Best bedding when you have a slightly destructive cat?

kmbirkel

Hi there!

I am visiting from The Knot - this is my first time on The Nest. I want to apologize first if I ask or say something I shouldn't/that's addressed in the FAQs; I did try to look at them, but I'm at work and the link for where the FAQs are now hosted is blocked. If there is anything you'd like me to do to introduce myself, please let me know!

SO and I are preparing to purchase all new bedding (sheets, bedspread, shams, and decorative pillows). For our current bedspread, we have a regular fluffy comforter - the kind that comes in a bag all in one piece. We also have a one-year-old gray and brown tabby named Spock who sheds like crazy, so it's fortunate that the comforter is a patterned gray color because otherwise the cat hair that's all over it, all the time would be much more obvious. It doesn't fit in our washing machine, so I have to just spot clean it with a lint roller and damp cloth (yuck).

For our new bedding, we were thinking that it would be nice to try a combination of a down/down alternative comforter and a machine-washable duvet cover, because then we could take off the cover and clean it regularly, which 1) is generally less gross, and 2) means we wouldn't be confined to silver/gray options because we could clean it often enough that the cat hair wouldn't be such a big deal. (... Right? Can anyone confirm this, or will even one day's or two weeks' worth of shedded cat hair on a lighter bedspread between washes drive me crazy? Because it's so hard to see it on our current bedspread, I don't really have a good grasp of just how much hair is on it until I see what comes off on the lint roller.)

The tricky part is that Spock is very playful and cuddly, and he likes to "attack" our feet under the covers in bed at some times and knead us through the bedding at other times, both of which involve him poking lots of tiny holes in the bedding with his teeth and claws. So... cat owners who are experienced with different types of bedding, what would be the best thing for us to do? Should we get the easy-to-clean duvet cover, or would we end up with feathers or stuffing coming out all over the comforter from Spock roughing it up? Is there such thing as a cat-friendly comforter that's harder to poke holes in when he attacks or kneads? Our current bedspread isn't losing any of its stuffing, but I've heard the nicer down/down alternative comforters that go inside of duvet covers can be more delicate. Thoughts?

Thank you so much, everyone!

Kaiene

Have you tried using Feliway spray on the bedding? I would try that first to see if it helps diminish the clawing. Sometimes cats do that to mark and the spray helps them feel calm and safe without having to mark like that. 

kmbirkel

Kaiene:

Have you tried using Feliway spray on the bedding? I would try that first to see if it helps diminish the clawing. Sometimes cats do that to mark and the spray helps them feel calm and safe without having to mark like that. 

Thanks for your reply! No, I've actually never heard of that product before, but I'm looking it up now. If its purpose/effect is to make cats feel less stressed though, as it seems to be, I'm not sure if it would solve the problem with the bedding... he seems to only "attack" our feet as a form of play (we move our feet around under the covers, and he pounces on the moving lump in the bedspread) and it seems to me that the kneading is affectionate, since he also purrs and rubs me with his nose while he does it. With that said, Spock is the first cat I've raised myself and we've only had him for 10 months, so I am far from an expert in cat psychology! If you still think it might help knowing that information, I am willing to give it a try. (It wouldn't stain or discolor the bedding to spray it in that area, would it?)

Thanks again!

Kaiene

kmbirkel:

Kaiene:

Have you tried using Feliway spray on the bedding? I would try that first to see if it helps diminish the clawing. Sometimes cats do that to mark and the spray helps them feel calm and safe without having to mark like that. 

Thanks for your reply! No, I've actually never heard of that product before, but I'm looking it up now. If its purpose/effect is to make cats feel less stressed though, as it seems to be, I'm not sure if it would solve the problem with the bedding... he seems to only "attack" our feet as a form of play (we move our feet around under the covers, and he pounces on the moving lump in the bedspread) and it seems to me that the kneading is affectionate, since he also purrs and rubs me with his nose while he does it. With that said, Spock is the first cat I've raised myself and we've only had him for 10 months, so I am far from an expert in cat psychology! If you still think it might help knowing that information, I am willing to give it a try. (It wouldn't stain or discolor the bedding to spray it in that area, would it?)

Thanks again!

I haven't noticed any discoloration from the spray on our bedding.

 As far as the pouncing, I would keep a squirt bottle handy and squirt kitty when he does that. Be sure he doesn't see you, though. You want him to associate the spray with his actions and not with you. 

I would give the spray a shot. That behavior sounds an awful lot like what one of my cats does.  

kmbirkel

Kaiene:

I haven't noticed any discoloration from the spray on our bedding.

As far as the pouncing, I would keep a squirt bottle handy and squirt kitty when he does that. Be sure he doesn't see you, though. You want him to associate the spray with his actions and not with you. 

I would give the spray a shot. That behavior sounds an awful lot like what one of my cats does.  

Thanks. He's been gradually getting better about that since we started using pressurized air canisters recently - similar concept, but instead of spraying him with water, we spray the canister somewhere out of view, and the hissing noise freaks him out. He doesn't pounce as often now, but he still kneads, and I don't have the heart to use the canister on him when he does that (even when he's using his claws) because I love his cuddles!

We will definitely look into Feliway too!

Kaiene

kmbirkel:

Kaiene:

I haven't noticed any discoloration from the spray on our bedding.

As far as the pouncing, I would keep a squirt bottle handy and squirt kitty when he does that. Be sure he doesn't see you, though. You want him to associate the spray with his actions and not with you. 

I would give the spray a shot. That behavior sounds an awful lot like what one of my cats does.  

Thanks. He's been gradually getting better about that since we started using pressurized air canisters recently - similar concept, but instead of spraying him with water, we spray the canister somewhere out of view, and the hissing noise freaks him out. He doesn't pounce as often now, but he still kneads, and I don't have the heart to use the canister on him when he does that (even when he's using his claws) because I love his cuddles!

We will definitely look into Feliway too!

I would keep using the air then. I hope the spray helps! 

kittie8709

I'm kinda new on here also . I have three cats and so far the comforter I got at Walmart has held up really well. I know that it came in a bag but I can't remember the brand or anything. It's not fancy but it has held up for a couple of years now. Another plus is that it does fit in the washer. I know what you mean about the kneading because Lizzie (the girl) does that every time she wants to cuddle .