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Cat mattress encasement protector
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Charles020
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Dec 1 2011 16:50:14
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I have recently had full apartment thermal heat treatment coupled with chemical treatment of a limited bedbug infestation. So far (after about three weeks) the treatments seem to have been successful (fingers crossed). Along with the treatments the PCO placed Protect-A-Bed encasements on my mattress and box spring. I'm not asking for opinions on these encasements. I'm seeking to allow my two cats back on the bed for play and petting. They also sleep with me sometimes. So far I've locked the bedroom against their entering. Their claws if they penetrate the encasements will defeat the purpose of the encasements. Does anyone know of another mattress encasement which can be placed over the ones I already have that will not be pierced by cat claws? Several relevant mattress liner mfrs. that I've phoned say that they cannot help me. Although I do trim the cats' front claws I am not conscientious, at least up to now, about trimming them very regularly so that no sharp ends ever develop. Also vets now advise against trimming back claws in case they go out (which mine do) and need to get down from a tree. Training my cats not to claw furniture and rugs has not worked for me. They have never scratched much or at all in the bed, having zeroed in on a couch and rug, but who knows what they will get up to in the future, or what damage they might do jumping up onto the bed and down off it. Although I know I am a pushover for these cats, can anyone help?
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oldtimer
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Dec 1 2011 19:20:10
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Hi,
Let me oblige with a little lateral thinking.
What you actually need is something to put over the encasement that the cats claws cant get through in order to cut the encasement itself which does not need to be another encasement.
In which case I would say either a number of fitted sheets or sheets of a tougher material should suffice. I would have thought that 3 or 4 layers of fabric would be enough but the extreme end of the spectrum is catered for with leather, PVC and rubber sheets. Only the leather is comfortable enough to sleep on (or so I am told
).Just thinking outside of the box and hope it helps.
David Cain
Bed Bugs Limited -
Charles020
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Dec 1 2011 21:29:36
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bed-bugscouk - 2 hours ago »
Hi,
Let me oblige with a little lateral thinking.
What you actually need is something to put over the encasement that the cats claws cant get through in order to cut the encasement itself which does not need to be another encasement.
In which case I would say either a number of fitted sheets or sheets of a tougher material should suffice. I would have thought that 3 or 4 layers of fabric would be enough but the extreme end of the spectrum is catered for with leather, PVC and rubber sheets. Only the leather is comfortable enough to sleep on (or so I am told ).
Just thinking outside of the box and hope it helps.
David Cain
Bed Bugs LimitedThanks. Today I thought of a possible solution myself: a quilted bedspread which could be folded under the mattress at all points, covered by a sheet. As the sheet doesn't encourage claw scratching, if any occurred inadvertently I think the quilted spread would stop the claws from penetrating thru to the encasement protector underneath. What do you think?
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your host
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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Dec 2 2011 0:05:45
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Does anyone know of another mattress encasement which can be placed over the ones I already have that will not be pierced by cat claws?
No.
And yes, alternatives are possible. Some mattress pads (which sit on top of the encasement) are quite thick. A quilt as you suggest might work.
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worrieditcher
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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Dec 2 2011 0:32:07
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I was just going to make the same thread!
My cat loves to chew so I'm afraid of her getting under the bed and tearing up the cover on the box spring as well. Perhaps some strategically placed under-bed storage boxes could stop her.
I think I will try the idea of a quilt or something between the encasement and my fitted sheet for the mattress, though. Great idea.
I have the same brand, anyone know how easily these tear? I've heard the cheaper ones can tear easily but these definitely weren't cheap. Even putting my box spring back on the frame made me nervous, I would hate for all that money and time/effort to go to waste.
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Charles020
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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Dec 2 2011 18:07:43
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worrieditcher - 17 hours ago »
I was just going to make the same thread!
My cat loves to chew so I'm afraid of her getting under the bed and tearing up the cover on the box spring as well. Perhaps some strategically placed under-bed storage boxes could stop her.
I think I will try the idea of a quilt or something between the encasement and my fitted sheet for the mattress, though. Great idea.
I have the same brand, anyone know how easily these tear? I've heard the cheaper ones can tear easily but these definitely weren't cheap. Even putting my box spring back on the frame made me nervous, I would hate for all that money and time/effort to go to waste.Today I found a slipcover mfr. with fake leather mattress covers which I think may do the trick. $65 and under. They also will send swatches of several types of fake leather to feel and hold to determine if I think they will be claw-proof. I suggest you do the live chat on their site and ask for some swatches also. I think possibly they don't have a king-size cover of this type, only queen and below, but I could be wrong..
Good luck to both of us!
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dwjrnyc
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jan 5 2012 13:44:47
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Hi - I have the same issue and am glad i found this thread. My mattress is triple-bagged (3 Bed, Bath & Beyond Bed Bug Matress Cover Encasements) - for the simple fact that i was afraid there could be holes in the encasements from my cat clawing. She claws evertyhing (chair, furniture, etc) - and on occassion in the morning when we are waking up - i will catch her starting to claw the bed.... (!) and then i stop her, but who know's if it's soon enough and what she might do when i'm not there. There's usually a sheet and on top of it..... but somtimes the sheet bunches up and the encasement is exposed, therefore, it is possible she could have clawed a hole thru the encasement and i have seen her do it.
[i had a BB issue end of August and thru September, possibly ending in mid October. Seemed okay for the next month or two and now something started again, right before Christmas - new BB bites like the ones i initially had in august, so looks like i was somehow midly reinfested or perhaps i had a straggler hiding somewhere]
Got treated last Thursday and I am now (finally) getting rid of my giant wood platform captain's bed with drawers on saturday..... as a precaution and last resort.... (the PCO and owner of the company recommended this) - and later the same day have a simple, metal bed frame arriving for delivery.
Regarding the cover problem with the cats, one thing i thought of was - how about a shower curtain liner? those are clear and vinyl..... i was thinking of trying that. Laying it over my ecasement, then my regular sheet on top of that, then a blanket, etc..... i would think that would be a good layer of protection against the cat claws.
And now after more reading, i'm a little worried about the frame tearing a rip through the encasement. Any thoughts on that? Perhaps rolling clear packing tape around the entire frame?
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buggyinsocal
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jan 5 2012 13:51:13
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Cat claws can go right through vinyl, as anyone who has a cat and an inflatable mattress for guests (or any guest who's slept on one) will tell you.
If you're only counting on the encasement for a limited period of time, regularly clipping the cat's claws or using Softpaws (and being really meticulous about making sure they stay on) are options that may help minimize the chances of holes in the encasement.
I have a cat; I don't count on encasements because I am just not willing to clip her claws every two weeks or so, which is pretty much what would be required.
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dwjrnyc
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jan 5 2012 14:18:41
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Buggyinsocial - so what did you wind up doing?
Clipping her claws are not an option (she would NEVER let me) - and the Soft paws would never happen either. The only time she does get her claws trimmed is when she goes to the vet. Plus, she is 14 years old, been sick recently, not in the best of health. And in many ways, she is also a very needy, stubborn, high maintenance cat (i could never ban her from my bed / bedroom).
The past few weeks because it's gotten so cold, i've kept a thick, soft, like faux shearling blanket over the bed, and have been sleeping on TOP of that..... that definitely covers it, and she doesn't claw that and even if she did her claws would not get thru it - it's thick and fat. I suppose i can continue to keep that on as the base, but wonder about the summer when it's too hot to sleep on top of that..... But really, i now like to keep as LITTLE stuff on the bed as possible, so less places for a bb to hide. Since August it has just been, the bb cover encasement, with one plain white sheet over it, and then me, and then a light blanket or throw OVER me. I do not have have a fitted sheet / mattress cover anymore, and probably never will again.
Someone recently suggested Sticky Paws along the sides of the mattress - i'm thinking that might be a good idea. Because i'm now realizing that by getting rid of my high, wooden platform with double drawers and replacing it with a regular metal bed frame, my mattress will now be lower to the ground, giving her access to claw the -sides- of the mattress, which she did not have before. ughhhhh Someone on this forum also told me once that three bb encasement covers is probably overkill - but in my case, i dont think so.
thank you
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buggyinsocal
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jan 5 2012 14:43:38
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Well, I was lucky in that I had heat treatment. (Obviously, the cat was out of the home while that happened.) Since I had heat treatment, the bugs and eggs were all killed in one go, so I didn't have to worry about encasements. I do realize that's not an option for everyone.
And believe me, I understand about cats and what you can and cannot do with a cat. Mine is 13, and as she's gotten older, she's gotten more high maintenance. (As I type this, she's curled up beside me and she grumbles every time I move.) While mine will put up with having her claws clipped, she really won't put up with having her belly touched. ::boggles:: My cat pretty much has to have access to my bedroom. Even setting aside the PITA she'd be if I tried to keep her out of the bedroom (and therefore cut her off from her heat source while she sleeps), the litter box is in the bathroom which can only be accessed through the bedroom. Her food is in the kitchen. I'm not willing to move either of those things, so, access to the bedroom it is.
Are you using the encasements as a preventative? Or are you being required to use them as part of your PCO's treatment plan? How much I would worry about the cat's claws would really depend, for me, on how worried I am that there are currently bed bugs inside the mattress and/or box spring that is encased?
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dwjrnyc
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jan 5 2012 14:58:44
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Same with my kitty..... exactly, glad you understand. Plus, i already feel like this whole nightmare has disrupted HER life as well..... been stressful on her..... but she keeps pulling thru like a trooper.
I'm using the encasements as a preventatitve, yes. There were never any bugs in the matrress..... ever. Reason being, i had the mattress bagged with a bb encasement from the day i moved in - a year and a half before my issues. All New Yorkers have them (or should). Thank god i did. Then when my problem arose, i ran out and got another one and threw it over it - just in case, to be double-protected. Then, when October came i had been treated 4 times and was still getting bit, i went out & bought a third, just because i was desperate, paranoid and overly cautious...... and just in case my cat had clawed a hole in it. I wanted to leave nothing to chance and entertain any possibility. So i'm still worried about little claw holes - although no, i do not think there are bugs inside the case. (i was more worried about her clawing a hole and then one/some crawling INTO it, etc)
Now i'm wondering what i should do. I'm just saying this because come saturday when the giant wood platform is gone and my bed will now be lower and on a metal frame, she's going to now have good access to scratch the -sides- of the mattress if she wants...... and she did that completely with my couch and does it on the side of the living room chair - daily.
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buggyinsocal
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jan 5 2012 15:07:48
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If it's just a preventative, then I'd be less worried about it. After all, if it's a preventative, then it's there primarily to make the mattress less hospitable for the bugs to get into.
Bed bugs may like nice hidey holes that are tight-fitting, and all, but I don't really see them going for your mattress inside three encasements, even if they have tiny holes in them, as opposed to plenty of other places in the apartment. I'm not saying it's impossible, but if you don't have bugs now, and you're just trying to keep them out of the bed, I would guess that having an an encasement or three already on the mattress is going to do that pretty effectively. If you were to get an infestation, they'd be much more likely to set up shop in, say, the screw holes in the wooden frame then to climb through all those layers of encasement material, wouldn't they?
I mean, I could be wrong. I'm not a professional. I'm just saying that I think sometimes when it comes to bed bugs we start worrying about every possibility, no matter how statistically small, when, in fact, the bugs are not quite that insidious. (In a very heavy infestation, all bets are off, but you're not there yet--far from it.)
One final tip: most PCOs seem to agree that the bed bugs are much more likely to get into the box spring in the US than the mattress. (Other countries apparently have very different box springs.) If you must concentrate on protecting something from kitty's little daggers, concentrate on the box spring more than the mattress. Personally, I'd put the sticky paws on the box spring and not the mattress if you have both and decide to try those out.
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dwjrnyc
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Posted 1 year ago
Thu Jan 5 2012 15:18:06
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Thanks Buggyinsocal...... should have mentioned, i dont have a box spring - just a mattress. (which is why i'm a little worried now that they bed/mattress will be lower - and more to kitty's level when on the ground).
The platform wood bed which i have now is very high, therefore, no box spring needed - just the mattress which sits on top of the giant wood platform. But as i mentioned, this giant wood platform is going bye-bye on saturday. Even though we have never found any bugs in there while inspecting and treating, we thought it was best. Just too much attraction / places / harborages for one to hide. So come saturday, it will just be a (new) metal frame, with my mattress on top of it.
I thought about putting one of those thin mattress pads over my mattress..... then the cat would scratch that instead of my encasement while on the bed if she chose...... but wasn't sure if that would give more allure to hiding places......
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