Beanbag chairs are super fun for not only humans but also cats! Cats are well-known connoisseurs of comfort and it’s hard to imagine a cat not being interested in lounging in a beanbag chair.
But beanbag chairs aren’t exactly the most cat-friendly pieces of furniture when you consider that one scratch of the exterior and it’s all over.
So are there such things as cat proof beanbag chairs?
Absolutely, but I’d be more inclined to call them cat-friendly beanbag chairs since we want to allow our feline friends to comfortably lounge on them but we just don’t want to lose our chair in the process.
To help you find the perfect fit, I’ve put together a list of the 3 best beanbag chairs that are cat-friendly and cat proof.
If you want to get straight to the list you can see my favorites here:
- Best Overall: Chill Sack
- Best on a Budget: Big Joe Milano Beanbag Chair
- Best For Multiple Cats and Pets: Jaxx 6 Foot Cocoon
But before we get to the full reviews, let’s talk about what makes a beanbag great for cats.
What Makes A Beanbag Chair Cat Pro0f?
There are three main things that make a beanbag chair a great option for cats: a washable outer layer, a scratch-resistant shell, and a material that doesn’t stick to cat hair.
Washable Outer Layer
When I was growing up in the early ’90s there only seemed to be one kind of beanbag. They were brightly colored with a plastic or vinyl feeling outer layer. But beanbags have changed a lot over the years and you can now get just about every shape and size imaginable. There are also plenty of extra features that make them even better!
One of the best things to look for is a washable outer layer. In fact, the more layers the better! The ideal cat proof beanbag will have at least one removable layer that can be easily taken off, washed, and put back on without having to actually expose the filling.
In many cases, you can also buy replacement shells so you can give your beanbag a facelift without having to spend the money on an entirely new beanbag.
Scratch Proof Shell
Speaking of outer layers, we also want to see an outer layer that’s as scratch-proof as possible. While no fabric will be able to perfectly protect the filling from your feline we at least want something stronger than the thin vinyl of the past.
The best option is the microsuede fabric that is used on my best overall pick. The tightly woven material doesn’t leave much room for cat claws to dig in. As a result, the scratching process just isn’t as satisfying for cats and they generally move on to something a little more fun (ideally a scratching post).
Interesting Read: Do Scratching Posts Sharpen Or Dull A Cat’s Nails?
Fur Friendly Material
We want to make sure that the material we’re using doesn’t attract too much cat hair. While there are ways to reduce cat shedding, we still want to make things easier by making sure our furniture doesn’t include fur trapping material like corduroy or wool.
Generally, fabrics with a looser knit will attract and trap more fur. So once again, microfibers like the popular microsuede are great options for cat proof beanbags.
Bonus: Waterproof
If you really want your beanbag to be cat-proof, pet-proof, and kid-friendly then you’ll want to consider making it fluid-proof! Okay, that’s a lot of proofs but adding a waterproof layer can really take a beanbag to the next level by protecting the inner filling from just about everything.
I’m frequently fostering kittens and cats and so while my cat Debbie isn’t going to urinate anywhere besides her litter box I can’t say the same thing about the foster cats I bring home. And let me tell you, the last thing you want to deal with is trying to get cat urine out of a beanbag!
But going waterproof is also helpful if you have pets, kids, or anyone who might spill something on the beanbag chair (which is everyone). So in combination with the removable outer layer, I recommend picking up a furniture cover and placing it inside the outer layer. While this might make your beanbag chair a little less quiet as the plastic crinkles it will also make the overall chair pretty much bombproof.
You can grab a budget-friendly furniture cover off Amazon by clicking here.
With that out of the way, let’s get into the three best options!
Best Overall: Chill Sack
Pros:
- Features super-comfortable memory foam filling that’s also more eco-friendly than a traditional filling
- Microsuede fabric is great for managing pet hair
- More than 25 different colors to choose from so you can get the perfect match
- More than 3,500 five star reviews
Cons:
- Heavy! These beanbag chairs weigh in at 55 pounds!
The best of the best has got to be the Chill Sack! Not only is it a great beanbag chair but it also checks all our boxes in terms of being cat-proof and cat-friendly.
The outer layer is removable which makes the entire chair easy to keep clean. All you’ve got to do is remove the outer layer and toss it in the wash to keep the Chill Sack smelling and looking great.
But that’s not all that makes the outer shell awesome- it’s also made of microsuede which does a great job of resisting pet hair. That’s because the closely woven material limits the ability of cat hair to get attached to it. That means all you have to do to get rid of cat or pet hair is give it a quick wipe with your vacuum once in and while. I actually just use my hand every few weeks to clean up leftover pet hair.
Microsuede does more than just resist pet hair- it’s also great for deterring scratching which makes this beanbag truly cat-proof. Apartment Therapy surveyed a couple of dozen folks about microsuede furniture and one experience cat owner wrote:
I have a microfiber sofa, albeit in a chocolate brown color, and NOTHING shows on it, no matter how sloppy I am when I eat dinner at the coffee table! And, Candice, to answer your question: cats can’t get a claw into it, since the weave is so tight. So they end up giving up on it as a scratching post (this is my experience with two different cats).
That’s the big benefit of microsuede (or any microfiber material for that matter). The very tight weave makes it resistant to stains, pet hair, tears, and even cat claws!
The Chill Sack also comes in more than 25 different colors which means there’s a color to match just about every home! My favorite is purple but if you’ve got a household with a lot of pets the darker colors are probably best.
Finally, the Chill Sack is filled with memory foam filling instead of the traditional ball-shaped filling. I think that memory foam is way more comfortable than the traditional beanbag filling you really can’t find any “uncomfortable” spots that require you to shift around.
The only downside however is that this beanbag chair is one of the heavier ones on the market with a weight of 55 pounds. So depending on how much you’re hitting the gym you may need a second person to get the cover and off which makes it a little less convenient.
If you want to read some of the five stars reviews (there are more than 3,500 of them) and check the latest price on Amazon you can click here.
Best On A Budget: Big Joe SmartMax Milano Beanbag Chair
Pros:
- Features patented SmartMax fabric that’s designed to resist spills, tears, and liquids
- Very budget-friendly
- Chair shape that some folks might like
- Hundreds of five-star reviews on Amazon
Cons:
- Not quite as durable as our number one pick but that will of course depend on how much use it gets
Big Joe is a popular beanbag company and they make a variety of beanbag chairs, bags, pillows, and more. Their Milano beanbag chair is my best on a budget pick and it comes in at a fraction of the price of the Chill Sack.
But these two are honestly different products. The Chill Sack is more similar to a stationary piece of furniture like a couch (it weighs 55 lbs after all) but the Big Joe Milano chair is lightweight at less than 5 lbs and can easily be moved around the house. That makes this a great option for kids and cats.
The outer layer is made from Big Joe’s special fabric called SmartMax. The folks at Big Joe are pretty proud of their SmartMax fabric and outright challenge you to “Go ahead and try to destroy this stuff! Wipe your greasy potato chip hands on it. Spill your drink on it. SmartMax Fabric is stain resistant, tear resistant, heavy-duty fabric backed with a special patented backing material making it also water resistant. Go ahead and give it your worst.”
Again, that makes this beanbag chair great for kids and more than a little cat-proof!
The filling is again specific to Big Joe and uses their exclusive filling called UltimaX beans. These are pretty similar to the traditional filling that you’d expect in a beanbag chair.
Overall, the Big Joe Milano is a great beanbag chair for cats but it’s not one that you should expect to last you years- at least with any kind of heavy use. But with a very budget-friendly price that isn’t actually that much of a problem since you could easily replace it.
You can read more reviews and see today’s price on Amazon by clicking here.
Best For Multiple Cats and Pets: Jaxx 6 Foot Cocoon
Pros:
- This huge beanbag has plenty of room for cats, pups, and people to all share
- Removable microsuede exterior makes it cat scratch-resistant and easy to clean
- Super comfortable foam filling
- Hundreds of positive reviews talking about how comfortable this beanbag is
Cons:
- Assembly is required and you’ll likely need a second pair of hands to pull it off
The Jaxx Cocoon is a huge 6-foot beanbag with a very reasonable price tag- especially when you consider just how large this thing really is. That makes it a great option for pet parents who want to share their new beanbag with multiple cats or dogs. Like the other beanbags on our list, this one is also cat-friendly and generally cat proof with a machine-washable outer layer.
The Jaxx Cocoon is also made of microsuede material. This tightly woven material is not only stain proof but also deters cats from scratching since they can’t get the satisfying grip that they usually can with other material.
Because it’s so large, the Cocoon can actually be reshaped into a chair so not only is it one of the larger beanbags on the market it’s also one of the more versatile. Inside, you’ll find multi-density polyurethane foam micro-cushions which is like a close cousin to memory foam.
The only downside is that this cat proof beanbag does require some assembly to get started. While most beanbags come heavily compressed already and may require you to add the outer shell, the Jaxx Cocoon requires a bit more setup before you can use it. More specifically, you have to actually remove the foam filler from its compressed packaging and move it into the actual beanbag.
This can be a messy process and considering that the full “assembled” beanbag weighs 52 pounds you’re probably going to need a second. You can see the setup process here in this video:
While the setup is a bit of a pain, it also a benefit since it shows how easily you could replace any component of the beanbag. And in most cases, you should only have to deal with it once!
Overall, the Jaxx Cocoon is a great option for folks that want a BIG beanbag chair that’s safe for not only cats but other pets as well with plenty of room for the entire furry family!
Conclusion
Beanbags have come a long way over the years and these days they’re more like a real piece of furniture than just something for the kid’s room. Not only are they comfortable for people but cats will love lounging on a big beanbag!
And hopefully, with our best cat proof beanbag picks you can enjoy the fun of a big beanbag without having to stress!
Let me know what you think!
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