I don’t know how many times visitors have walked into my living room and commented — not on the beauty of my Scandinavian sofa — but on the beautiful Burmese cat asleep on it. That’s because the sofa, cushioned in tones of beige, chocolate and tangerine, was purchased in part to bring out the color of Rama’s dark brown fur. The pillows make my bluepoint Siamese, Whimble, look good, too. Cuddled on the sofa, paws wrapped around each other, the sofa is a backdrop for their beauty. It also is surrounded by teakwood to discourage clawing attempts.

Rama previously ruined a black leather chair. After he pulled out most of its stuffing, I gave him the chair in desperation. After years of struggling with beat-up cushions and ruined upholstery, however, I switched to cat-friendly Scandinavian furniture. I like its simplicity and style, and the sofa cushions are strong enough to withstand clawing attempts.

“We use heavy fabrics that withstand cat claws and teeth,” says John Kenyon, national sales manager of a specialty shop in upstate New York that features imported Scandinavian furniture. Kenyon says Ultrasuede now is being used on cushion backs because it is especially suited to households with children and animals.

**For the full article, pick up the May 2007 issue of CAT FANCY.**

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