A Comfortable Cat Bed
for Your Healthy Cat

"Cats sleep. A lot! The perfect place to sleep
is a thoughtfully placed, comfortable cat bed.
Preferably in a beam of warm sunlight!"

How to Choose the Right One

Beds for your cat come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. Your cat won't care about the color, so go ahead and choose a color that suits your taste.

Factors to consider in choosing a bed to keep your cat healthy and happy:

• Choose the right size for your cat. Make sure your cat can stretch out comfortably, but don't get one that is too big. Cats feel more secure and comfortable in smaller places. You may want to measure your cat from his head to the base of his tale and add a few inches. Measuring your kitty first is especially important when buying a cat bed online.

• Choose one that is easy for your cat to get in and out of. If you have a kitten or older cat, you'll want to make extra sure that the walls of the bed are low enough so that your kitten or senior cat can get in and out easily. A classic-style cat bed has a shorter entrance area with high walls to keep your cat feeling cozy.

• Natural fabrics for the lining and stuffing are best. This provides extra comfort for your cat and helps with some allergies. Natural fabrics include cottons, wool, feathers, and kapok. Synthetic fibers that are hypoallergenic are also good.

• Choose one that is machine-washable. This will allow you to keep your cat's sleeping area clean and free from potential fleas and also from allergens.

The Best Place to Put Your Cat's Bed

Your cat needs a clean, quiet, and private place to sleep and rest. This place should be warm in the winter and cool in the summer. And even if your cat sleeps with you some of the time, she should still have a suitable place or two (at least) of her own. If you have a multi-level home, you may want to consider having a place for your cat on all levels.

Experiment by placing the cat furniture in different areas of your home. This will show you where your cat likes best. Or take your cat's lead by placing a bed or bedding in the locations he has already chosen as favorite spots.

Traveling With Your Cat

If you travel with your cat, take along her bed. This will help her feel more comfortable and secure. If space is an issue, take along something like a cat cushion.

Be sure that your cat has used this cat bed in your home so that it will have her familiar scent on it.

How to Get Your Cat to Use Cat Furniture

It's not unusual for you to bring home a wonderful new cat bed and find that your cat will have nothing to do with it. If this is the case, you need to try to make the bed as appealing to your cat as possible.

The following steps will help make your new cat bed more appealing to your feline companion:

• Put the bed in your cat's favorite place or where she already sleeps.
• Leave small healthy treats in the bed.
• Use a small amount of catnip spray or put organic catnip leaves around the bed. (While this will make most cats "high" for a while, they will come to associate the bed with a good feeling. Use sparingly and stop if it doesn't seem to work.)
• Praise your cat with special petting when he uses the bed.
• Put one of your cat's items in the bed, like a favorite pillow.

Making a Bed for Your Cat Saves You Money!

Although there are a ton of cat beds you could buy, you don't really have to buy a special bed to keep your cat healthy and happy. You can make a cat bed on your own.

Your cat's bed can be as simple as placing a clean, folded towel or small blanket on her favorite chair or even her favorite corner. A covered pillow will also do just fine.

Keeping Your Cat's Bed Clean Keeps Your Cat Healthy

Whatever type of bed you choose, be sure to regularly clean it. Many cat beds are machine washable. This is the best option. Be sure to dry the bed (or towel or blanket) thoroughly before setting it out for your cat to use.

Keeping your cat's bed clean helps keep your cat healthy by eliminating any potential health hazards, like fleas.

A flea-free environment is essential to keep your cat healthy and happy.

Related Topics and Resources

CatsPlay has a really wild and large selection of pet beds. This is a must-see site.

Beds for Cats A small selection of My Healthy Cat favorites.

Cat Furniture What does your cat really need?

From Cat Bed to My Healthy Cat home