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Good luck with this one! I have 4 cats and have pretty much given up on finding the "non-hair attracting" one. I've been through a bunch of area rugs and have basically just resigned myself to a life of vacuuming constantly. However, I have since upgraded to a "pet hair" specific vacuum which has made life much easier! :)

Kilims work for us.

Poor quality rugs will shed a lot and keep shedding; you could return the rug due to the unusual shedding but not because of the fur attractant quality. Crate and Barrel, while known for their design sensibilities, is not known for their high quality rugs.

You might wish to consider a FLOR tile rug (http://flor.com). Order lots of samples in different textures and let kitty have at them to determine how fur resistent they are. You may be dissappointed in the pile or density but a lower pile will not be as hard to take care of.

Another idea would be to replace the rug with one that is highly patterned so that the fur doesn't show as much.

Brush kitty daily. I've had long hair cats and it does help.

Consider buying a non-electric carpet sweeper (http://hokysweepers.com) and keep it in a nearby closet. I have one of these things and they are wonderful for quick touchups without dragging out the heavy vacuum.

I had a wool rug from Pottery Barn that also shed profusely. I did some research online and found that this is a very common issue with mid-range wool rugs. However, they do seem to shed less and less over time as the loosest fibers come out.

A similar style in a synthetic fiber might work, but I think any rug will collect pet hair. Here is one from Target - http://www.target.com/mary-kateandashley-Earth-Sky-Rug-Collection/dp/B000S5XMCU/qid=1239888028/ref=br_1_1/189-5013227-8152257?ie=UTF8&node=382447011&frombrowse=1&pricerange=&index=tgt-mf-mv&field-browse=382447011&rank=pmrank&rh=&page=1

Any new wool rug sheds for six months and then settles down - seems they don't beat child laborers into spinning yarn as tightly as some of us would desire. A cotton hooked rug wouldn't shed as much and would clean up easier.

Cat hair is forever. Go to your closet. Pick out the sweater that shows the least amount of fur. That's the color of your next rug.

Regarding Flor: my tiles still smell three weeks after installation.

I think it is actually more the rug's shedding than the cat - I had the same thing happen. The color of the rug is great and should hide the cat hair pretty well. Basically the rug needs to be worn down a little to decrease its shedding - just takes time (months). Wonder if one of those rubber rakes would help?

man, i JUST bought the Andrea rug from ikea and my fatcat has already DESTROYED THE THING. a few scratches and it's TOAST :(

so, i'd actually be happy to have your problem right now!!! waah!

i've pretty much resigned myself to having to get down on all fours and clip each wool thread as he tears it up. i've also put a call in to my catclaw-clippy lady to come immediately and give stupidhead a manicure hehe. now both cat AND rug are high maintenance. gads!

i wish i went with flor and a super low pile variety :(

Getting a rug in a color palette similar to your cat's fur color is your best bet. The shed hair will still be there, but it won't be as visible.

Or, as Linbo suggested, a highly patterned rug might be a good option. I'd still recommend something in a "matching" palette, though. I had a predominantly navy Oriental rug (wool) in my living room for a long time, and it always looked horrible, because even though it was highly patterned, the overall color was much darker than my dogs' fur.

We have 3 cats and a dog and after going through many rugs we now have Mad Mats. http://www.outdoorrugsonly.com/mad_mats.asp throughout our house.
They are woven plastic which may not appeal to some but they are also colorful, well-made and cannot be destroyed by the claws of our furry friends. Cleaning up kitty and puppy vomit is also a breeze. I love them. My husband says he doesn't like the texture under his bare feet but I find them soft and comfortable.
Crate and Barrel used to have very nice woven plastic and cotton rugs. I have on in the kitchen.

Well that cat is so cute I don't see why you need a rug. But if you must have one... I'd recommend a woven rug instead of this kind, they don't shed and are much healthier anyway without the glue that holds the tufting onto the backing of this type of rug. I have a big furry beast like yours and I've found that he immediately rolls around on his back on every rug I bring home. I have a few small ones but I have to clean them constantly. Couldn't we make rugs out of cat fur and just simplify the whole matter?

Our solution was to get cheapie rugs (the 20$ sisal special) from Home Depot and IKEA. Shedding not a problem, clawing not problem. We also Furminate the cats, have several clawing posts, and use a pet-hair vacuum. Someday, a cool rug will be fun, but it's just not in the cards with our hairy monsters. Meanwhile, our floors are just boring, boring. I can live with that, though, in exchange for a warm furry purr machine.

I don't have a cat, but I do have a husky. Here's what's worked for us:

Kilim. Preferably high quality tightly woven kilim. (Some of the lower quality Iranian flatweaves are pet hair magnets.)

Jute. Odd, because you'd think otherwise, but it does not appear to attract an inordinate amount of hair. The neutral color works well too.

I also have maine coones and their fur meshes over rugs - even when you think thy haven't been near the rug. It is amazing. I think brushing the cats and hoovering daily, sadly, is the answer. Very flat weave carpets may be better, but even kilims get coated.

When I reupholstered my couch, I brought back several fabric samples and used each one to pet the cats. A clear winner came to the forefront right away. I'm glad I went with the experiment because my first pre-experiment choice fabric would have been awful for pet hair. I'm not sure how you could translate this to rugs other than with Flor tiles, but that's a good direction to go. We have one rug similar to yours and just deal with the pet hair, although it has a more complex pattern so hairs don't show so quickly. In another room we have a very low pile oriental, which is fabulous for the pets and very easy to clean.

JoeyBrill -- I was planning to order some FLOR this week after much research, sample ordering and deliberation ... what do they smell like? Is it a chemical/plastic smell? Which FLOR do you have?

I mostly go with not caring, though carpet tiles (like Flor) will not shed or be shredded. I also have some of the very cheap flat round woven rugs from Urban Outfitters - hair doesn't seem to stick to them, but the first time there is kitty barf, that's pretty much it, since you can't wash them.

Matching the cat is always a good option - not only will the fur not show, but kitty then becomes a coordinated design accessory!

Besides chasing my cat around with the lint roller I use the wire brush on the rug. It really only takes a few minutes even tho I feel stupid "brushing" the rug, it helps a lot. Yes I do use the lint roller on the cats. One likes it.
More humane than the duct tape I use on the furniture.

kdkaboom, one of my cats was clawing my seriously expensive Tibetan rug I had waited all my life to have. Turned out the best solution was to put one of those horizontal scratchers (made from corrugated cardboard) right where she was attacking. Cardboard beat wool.

Also, this best-quality wool excels at repelling stains from cat puke.

I second the motion for a manual carpet sweeper. They are swift, light weight, quiet, and really work.

I have "no-stay" spray that I use on my rug after the cat soiled it and it seems to work in keeping her off the rug - that might help a little bit, at least in the short term.

I have two really really adorable chihuahuas. I decided to go with Flor tiles, after they chewed up my water hyacinth rug.

So far, so good.

http://www.interfaceflor.com

A nice 5 by 8 shouldn't run you more than 300 bucks.

Brush the cat a lot, if you can. With a long-hair, I would bet that would be the only solution. I have two short hairs and haven't ever had this problem, either on the ancient wool rug in the bedroom or the new synthetic rug in the living room.

I used Flor Fedora tiles in 2 rooms and they had a distinct unpleasant odor that lasted weeks. They smelled like burnt cooking oil. It was rather nasty. The smell did finally go away though.

I have used other types of Flor tiles in other rooms and had no problems w/smells.

with 4 cats, we go rugless, yes it is less "finished' looking, but at least the floor doesn't look like a mess 5 minutes after vacuuming. unfinished trumps messy, not that cat furs are messy :o)

Get a dhurrie or other flat-weave rug.

Robyn, I bought a 5'x7' medium pile, non-textured moon rug - plus some extra to make length. Mine doesn't have a rancid odor - it has a strong plastic odor. It sits in a small office right next to my bedroom so I notice the smell at night. It's been too cold to ventilate.

If I do this again, I'll let the tiles air out in the car port for a day or two.

I have one barfy cat and another who enjoys tracking mud into the room. The best thing about the tiles are that you can pull up one, scrub it clean at your sink, let it dry, and throw it back down. I've done this once with a white tile and it worked perfectly.

Wearing flat-bottom shoes (like Birks), scrape your foot across the rug. The hair mats and comes right up (unless it's a shag rug).

Brush the little darlings at least twice a day, and brush backwards as well as forwards. They might resist the back-brushing at first, but they will come to like it, and you will, too, for the results!

My cats are now on Prescription Feline r/d, and shedding has dramatically reduced. It is like a miracle!

I think this thread has finally given me the confidence to put together the FLOR Fedora area rug that has been sitting in a box under my sofa for 4 months...I didn't want to finish our renovation and then have a furry rug to ruin the illusion!

yay!

As a cat owner, I totally sympathize with your plight. My cat, Samwise Gamgee, is as I like to say “fat and furry like a hobbit”. But her fur, unfortunately, ends up all over my rug (from both shedding and the ubiquitous fur balls). Eww, gross!

Due to the constant struggle to keep the rug clean, I recently decided to go ‘rug-less’ in my apartment. I miss having a rug, but I don’t miss the endless frustration of using a vacuum, stain remover, and specialized brushes to deal with the fur and fur balls.

If you do really want to keep a rug, it is probably best to invest in one that one won’t pile as easily. I had an Ikea rug that pilled easily and I likely won’t be getting another one.

What is wrong with people thinking they can just return everything they buy no matter what condition they've subjected the merchandise to? You've had your cat all over the rug and vacuumed it. Now it's yours. This rug cannot be resold. Stop taking advantage of return policies and accept your decisions as final.

HiHi!

I have a huge furball of a cat like you do...and when I got a rug from west elm I was so pumped. It shed like CRAZY for about 6 months or so, but then died down. It will stop! Don't get rid of the rug you love!

Besides purchasing a pet hair specialized vaccum, I also learned of a cat brush called 'the furminator' which works absolute wonders. After about a year of seeing little miniature versions of my cat - via dust/hair/carpet shedding balls - I was tipped off about this amazing brush. It has a metal head that pulls all of the loose hair out of your cat's coat, the hair that is just stuck there and hangin out, waiting to be your floor's new best friend. It also helps to remove some of the thick lower layers of fur, which increases the effectiveness. I brush my little Abbey Road with this about once or twice a week and ever since I started the shedding around the house has gone down drastically. It really works!

Good Luck!

I don't have any specific advice other then brush brush brush which has been already given. But I do have a sort of solution for dog owners. One of my roommates brushes her dog and then vaccums it! Yes, she pulls off the specialized brush and runs it all over the dog, a huge fur producing golden retreiver. Weird thing is, the dog loves it.

Oh and I once thought I'd choose a cat based on what would show the least amount of fur on my black clothing. Most black cats, even short hairs, have gray undercoats. I know this well now >; )

I have two cats, both of which loves using our rug as a scratching post. Although it sheds a little bit when scratched(no where near as much as previous rugs) i don't see the cat hair untill i'm cleaning it up, and i have a grey tabby and a black and orange cat.

This is our rug

http://eq3.com/cat-eq3/process/locale/en_CA/currency/en_CA/page/3190-320.html

I agree totally with lanta - how can you think of returning it now - it's used! I love your cat by the way - I have a fur ball too so thanks for starting this thread

I have 2 cats and the Flor carpet tiles are the best I've found. Not a nice fluffy rug, but well worth the lack of headaches. And I still have a rug!

For the FLOR tiles, un-box them (stack them, stand them on their sides,) and leave them out - uninstalled for a couple of weeks. If you install them as soon as you get them it takes longer for the odor to dissipate.
I ordered mine, then wound up re arranging furniture again before installing so they sat in the basement for about 2 weeks prior to installation. I un-boxed them because there was no point in bringing empty boxes back up from basement. So really no planning here, just worked that way.

Doing this, I had no odor (at least that I noticed) and they are wonderful for the fur set. Easily to clean up cat puke and don't hold much cat fur.

Thanks for all your advice everyone! I'm still not sure what to do, but now I have lots to think about.

It seems the idea of returning the rug is a bit controversial. Let me say that I probably wouldn't consider returning it only because of cat hair attraction. However, this particular rug also had a 'pucker' in the middle of it where it wouldn't lie flat. I definitely consider that a defect and so did Crate and Barrel, which gives me the opportunity to reconsider while my replacement is on back-order.

And I do think everyone is entitled to a decent level of quality when they purchase something and should not feel bad about returning things that don't meet expectations. How else will retailers know if their stuff is junk?

I want that cat (lol)

You have a beautiful cat and beautiful wooden floors, forget the rug!!!

I have 3 cats, one has a sensitive stomachs and pukes at least 2x/week. I gave up on carpets a while ago. The last one I had was a flat weave, it was horrible! I'm with the others that say get rid of the carpet altogether. I have been thinking about flor tiles for a while tho and may take the plunge. I also recommend leather furnature.

Here's a question: could you furminate the carpet to get rid of the excess wool?

I'm with those who say kilim or jute. I have had both, and they were pretty resistant to attracting cat hair. the cats use the jute as a cat scratcher, but it really doesn't show much wear.

I also have a nicer persian-style rug, bought through craigslist, and it gathers very little hair, doesn't shed, and didn't cost much.

brush the cat more, keep the rug.

Try a bamboo or sisal type large floor covering. buy a smaller, shakable rug to sit on top of it. You can get the bamboo types in colors if the desire is to break up the expanse of floorboards. Dropping a smaller rug in the center further breaks things up and offers options for a pattern. I've got two cats and a dog and enough hair to weave a new rug. I've purchased a couple small flat weave wool rugs and, tho they do collect hair, a couple shakes out the door take care of the problem till I haul out the vacuum. I also second the floorsweeper idea. I got one at Sears and it is great for a quick pass over the wood floors and the rugs.

Go to the nearest pet supply store and pick up a Furminator brush. My two cats shed so much their hair clogged up my old vacuum beyond repair, even though I was brushing them. Then I got a Furminator (which takes off so much loose hair I could make another cat...and they LOVE it compared to the old brush). Boom - cat hair problem gone.

That rug is CUTE! Keep it, vacuum it often. Life isn't purrfect....

my cat is an orange version of yours. she has very fine, downy fur that sticks to everything and is nearly possible to remove. it especially sticks to the cheap, wool ikea rug I have (which also sheds ridiculously). there is no way to get it clean. however, I also have a jute rug from pottery barn. some fur does get on it, of course, but it actually comes off more easily. you'd think it would get stuck in all the crevices, (and it does to an extent), but the fur doesn't cling as much as it does to the wool, (it's like velcro). oddly enough, my cat also prefers to scratch the wool rug and leaves the jute one alone.

also, you must get a furminator brush. I just got one about two weeks ago and the wool rug hasn't been nearly as hairy. it's better than any other brush I've tried.

i just want to say your cat is the cutest!

I use commerical carpet tiles from Shaw which I get samples of thru my work. Our black persian Mr Higgins has done everything to them (including the occasional barf up) and they hold up like a charm. Using a commerical low level loop is key - and you can get pattern/colours that do not convey an office look. I will never go back to any other type of soft floor covering.

We have a fat orange and white cat so we understand your pain. I went through a few different rugs and have found that wool rugs that have tight fibers such as yours actually make the problem worse. It always looks as though there is a film of hair on top of an otherwise lovely rug.

Our current rug is perfect for our kitty. We bought a dark red shag rug which seems to be the best option yet. http://www.target.com/Mohawk-Home-Shag-Rug-Crimson/dp/B000244VG8/qid=1240175385/ref=br_1_16/192-2063743-9776916?ie=UTF8&node=10497651&frombrowse=1&pricerange=&index=tgt-mf-mv&field-browse=10497651&rank=pmrank&rh=&page=1

Try to find a rug that is similar in color to your cat or has enough depth to camouflage the hair so you don't have to vacuum so obsessively. We also love our shag rug because the occasional spilled glass of red wine is easily cleaned and forgotten. The only drawback is that this would not be a great rug if you cat has vomit issues...

Get a couple of rabbits and learn what REAL shedding is like! ;^)

(I also use the Furminator -- it's wonderful, but be careful with it, if used wrong you can hurt the skin of the animal being de-furred.)