Selecting a Pet-Proof Office Chair & Pet-Proofing Your Office Chair

Selecting a Pet-Proof Office Chair & Pet-Proofing Your Office Chair - Do you have a dog that loves to shed all over your favorite office chair? Or a cat that doesn't always bother to use his litter box? You don't have to resign yourself to having hairy, urine covered pants. Selecting an office chair that is unattractive to your pet can save both your relationship with your pet, and your clothing.

The Best Pet-Proof Material for an Office Chair

Those plush, office chairs covered in soft micro fiber fabric are just as comfortable and attractive to your pet as they are to you. If you want to keep you pet away from your office chair, pick one they won't be interested in.

I have a cat that loves to pee on furniture. It took some trial and error, and many ruined chairs for us to learn the magic formula for keeping him away from our office chairs. The secret is vinyl. It isn't cozy, so most pets will choose to nap somewhere else, taking their pet hair with them. If there is an accident, urine puddles on vinyl instead of soaking in and ruining the cushion.

My parents bought a vinyl sofa for this same reason, and they also found that the cats don't like to sharpen their claws on vinyl either. Leather will have many of the same benefits, but it's a bigger risk. Not every pet has the exact same preferences. If you happen to have a pet that doesn't mind non-fluffy chairs, and still manages to scratch or relieve himself on your office chair it's better to learn that on the much less expensive vinyl chair than on a leather one.

Most office supply stores sell office chairs in a variety of fabric coverings. Many offer a vinyl version in several styles, at comparable prices to other types of chairs. If you don't see any vinyl office chairs at our local store, you can request a special order, or try officemax.com, officedepot.com, or officefurniture2go.com, all of which offer vinyl office chairs.

Useful Features for a Pet-Proof Office Chair

If your main concern is keeping your pet from sitting or sleeping on your chair, a handy feature is the ability to raise and lower the seat. When the office chair is not in use, raise it up so that it just barely fits under your desk. Leave your seat-stealing pet no place to lie.

If you have a particularly tiny dog or cat, they still may be able to squeeze into the seat. Choosing a chair that doesn't have armrests, or that has removable armrests will allow you to remove any small space remaining.

Other Tricks to Pet-Proof Your Office Chair

If you just can't bring yourself to embrace vinyl seating, or you want to pet-proof your current office chair, try these tricks.

1. Block the seat.

Place a few books, or other object in your chair when you aren't sitting in it. Tin foil, or an upside-down carpet runner (with the plastic points facing up) are both old standby methods to keep pets off your furniture. The drawback to this method is that you have to remember to block the seat every time. Pets are smart enough to see when it's safe to hop into your chair and when it isn't.

Blocking the seat of the office chair also only helps keep pets from sitting or peeing on your chair. It will do noting to prevent scratching or chewing if that's your pet problem.

2. Hang tin foil to prevent scratching

Cats hate tin foil. Hanging it on the chair in areas where they scratch will deter them. The drawback is that having tin foil stuck to your office chair is ugly and annoying. It is really only a good temporary solution while you are training your cat to use a scratching post.

3. Spray with bitter apple to prevent chewing.

Bitter Apple, or other commercially available pet deterrent sprays can be applied to items you don't want chewed on. The spray has an unpleasant taste. Make sure to test any spray you buy in an inconspicuous spot for staining or color changes to the chair fabric.

4. Close the door.

As a last resort, you can just keep your pet out of your home office. In the veterinary hospital where I work I often hear client lament, "I can't keep Fluffly off my bed!" I have a cat that pees on beds, and have a very simple solution - he isn't allowed in the bedrooms. We keep the doors shut. Some solutions are so obvious they are often overlooked.