How does felt feel the impact of pets faster than flannel or fleece, Madame kelly? I admit we have a cat who considers the design wall to be her own private climbing adventure space, but I rather think that felt is holding up to the weight of a cat's body suspended by claws into the fabric better than flannel would. She is most likely to attack the design wall if there are any flying geese blocks -- our theory is that in her primitive little brain the vaguely bird like shape triggers a hunting impulse.
This particular cat has a love/hate relationship with all things quilting related. I've witnessed her pulling every pin out of pin cushion with her teeth, laying them in a neat pile, and then taking off with the pin cushion as her latest prey. She also is prone to lick best press residue off of any surface that may have had some overspray. She's definitely weird and a bit of a menace.