Cats spend the majority of their time sleeping, making it essential they have a comfy, cosy bed. There are many different cat beds on offer and even supermarkets now often have their own selection of pet beds to choose from. Below we will discuss key factors to consider when choosing a cat bed and how to set it up to optimise its use – essential with SO MANY options now on the market!

Table of contents

Because most cats enjoy being tucked away, smaller beds are often preferred 

Many cats like beds with sides and a roof too; this creates more of a den feel, rather than an open and flat bed which leaves them more exposed. Cats enjoy climbing, so placing their bed in a high, yet sturdy place will help them to relax more. Placing your cat’s bed on or near a scratching post may encourage usage of this too, prior to getting up there to sleep.

As with all such resources, it is advised that you have more cat beds than the number of cats in your household

This is because cats enjoy being alone and competition for a bed may result in high levels of stress. This can lead to further health problems, such as urinary tract diseases. This principle is the same for litter trays and food bowls. You want to minimise competition for life’s necessities within a household. 

Cats need to feel safe in order to relax and sleep

This means that although the actual bed is very important, so is the location of the bed. Cats enjoy being warm so placing their bed near a radiator could be good. Cats do not like to be in drafts or in an area where they are likely to be disturbed. A quiet, isolated area is normally of preference. In addition, our feline friends are naturally solitary animals. They like to be hidden away and you will often find your cat in strange, unusual places. This is because they like being high up or in small, dark spaces. This means large beds are often of little interest to our furry friends. 

Choosing a cat bed which you can clean easily is important too, as bedding is a common place for fleas to live

Ensuring you can either put the bedding into a washing machine or wash it down is vital for hygiene. Remember, you need to wash at 60C to ensure you kill any flea pupae present. If you feel you need to wash bedding a lot, choosing a hard bed shell with additional soft lining may help; it will allow easy removal and washing of the bedding or blankets. Plastic beds hold much less dust compared to soft, fabric beds. You can always replace the bedding in the bed whilst you wash a set, meaning your cat is never without their comfy bedding. 

Think about what material is best for your cat bed

Cats often pad their bed when they are relaxed. So if the bed is made from stringy material, it may start to break down. If your cat’s bed is not made to a high quality standard, strings may become loose. Cats find strings very interesting and often play with them. This can lead to ingestion which can be fatal, as the intestines struggle to digest such objects and the long shape can lead to internal tangles. Always check your cat’s bed to ensure the material is secure. 

Above all, make sure it uses a cat-safe material!

If your cat spends lots of time away from home, at other peoples houses or at a cattery, choose a bed which is easy to transport. Ensuring a cat has its own bed, even whilst they are away is beneficial for their stress levels.

The truth is, cats will sleep wherever they want to!

Many people will buy lovely luxurious beds for their pet cats and then their cat will not sleep in it. To encourage your cat to sleep in their bed, you could put treats in their bed to entice them towards it. Adding feline friendly pheromone spray to your cat’s bed, or the room your cat’s bed is located in, will help them to relax and may entice them to sleep more.

To conclude, there are many different cat beds on offer and what suits one may not suit another. The bed is important, but so is the location of the bed and the competition for it. So take other factors into consideration when setting up your pets’ new cosy area.

VetHelpDirect may receive revenue from product purchased through affiliate links.

Further reading: