The looped rug fibers work well for us since our cat seems to think rugs are a scratching post, and this rug completely deters him from going there. We actually based our entire nursery around this rug - beautiful, bold colors and awesome statement in the room. My only real concern is that there is a wrinkle in the middle and it refuses to lay flat, even after being down for a few months. This is a sign of a thin, flimsy back. I guess the price was too good to be true!