I have a cream leather set from Hecht's (Macy's now) It was less than 2,000.00 for all four pcs., and it has been great. It is analine leather, which is surprisingly tough. So far, not a gouge in sight. I think the lighter the color, the better. Just have to wipe it down frequently.

Turtle Wax leather cleaner/protecter from Dollar General works great with a warm damp cloth. Looks like new for about 15 minutes every time I clean it! :blink: Non-analine leather is not as good a choice. It looks like thick suede. It's not treated to have that slick surface like analine which repels moisture better and drool, and claw marks show up more on it.

My sister also swears by microfiber furniture. Cat hair doesn't even hold on to it. B)
TIP: Since we are in the cleaning biz, we get these "chemical sponges". You can find them in hardware stores, or at fire restoration companies. They are useful for many things: removing soot from flat walls, and for us, they remove dog hair easily from fabric!

Just use a downward one way only wiping motion on the furniture and you won't believe how much fur comes off.

You can wash them, but let them air dry. The best ones are made by Chem-Spec. They are about 3 dollars for an 8" long one. Looks like a sponge brick. Great for car upholstery as well.