How to Choose the Perfect Cat Bed

Sleep is an essential part of your cat's life! On average cats sleep for between 15-20 hours per day, so it's important to provide them with a comfortable bed to rest in. Here are some simple tips to help you pick a bed that your cat will love to sleep in.

How to pick the right sized bed for your cat

• The easiest way to ensure you pick a bed that best fits your cat is to use a tape measure to measure your cat from head to the base of their tail.
• When you have this measurement it's best to add on a couple of inches, this ensures that the bed is cosy but not too cramped.

Choose a cat bed that best suits your cat's personality

The raised side cat bed

• Raised side or high sided cat beds are typically circular and have side walls to give your cat added comfort.
• This style of bed is perfect for a cat who enjoys sleeping curled up in a ball as it's easy for them to stay snuggled up in.

The cat cave

• Cat caves are fully enclosed cat beds that are a bit like a box with an opening at the front. The cat can crawl into the cave and hide from the world.
• These beds are preferred by shy cats or cats that usually prefer to sleep in sheltered areas.
• If your cat likes to spend most of its time under furniture than they will naturally like a cave-style bed as it gives them a sense of added security.

The heated cat bed

• A crowd favourite with cats young and old is a heated cat bed, these beds come with a heating unit that fits inside the bed.
• They are especially good if you live in a cold area, or if you have an elderly cat or a cat that suffers from joint pain and arthritis.
• Although you can also use a snuggle safe cat bed which is heated in the microwave and stays warm for up to 12 hours, it can get slipped under a blanket.
• The electric heating pad, works just like a human electric blanket but is smaller.

The scratch post bed combination

• Some scratch posts come with the bed built in, a cat cave built in or merely a flat surface to put the bed, so there are plenty of options available for you here.
• This is a good option if you have a cat that prefers to sleep in an elevated position.

Tips for getting your cat to use their new bed

Cats are funny creatures, often if you spoil them with new things like a toy, they are more interested in playing with the box or packaging that the toy came in than the toy itself.

• When you buy a new cat bed positioning is key, if you want your cat to use a cat bed then you should place the bed in an area that your cat already likes to sleep.
• Cats naturally gravitate towards sleeping in warm and sunny spots, so by placing the bed in a warm room with lots of natural light and windows there's a better chance your cat will take to sleeping in their new bed.
• Some cats like to be high up, so you may want to find a higher location for the bed.
• If your kitty is sleeping on your laundry, bed or other furniture and you don't want them to do this, make those spots undesirable for them by using harmless deterrents
• Lure your picky feline to try out their new bed with their favourite treats or catnip. Once your cat leaves the bed leave a sprinkling of their favourite treats to entice your kitty to come back later.