Fabric durability gets most of the attention in pet-owner furniture advice, and it matters — but it’s only one factor. A sofa bed a pet actually lives with day to day also depends on whether the cover comes off, how the mechanism handles being jumped on when converting, and whether the piece is genuinely comfortable enough that your pet doesn’t fight you for the good spot. Here’s the fuller picture.
Fabric: still the first thing to check
Abrasion resistance, measured by Martindale rating, predicts how well a fabric survives claws, jumping, and general daily contact. Within this range, Esina and Adario lead on this measure — Esina at 100,000 Martindale, Adario at 92,000 — considerably ahead of lower-rated options like Halifax at 31,000. If you’re choosing purely on durability, these two are the strongest starting points.
Pilling resistance matters specifically for pet hair and friction, and both Esina and Adario also rate well there. See the full fabric comparison for every option side by side.
Washable covers: the bigger lever most people miss
A durable fabric resists damage; a washable cover resolves accidents. These are different problems, and the range only fully solves the second one on Newilla. Detachable, machine-washable fabric upholstery is available for Newilla and the Newilla Lounger only — everywhere else, spills, accidents, and pet odor get addressed in place rather than in a washing machine. See our dedicated guide to washable covers for the full picture, including the separate mattress-cover feature on Carnell.
For a household managing a young or untrained pet, or simply wanting the lowest-effort cleanup routine, Newilla combined with its own high-Martindale standard fabric (Adario) is the strongest single answer in the range — durability and washability together, in one collection.
The mechanism, and what daily pet traffic does to it
This is the factor pet-specific advice usually skips. A sofa bed’s mechanism is engineered to move a specific way during conversion, and pets that jump on or off the piece while it’s mid-conversion, or that treat an open bed frame as something to climb on, put unplanned stress on hardware that isn’t designed for that.
Simpler mechanisms handle this better. The one-motion designs with auto-fold legs — Neah, Vilander, and Carnell — have fewer separate moving parts than mechanisms with multiple manual steps, which reduces the number of places an unexpected weight or interruption during conversion can cause a problem.
Consider converting the piece when pets are elsewhere, particularly with larger or more excitable animals, simply as a habit — it protects both the mechanism and the pet from an accidental pinch point during the fold.
Comfort system: pets have preferences too
Pets, like people, generally prefer softer surfaces. If your pet already claims the sofa as a favorite nap spot, a softer comfort system may mean less territorial competition over the “good” cushions specifically — though this is a minor consideration compared to durability and washability, worth mentioning rather than leading with.
No-zag & Pocket Spring on Newilla and Pocket Spring Dual on Osvald, Cone, and Walis are the softer end of the range, which happens to align with Newilla already being the strongest overall pick on the washability and durability fronts.
Leg height and access
Furniture with legs that create a gap underneath the frame gives pets somewhere to retreat, hide toys, or occasionally get stuck — worth factoring in if you have a smaller pet or a household where “under the couch” is already a known problem area. Most collections in this range sit on visible legs rather than a solid base skirt, in keeping with the design language generally, so this is less of a differentiator between models and more a general consideration to check on whichever piece you’re evaluating.
Storage, if bedding management matters
If pet hair on stored bedding is a concern, a model with built-in bedding storage — Osvald, Cone, Newilla, or Walis — keeps guest linens contained and out of a pet’s reach between uses, rather than sitting exposed in an open basket nearby.
Putting it together: the strongest overall pick
If you’re optimizing across all of these factors at once — fabric durability, washable covers, comfort, and storage — Newilla is the collection that checks the most boxes simultaneously: the only washable-upholstery option in the range, a high-Martindale standard fabric, a softer comfort system, and built-in storage. It won’t be the right silhouette or price point for every household, but on pet-specific criteria alone, it’s the strongest single answer available.
If Newilla isn’t the right fit for other reasons — size, styling, budget — prioritize fabric durability first (Esina or Adario, whatever collection you land on) and accept that cleaning will happen in place rather than in a washing machine.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the single best sofa bed for a household with pets? Newilla, because it’s the only collection with washable fabric upholstery, pairs that with a high-durability standard fabric, and includes built-in bedding storage.
Does fabric durability matter more than washable covers? They solve different problems — durability resists damage, washability resolves accidents and odor. For the strongest overall protection, look for both together, which currently only Newilla offers.
Can pets damage a sofa bed’s conversion mechanism? Unplanned weight or interruption during conversion can stress hardware not designed for it. Simpler, one-motion mechanisms like Neah, Vilander, and Carnell reduce the number of parts exposed to that risk.
Do pets prefer a specific comfort system? Generally softer surfaces, similar to human preference. Newilla and the Pocket Spring Dual collections (Osvald, Cone, Walis) are the softer end of the range.
Should I avoid low-Martindale fabrics entirely if I have pets? Not necessarily for light-contact areas, but avoid them for the primary seating surface in an active pet household. See the fabric guide for the full range compared.
For a pet-owning household, durability, washability, and mechanism simplicity matter more than styling alone. See our fabric guide and washable covers guide for the full detail, or get in touch about your household’s specifics.