pee or poop, but the stain should be removed too.
Similarly, the carpet shouldn’t be damaged by a cat scratching on it. Looped carpets are more vulnerable to being snagged by claws. You can avoid those and get cut pile carpet instead.
There are four commonly known cat-friendly carpet types. Let’s take a look at each of those in detail.
1. Hydrophobic Carpet from Polyester
Polyester is a type of synthetic carpet that has proven to be a good pick for cat parents. You can call it hydrophobic as it repels liquids itself. This aids in resisting stains.
Many carpets in the market are treated for stain protection. Some carpets are solution-dyed, which means the color completely penetrates the fiber instead of being just on the surface. This increases the stain resistance of a carpet considerably.
You should look for a solution-dyed polyester fiber carpet. That will give you a good bang for the buck.
PET polyester fiber is also environmentally friendly. It is often produced from recycled materials, like plastic drink bottles. Polyester fiber carpet is not only soft but it also doesn’t cost you an arm or a leg. Its price is pretty affordable given the pros it promises.
2. Wear-resistant Carpet from Nylon
Nylon fiber carpet is the most expensive type of synthetic carpet available on the market. Are you thinking that why am I telling you about something that can be heavy on your pocket? Well, I have a perfectly valid reason for that. Nylon carpet is still a cheaper alternative to wool carpets.
Not only does it have a high degree of fiber in it but it also has been considered the most durable synthetic carpet fiber for quite some time. The durability of nylon fiber is a result of its resiliency. Believe me, it can bounce back from compaction.
I won’t lie, nylon fiber carpet isn’t too stain-resistant itself. Treated nylon is strongly immune to stains, though. The man-made fiber elements make it pet-friendly.
Over the years, more and more nylon carpets are recyclable. That means a worn-out nylon carpet can be recycled. So, it’s a cradle-to-cradle cycle. Also, many of the nylon carpets are now made of recycled materials. So, it’s a pretty good choice.
3. Cost-Effective and Stain-resistant Berber Carpet
There are various views about the relationship between Berber carpet and pets. However, the qualities of this particular carpet ensure that your cats won’t be your carpet’s enemy.
Berber carpet is in loops but tight ones. Claws can’t snag the loops because if your Berber carpet is high-quality, a lot of force will be required to unravel the surface. The tightly looped surface doesn’t allow the liquid to penetrate through.
Berber carpet is durable, cost-effective, and stain-resistant. Aren’t that pretty much the qualities you look for in a pet-friendly carpet? I know you are nodding your head.
So, Berber carpets are many pet owners’ first pick when it comes to carpets.
4. Easy-to-maintain Carpet from Frieze
Frieze carpet is also known as the twist. The twisted fibers conceal the dirt and stains. The thick curly nature of the carpet causes the dirt to go unnoticed.
This tightly woven carpet is low maintenance and durable. Your pet scratching on frieze carpet won’t cause irreparable damage. Their claws can’t snag the carpet or pull a whole lane of threads.
Frieze carpet is the advanced form of the old shag, and it’s always a choice worth making.
The Reasons Why Cats Love Scratching the Carpet
Cats LOVE to scratch. They mostly scratch sofas and carpets, but some lucky times they focus on their scratching post.
Have you wondered WHY do they do this? There are a few reasons for that. They sometimes do it to sharpen their claws. On other occasions, they might be doing it to grab your attention. Cats do get pretty needy for love sometimes.
Oh, and it’s also said that cats sometimes use scratching as an alternative for communication. They might be trying to tell you something.
How to Save the Carpet from Cat’s Claws
As much as you might love your snuggle buddy, you must teach it what to do and what not to. You should make sure it has a scratching post, so it can satisfy its scratching needs on it.
Clip your cat’s nails timely, so they don’t irritate it. You have to do a little effort to provide your cat with alternative activities, maybe a designated play area. That will result in your cat focusing on its area rather than the entire carpet.
We have a post that explains why your cat might be peeing on the carpet and what you can do to prevent it. Give it a read and avoid having cat “accidents”. Have a stain-less carpet.
Conclusion
That’s it, folks. You now know the types of carpets that will suit your cat well. I mean, your cat’s scratching won’t damage the carpet’s surface, and stains won’t go deep.
Just make sure to buy a carpet that gives you good value for your money. However, no matter how well your cat and carpet get along, you should minimize the chances of your adorable pet scratching on the carpet or relieving itself there.
I hope there is a healthy relationship between your cat and your carpet!
If you are contemplating the purchase of a rug for your house, take a look at our guide. It will help you in the process.