Repairing cat scratches on leather can be challenging, but with the right materials and techniques, it can be done. You have to take your time, follow the process and the results will be amazing.
This video will also help you with repairing pet scratches on a leather sofa.
Here's how to fix cat scratches on leather:
Clean the leather: Before attempting any repair work, make sure the leather is clean. Use a leather cleaner to remove any dirt or oils from the surface of the leather.
Assess the damage: Take a close look at the scratches and determine how deep they are. Surface-level scratches can often be buffed out quickly with a restorer cream and a soft cloth, while deeper scratches may require more extensive repairs. They may require a full leather prep process, fillers, glue to glue the lose fibres back down where the cats have pulled at the leather, sandpaper to sand areas and now leather paint, followed by sealer to apply the new clear coat lacquer on the leathers surface once again.
- Use a leather cat scratch repair kit: Purchase a leather pet scratch repair kit that includes a colour-matching solution, filler, glue, and sealant. Follow the instructions on the kit carefully, along with a video to give you guidance, where you can pause the video carry out the process needed, then restart and go to the next step in the repair.
- Prepare the areas: The first stage is to prepare the areas to be repaired, this involves removing some of the surface colour, so that the new leather paint can bond correctly, this is done by rubbing over the surface with the prep solution in the cat scratch repair kit to remove some of the surface paint and some of the scratches caused by the cat.
- Glue them down: Any areas where the cat has left pulls of leather flapping around on the leather skin surface, these will need to be glued down once the prep stage has been done above and the leather hide is dry again. Apply the glue to each pull and push into position to glue them down.
- Apply the filler: Apply the filler to the scratches using a spatula or a toothpick. Allow the filler to dry completely, this can be speeded up using a hair drier.
- Sand the surface: Once the filler has dried, gently sand the surface with a fine-grit sandpaper to smooth out any rough patches.
- Apply the colour-matching solution: Use the colour-matching solution provided in the cat scratch leather repair kit to match the colour of the leather. Apply the solution to the repaired area and blend it in with the surrounding leather. Its best applied using a stippling motion, rubbing on the colour will end up causing streaks.
- Apply the sealant: Once the colour-matching solution has dried, apply the sealant provided in the repair kit to protect the repaired area from future damage. This can be applied to the repaired cat scratches using a stippling motion also, being careful not to create to many bubbles on the surface, if you do, just gently dab these out, once this is complete and no bubbles are left on the surface you can dry this with a hairdryer.
Keep in mind that repairing scratches on leather can be time-consuming and require some skill, taking your time with all the process in hand will ensure a fantastic result at the end, watch the cat scratch repair videos, follow them, and seek as much help and advice as possible.
Take a look at this cat Scratch Repair Video that will help guide you to repair cat scratches on your leather items.