Last updated on 29 July, 2023

How To Protect an Air Mattress From Cats(10 Secrets) 2023

– By Eric Smith

how to protect air mattress from cats

How to protect an air mattress from cats? A cat and an air mattress have always been an unmatched combo. Here, the cat holds all the authority to destroy your bedding along with the expensive air mattress, and there’s nothing you can do except protect the bed or keep the cat out of your bedroom(I know you don’t want to do that).

Even though air mattresses technology has evolved a lot, and the latest inflatable mattresses are much more durable than they used to be. 

Still, it’s not that difficult for your furry friend to destroy it in a moment. On the flip side, if you have an older air mattress, let’s say, 3-4 years old, then ruining it with their sharp claws is just a piece of cake.

Therefore, it becomes crucial to know those essential steps which can protect your inflatable bed against the attack done by your cute little cat. 

Below, we’ve mentioned everything from why and how your cat can harm your inflatable bed to what to do to stop that from happening.

Can a Cat Pop Your Air Mattress?

Yup, your feline can easily pop your air mattress whenever they want. As we know, an air mattress is nothing but a packed layer of PVC and soft rubber containing air inside it. That air just needs a hole or a tiny leak to leave its shell, leaving you to sleep on the floor the following day.

can cat harm airbed
Image Credit: Unsplash

And, being a cat owner, I know how deadly their claws can be for something or someone they don’t like. Those pointy claws just need to be pushed down with a little bit of force while lying on the airbed, and the leaking will begin.

Furthermore, your cat can sometimes unintentionally make a hole or holes in the bed, i.e., when they jump on it. That force from their claws at the time of landing is also sufficient to ruin an inflatable mattress. That’s why it’s suggested to keep a cat away from the airbed. Or at least keep the airbed out of your kitty’s reach when you’re not around.

How Can a Cat Damage Your Air Mattress?

Now you know how dangerous your cat can be for your expensive air mattress. That’s not the end. There’s much more you should know about this airbed and cat combo. Your cat has many options to destroy your bed, and it’s entirely up to her which one she prefers.

Some of the most common ways a feline can harm your airbed are puncturing with their pointed nails and jaws, scratching the top and sides of the air mattress(including the seams, joints and inflation valve) and peeing and pooping on the bed. Let’s go through them one by one and know how they can possibly be done.

Puncturing With Claws:

Cat claws can become the deadliest to anyone in the world, thanks to their sharp nails that can rip through literally anything. When it comes to an air mattress, a single push of the nail inside the mattress’s firm surface or side, and you’ll be googling the best cat-proof air mattress in the next step.

Additionally, jumping in and out of the inflated mattress can also result in a puncture or multiple punctures as soon as they find out the right spot. 

And, because the majority of air mattresses nowadays have flocked tops and non-slip surfaces, the chances of a cat damaging the airbed while jumping is even higher.

cat on air mattress
Image Credit: Unsplash

If your cat has developed the habit of sleeping with you, maybe it’s time to avoid that and teach your cat to sleep on its bed. And if it’s not possible for any reason or you like to sleep with your cat, at least avoid sleeping with her on the air mattress.

Scratching:

Cat scratching is of different types. Whether in stress, excitement or even when a cat wants attention from the owner, they sometimes scratch things to express their emotions.

Scratching can even be done to mark the stuff with their scents or to clean their nails, including removing dead parts as well. Furthermore, one may show her affection and aggression towards you by doing so.

Remember that there’s no right or wrong for cats when it comes to scratching. Whenever they want to scratch, they just want some material to do so. And this material can be anything, such as furniture, door, wall, carpet, and an air mattress.

They usually prefer to scratch larger objects as they don’t wobble. If this scratching is done for too long on the sides or on top of the bed, you know what will happen next. Therefore, you must stop this in order to protect the air mattress from cats.

Peeing and Pooping on Bed:

The most common way cats and dogs harm beds is by urinating and pooping on them. Even though it won’t rip or damage the bed directly but will definitely make it awful to sleep on. And I’m sure you too would not want to lie on a smelly bed.

Now, there can be many reasons why a cat poops or pees on your bed. However, the two most common causes are behavioral and medical. Maybe because you’ve changed the way of their living, which they never wanted, or there’s a new member in the house, which can also be the reason behind the trigger.

Furthermore, there may be something wrong with the litter box. Your kitty probably doesn’t like its smell, location or even the size of the box. Remember, these are some cases, and everything mentioned above is possible.

How To Protect an Air Mattress From Cats?

1. Use a Mattress Topper:

A google quality mattress topper benefits you in many ways. It not only protects your expensive air mattress from countless threats, such as getting dirt, keeping food and pee stains away from the mattress’s surface, and protecting it from bed bugs, lice, and pets, including cats and dogs, but also provides a much more comfortable sleep.

It’s worth noting that the thicker your topper, the more protection it provides to your inflatable mattress, especially against those brutal attacks done by your cat’s and dog’s claws. It would be tough for your pets to penetrate a thicker material than making a hole a thin layer of PVC.

2. Put on Covers:

A mattress topper or mattress protector can only provide safety from the top. However, to protect the entire bed from a pet, you want to cover it from all four sides, including the top. And that can only be achieved by using proper covering on the bed.

There are some covers on the market that come with padded tops. And if you use one of those, you’ll not need an external mattress topper. 

But remember that some padded covers are not thick enough to withstand the cat’s nails. A mattress topper, on the other hand, is by far a better option when compared to a padded cover.

It gives you an extra layer of comfort and protection at the top. Furthermore, using both can give you even more, better results. A topper will protect the surface, and the cover will guard all sides.

3. Trim Their Nails:

Along with securing the air mattress, trimming the cat’s nails is equally important to make the Bed 100% safe. Long cat nails are harmful to you, your household items, and the cat as well. Long nails can grow into her footpad, which may cause severe pain and raise walking issues.

trim cat nails

Generally, when your cat’s nails become long and curled, you should know it is time to trim them. Usually, matured cats need nail clipping once in 2-3 weeks, or make sure to do that at least once a month.

You must consider some points while trimming the cat’s nail, or it might hurt her. Remember, calming the cat for cutting her nails can be more complex and time-consuming than the actual trimming process. First, relax her and then go ahead. Make sure you don’t cut the quick. It may cause pain and even lead to bleeding.

4. Stop Her From Jumping on The Bed:

Stopping your cat from jumping on the airbed may help avoid those sudden and accidental punctures. 

As mentioned above, a cat’s nails can penetrate the soft PVC surface too effortlessly, leaving a big hole that sometimes is relatively easy to fix and, most of the time, don’t. It usually happens when they jump on the airbed or during takeoff.

5. Get Your Cat an Alternative Bed:

Still reading this how to protect an air mattress from cats guide? This point is definitely going to help you out. 

Apart from some health-related issues, sleeping on a regular bed with your kitty is still fine compared to a bed full of air that can be damaged even by a minor scratch. Does your cat have its own bed or an air mattress alternative?

Once a cat develops the habit of sleeping with its owner, it becomes really tough to dissuade it from sleeping with them. This is why you should consider investing in a separate bed where your kitty can play, sleep or do whatever else she wants. It can eventually keep them away from the air mattress.

cat bed

Most active kitties and young cats love to relax and sleep in higher places which is why cat tree houses have been in huge demand. If you already have a cat bed, but she doesn’t use it, you should try a cat tree house. 

Some cat trees also come with a built-in litter box, so you don’t have to worry about cat pee and poop, either. You just have to teach them to use her stuff.

6. Teach Them To Use an Alternative:

There’s no point in buying the most expensive and comfortable cat bed or cat tower (cat tree) until your sweet kitty starts using it. That’s why buying a cat bed is not sufficient; teaching them to use that bed is more important.

There can be many reasons why she doesn’t use her bed. Maybe because she doesn’t find it interesting, or the location is an issue. For some, comfortability could be a significant cause, while some may not like the bed type

cat tower

Cats have their own preferences when it comes to sleeping space. One needs to observe his cat’s behavior thoroughly in order to get her the right type and size bed.

Catnip: Catnip is a herb that belongs to the mint family. This thing can drive a cat crazy, and most cats just love it. Sprinkling some catnip on the bed to attract them to their bed or cat tree can be a good move to encourage them to use their space.

Bed Location: Think about where in your room, except for the air mattress, your cat loves to sleep or relax. Simply place the cat bed there. For height-loving cats, keep the bed in high places like a bookshelf or windowsill or buy a cat tree, then put it in their favorite area if she still refuses to use it.

If the cat will not play or sleep on your inflatable bed, it will be less likely to destroy your sleeping space.

7. Make Your Airbed Non-Cat Friendly:

One of the reasons your feline keeps coming towards your airbed is because she feels too comfortable while lying on it, which needs to be changed in order to keep them away. To make that happen, there are some famous and working ways: double-sided tape and aluminum foil.

Double-Sided Tape: Cats don’t like to walk on sticky stuff, which you can take advantage of. You can stick a few pieces of double-sided tape to the surface of the air mattress, so whenever your cat jumps on the bed and keeps its feet on the tape, it will be irritated. And after a while, she’ll stop jumping and playing with it.

Aluminum foil: Aluminum foil is an alternative to double-sided tape that gives similar results when it comes to keeping the cat away and protecting the airbed. No cat likes to play on a squeaky or noisy material which is why spreading some aluminum foil pieces on the bed can give you unexpected results.

Other than those tape and foil methods, avoid activities that might attract your kitty to the bed. Stop eating on the bed as the food smell may attract her, don’t play with her while lying, or don’t do anything that can drive their attention toward the sleeping system.

Once the cat stops coming towards the air mattress and starts using its own space, you won’t need these. In the future, the cat may try to play with the air mattress again. You have to use those tricks again so that it sets in as a reminder in its mind.

8. Get Pee and Poop Smell Out of Airbed:

In addition to the other reasons mentioned above, a cat may also urinate on your bed to claim its territory(due to psychological stress). You must get rid of those hard poop and pee stains right away to stop your cat from sleeping on the air mattress again and again.

To clean the bed, use a wet cloth with a decent mattress stain remover and wipe where you find the stains. Alternatively, spray some water with liquid soap and then clean it. Lastly, let it dry in the sunlight to eliminate the pungent smell. Remember, do not put it in a washing machine. This will ruin the blow-up mattress.

9. Keep The Bed Safe and Out Of Their Reach:

One of the ways to protect an airbed from a cat is either by not letting her come close to it or by keeping the bed itself away from it.

You just can’t take care of your inflatable mattress every time. Your kitty may take advantage of it when you’re not there protecting the bed or even when you’re there but not looking at its naughty activities. That’s why it is suggested to deflate the air mattress after use and inflate it again when needed. It is a great way to ensure that the cat spends minimal time with the airbed.

10. Try a Cat-Proof Air Mattress:

Not all air mattresses are cat-proof, especially those old low-profile ones that don’t even have a thick surface. However, some air mattresses do exist that can survive even a brutal pet attack. I’m talking about highly durable raised air mattresses

These mattresses are made of heavy-duty material and last longer than the typical ones. It can prove to be an ideal choice for pet owners over any other regular inflatable mattress. 

If you’re someone whose air mattress has bubblespunctures, sagging issues, or any other problems that interrupt your sleep, it’s the right time to replace it with a high-quality cat-proof air mattress.

Wrapping Up - How To Protect an Air Mattress From Cats

Not all the steps are necessary, 2-3 steps combined are enough to give you awesome results. For instance, you can simply invest in a thick mattress topper and cover the bed to make it cat-proof. 

Or, only trimming their nails at the right time and stopping them from jumping can help. In some cases, investing in a good quality bed is a pretty straightforward option to consider to sleep comfortably with your cat with no worries. The choice is yours.

About Eric Smith

eric smith - content writer

With 4+ years of experience dealing with air mattresses, Eric has gotten really good at making useful and interesting stuff for you to read. He loves helping people find the right air mattresses and fix any air mattress-related issues.

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