Pet owners should look for three things in a sofa bed: a tightly woven or smooth fabric that claws cannot snag, removable and washable covers, and a mechanism with no exposed gaps where a curious paw or tail could get caught. Colour comes next, chosen to sit close to your animal’s coat so that hair blends in between cleans. Get those points right and a sofa bed can cope with dogs and cats as well as any standard sofa.
When you browse our modern sofa beds UK sale collection, it helps to read the fabric and construction notes with your own animals in mind. A home with an elderly Labrador has different needs from one with two young cats who climb everything.
Before thinking about materials, it is worth watching how your pets behave around furniture. Dogs tend to jump on and off the same spot, turn in circles before lying down and rest their chins on the arm. Cats knead, scratch, perch on the back and use the top of the sofa as a lookout.
Each habit puts strain on a different part of the sofa. Dogs wear the seat cushions and front edge. Cats target the arms, the back and any loose weave. Knowing which behaviour you are dealing with helps you prioritise. A sofa that copes well with a dog may still be a poor match for a cat, and the reverse is also true.
A sofa bed adds one more consideration: moving parts. Pets often like to sleep underneath furniture or in the gap beneath a raised seat, and you need to know that nobody is hiding inside before you fold the bed away.
The most important decision is the upholstery. Some fabrics are naturally forgiving with animals, while others look lovely in the showroom and suffer within weeks at home.
Tightly woven fabrics are the safest choice. Look for a flat weave or a dense, smooth surface where individual threads are hard to hook. Microfibre and many performance fabrics work well because the fibres are packed so closely that claws tend to slide off rather than catch. They also release hair easily with a damp cloth or a rubber glove.
Loose weaves, chunky bouclé and textured chenille are harder to live with. Cats in particular find them irresistible for scratching, and any pulled loop will show. Velvet is a mixed case: a short, dense pile can be surprisingly resilient against claws, but it attracts hair and shows paw prints, so it suits owners who do not mind a quick brush each day.
Leather and faux leather have their own pros and cons. They do not hold hair or odours, and they wipe clean easily, but sharp claws can scratch the surface. Our wider range of modern sofas UK sale is a good place to compare textures side by side, as many of the same fabrics are used across sofas and sofa beds.
The easiest way to make a sofa look cleaner is to match it, roughly, to your pet. A golden retriever on a charcoal sofa will leave obvious traces. The same dog on a warm sand or oatmeal fabric will barely show.
Black and dark grey dogs and cats suit charcoal, graphite and deep navy. Ginger, golden and fawn coats sit well on caramel, camel and warm stone. Multi coloured animals are trickier, and here a mid tone with a subtle texture or a gentle fleck often disguises hair better than a flat, plain colour.
Pale cream and white sofas are best avoided unless you are committed to a regular cleaning routine. Very dark, solid black fabric will show lighter hair and dust. Mid tones are the most forgiving overall.
Accidents happen, from muddy paws to the occasional upset stomach. Being able to remove and wash a cover, or at least the seat cushion covers, saves a lot of stress.
Check whether the covers are removable, whether they are machine washable or dry clean only, and whether the mattress has its own cover. Some sofa beds have a fixed upholstered frame with removable seat cushions. Others have fully removable covers. Either can work, but you should know what you are getting before the first mishap.
A washable throw over the spot your dog favours is a simple, sensible addition. It protects the fabric and can be thrown in the machine weekly. Choose one in a colour that complements the sofa so it looks intentional rather than defensive.
This is the point where sofa beds differ most from ordinary sofas, and it deserves attention. Any mechanism that folds, slides or lifts has the potential to trap a small animal if you are not careful.
Pull out designs with a solid base are generally the simplest for pet households because there is no deep cavity inside. Fold out models with a stored mattress have a larger internal space, and cats in particular may find a way in. Click clack styles are straightforward but often have a gap at the back when reclined.
Whatever you choose, get into the habit of checking before folding the bed away. A quick look underneath and a call of your pet’s name takes seconds. If you have a cat that likes to explore, close the room door while you open and close the mechanism.
Look also at the space beneath the sofa. A frame with low legs or a solid plinth stops dogs pushing toys underneath and stops cats from disappearing into hidden corners. Higher legs make cleaning underneath easier. The choice depends on which issue bothers you more.
A sofa bed has to be comfortable as a sofa first, because that is how it is used most days. With pets in the house, it also needs a seat that holds its shape when a heavy dog jumps on repeatedly.
Firmer seat cushions with a foam core wrapped in fibre generally recover better than very soft, feather filled ones. They also resist the dip that forms where a dog always lies. If your sofa bed has reversible cushions, turning and swapping them every few weeks spreads the wear.
The mattress matters for overnight guests, especially if a pet is likely to join them. A memory foam or pocket sprung mattress with its own zipped cover is easier to keep fresh than one that is upholstered into the frame.
If several animals share the sofa with you, size becomes important. A two seater may be fine for one cat, but a family with two large dogs will be more comfortable with a three seater or a corner sofa bed.
Deep seats give dogs room to stretch out alongside you. A chaise end gives a cat a dedicated spot. Corner configurations allow everyone to claim a section without being squashed. Think about how many bodies, human and animal, typically sit together in the evening and choose accordingly.
The sofa bed does not exist in isolation. A low pile washable design from our modern rugs UK collection, placed in front of it, catches hair and mud before it reaches the seat. A sturdy footstool offers an older dog a step up and saves its joints. A side table with a closed shelf keeps remote controls and chargers away from chewing teeth.
If you are choosing other living room pieces at the same time, our collection of modern footstools UK includes upholstered and solid options that work as a step, a seat or a surface. Solid wood or metal frames tend to fare better around pets than delicate legs that can be knocked.
Even the toughest fabric benefits from a few house rules. Providing a scratching post close to the sofa gives cats an alternative target. A dog bed beside the sofa, rather than at the far side of the room, often persuades a dog that it does not need to be on the cushions.
Trimming claws regularly reduces snagging. Brushing pets outdoors or in a utility room cuts down the hair that ends up on the upholstery. Wiping paws after walks prevents mud from becoming a stain. None of this is complicated, but it extends the life of any sofa considerably.
For more ideas on furnishing a home that copes with everyday family life, choosing a sofa for UK homes with young children shares many of the same practical principles. When you are ready, you can explore the full living room range at Furniture in Fashion.
Tightly woven fabrics such as microfibre and many performance weaves are the most forgiving. They resist snagging, release hair easily and are often simple to spot clean.
Leather and faux leather do not hold hair or odours and wipe clean easily. However, sharp claws can scratch the surface, so they suit calm dogs with trimmed nails better than lively puppies.
Place a sturdy scratching post near the sofa, keep claws trimmed and choose a smooth, tight weave rather than a loose or looped texture. A throw over the arms gives extra protection while habits form.
They are safe with sensible habits. Always check underneath and inside before folding the bed away, and consider closing the door while you operate it if you have a curious cat.
A colour close to your pet’s coat will hide hair best. Mid tones with a subtle texture are a good compromise in homes with animals of different colours.
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