How Pet Owners Can Choose the Perfect Fabric Bed

Pet owners should choose a fabric bed with a tight, flat weave or a dense, short pile, in a mid tone colour close to their pet’s coat, on a frame raised high enough to clean underneath. Those three choices handle most of the everyday challenges: claws are less likely to catch, hair is less visible and easier to remove, and dust and fur do not build up out of reach. Add a removable throw at the foot of the bed and a washable mattress protector, and an upholstered bed becomes a realistic, comfortable option for homes with dogs and cats.

You do not need to give up on softness or style. Many of the fabric beds UK sale designs in our range use upholstery that copes well with daily life. The detail is in knowing what to look for.

Why upholstered beds and pets can work together

It is easy to assume that a wooden or metal frame is the only sensible choice in a pet friendly home. In practice, fabric beds have advantages. A padded headboard is quieter and softer if a dog leans or jumps against it. Upholstery hides small scuffs that would show clearly on a painted or high gloss finish. And a well chosen fabric can be brushed down in minutes.

The bed also needs to suit the rest of the room. If you are furnishing from scratch, look at how upholstered frames sit alongside wardrobes, chests and bedside storage in our bedroom furniture UK sale collection, so the whole room is chosen with the same practical eye.

Weave and texture: the most important decision

The single biggest factor is how the fabric is constructed. Claws catch on loops and loose threads. Hair clings to open, fluffy textures. So the aim is a smooth, tightly bound surface.

• Tight flat weaves: fabrics with a fine, close weave give claws very little to grip. Run a fingernail across the surface: if it glides rather than snags, it is a good sign.
• Dense velvet: a short, tightly packed pile has no loops to catch and hair tends to sit on top rather than weaving in. It brushes clean quickly with a rubber glove or a lint roller.
• Chenille and textured weaves: can work if the texture is low and tight, but test a sample with a light scratch before committing.
• Boucle and loose loops: beautiful, but the loops are easily pulled by claws and grip hair. Best avoided if your pets share the bedroom.

Ask for a fabric sample where possible and live with it for a few days. Leave it where your pet sleeps and see how it looks after a brushing.

Choosing a colour that works with your pet

No colour hides everything, but some are far more forgiving than others. The simplest approach is to match the general tone of your pet’s coat. A golden retriever or a ginger cat sheds hair that almost disappears on oatmeal, camel or warm beige. A black Labrador suits charcoal or deep navy. Grey and tabby cats blend well into mid greys and taupes.

Very pale shades, such as ivory and pure white, will show every hair from darker breeds. Very dark shades, such as black, will show light fur and dust. Mid tones and subtly flecked fabrics are the most adaptable, particularly in homes with more than one animal.

Frame height and cleaning underneath

Pet hair collects in the gap beneath a bed, and many cats and small dogs like to sleep under there too. A frame raised on legs with enough clearance for a vacuum head makes weekly cleaning simple. If the gap is too low to clean but high enough for a pet to crawl into, it can quickly become a hiding place full of fluff.

Alternatively, a bed that sits close to the floor with a solid base, such as an ottoman, closes off the space completely. This suits pets that like to hide or chew things they find under furniture. Ottoman storage also gives you somewhere to keep spare pet blankets and grooming kit out of sight.

Headboard shape and scratching

Cats in particular will sometimes treat a headboard as a scratching post. Smooth, flat panels are less tempting than heavily buttoned or deeply channelled designs, which offer edges to grip. Wing headboards and those with exposed corners can attract attention too.

Give your cat a better alternative nearby. A sturdy scratching post placed close to the bed, ideally near where your cat already likes to stretch, can redirect the habit. A short spray of a pet safe deterrent on the headboard while they learn can also help.

Protecting the mattress and bedding

If your pets sleep on the bed, the mattress takes as much wear as the frame. A waterproof, breathable mattress protector guards against accidents and makes washing simple. It is worth having two so one can be on the bed while the other is in the wash.

The mattress itself should be chosen for the people sleeping on it. Our mattresses UK section covers different firmness levels and constructions. A mattress with a removable, washable cover is particularly practical in pet friendly homes.

For bedding, tightly woven cotton such as percale sheds hair more easily than brushed cotton or flannel. A heavy throw folded at the foot of the bed gives pets their own spot and takes most of the hair and muddy paws. Wash it weekly.

Storage that keeps pet clutter tidy

Leads, brushes, towels and spare blankets tend to drift into the bedroom. A closed piece of storage at the foot of the bed keeps them out of sight and doubles as a bench for putting on shoes. Our modern blanket boxes UK range offers designs that sit neatly at the end of a double or king size bed. Choose one with a smooth finish that wipes clean easily.

A weekly care routine that works

Little and often is far easier than an occasional deep clean. A simple routine might look like this:

• Run a slightly damp rubber glove or a pet hair brush over the headboard and side rails to lift hair.
• Vacuum the upholstery with a soft brush attachment, working in the direction of the pile on velvet.
• Vacuum under the bed and around the legs.
• Wash the pet throw and pillowcases.
• Check for snags and trim any pulled threads with small scissors rather than pulling them.

For marks, blot rather than rub, and always follow the care guidance for the specific fabric. Test any cleaner on a hidden area first. Fabric beds in bedrooms with pets benefit from good ventilation, so open a window for a short time each day to keep the room fresh.

Training and habits that protect the bed

Even the most practical fabric benefits from a few house rules. If your dog sleeps on the bed, encourage them to use the same spot every night by placing their throw there. Wipe paws after walks, especially in wet weather. Keep claws trimmed, which reduces snagging on all your furniture, not just the bed.

If you would rather pets stay off the bed entirely, a comfortable pet bed placed next to yours often removes the temptation. Many dogs simply want to be close to their owners, not necessarily on the mattress.

Allergies, odours and fresh air

Pet dander settles into soft furnishings over time, which matters if anyone in the household has allergies. Tightly woven fabrics trap less dander than open textures, and regular vacuuming with a machine fitted with a good filter removes much of what does collect. Some owners choose to keep pets off the bed itself while still allowing them in the bedroom, which reduces contact with pillows and the duvet.

Odours tend to build up in the mattress and bedding rather than the frame. Airing the bed each morning by folding back the duvet for half an hour lets moisture escape, and a light sprinkle of bicarbonate of soda on the mattress, left for a while and then vacuumed away, helps to neutralise smells between washes. For the upholstery itself, a fabric freshener designed for soft furnishings and safe around animals is a gentler option than strongly scented sprays, which many pets dislike.

Colour, style and the wider room

Once you know which tones suit your pets, you can build a bedroom scheme around them. Warm neutrals pair naturally with wood and textured accessories, while deeper greys and navy feel calm and tailored. Our look at bedroom furniture colour trends in UK homes shows how different shades work across a whole room.

You can browse upholstered beds, mattresses and bedroom storage chosen with real homes in mind at Furniture in Fashion.

Pet owner FAQs

What fabric is best for a bed if I have a cat?

A tight, flat weave or a dense short pile velvet works well. Both give claws little to catch on. Avoid boucle and loosely woven textures.

Does velvet attract dog hair?

Hair does sit on velvet, but because the pile is short and dense it tends to rest on top rather than weave in. A rubber glove or lint roller removes it quickly.

What colour fabric bed hides pet hair?

A shade close to your pet’s coat colour is the most forgiving. Mid tones such as taupe, stone and mid grey suit homes with more than one pet.

Should I choose a bed with legs or a solid base?

Legs make it easy to vacuum underneath. A solid ottoman base closes the gap entirely, which suits pets that like to hide or chew under furniture.