Do cats actually use cat beds?

Yes, cats do use cat beds but it depends on several factors whether they will or not and when it happens. And the idea of a 'bed' is very fluid for a cat. It might be a bed like you see in the photo or it might be under a bush in the backyard or on a dinning room chair which is pushed under the dinning table (a roof over the head). It might be a vase containing a pot plant. I've seen that before.

Often it might take a long time before they use a new bed. A cat product that you thought would be very welcome and used all the time as it was expensive might be resoundly rejected.

The clamshell type bed referred to in the article. Image: Quora.com.

You might know that the problem with cats and cat products is that people buy the product because often they are designed to be attractive to people but cats have a different perspective on human made products and what is attractive 😉👍.

They don't think of beds or any other commercial item as being good because it's expensive or because it is of high quality. Domestic cats are not concerned about quality and expense. They just take a fancy to something and an old cardboard box might be as popular as the most expensive cat bed you ever saw.

That said, sometimes they come around to using the new product. Or they may use it for a while and then move on to another one and have a kind a rota system where they will use different locations in different beds over the month or year.

They might have a preference after a while and stick to that reference and then occasionally move out from it and try something else and then move back to their favourite place.

In this instance, concerning the photograph on this page, a quorum.com user asked whether cats actually use cat beds because she got him a bed and would not use it. No surprise there for me.

It is the bed you see in the photograph. A kind of clamshell. Very plush and soft she said. And she learnt that cats do come around to using these products sometimes. There's no guarantee though.

In this case he ignored it for two weeks and then when she came home from work his toy was gone and later that night he slept in it (with his toy). He then regularly used the bed.

Each cat has their own preferences and you can't really decide beforehand exactly what your cat might like. You might think you can but I don't think you can predict the outcome. That's why I sometimes believe it is foolhardy to buy nice products for your cat. Sometimes they simply go to waste.

My failure - I should know 😊

I have a beautiful bed for my cat. It was manufactured in The Netherlands and shipped over. It cost me about £200 and it's a nice piece of furniture. He used it once, perhaps twice but has not used it again and it's been in my house for nine months now. It was a waste of money (perhaps) and is now a decorative item!

The £200 bed my cat rejected. He used it once and not since. I hope he tries it again.

He might use it one day. I'm not sure why you didn't like it. Perhaps it's just the way he felt and there's no knowing. It may have been because the product is made of wood and it had been polished. The smell of the polish had not subsided enough before they shipped it. It may have been about the smell which put him off.

He preferred an old cardboard box from Amazon which is not untypical of domestic cats. He now sleeps in the utility room on a shelf which is well protected and warm and cosy and not far from the boiler.

I guess, if you wanted your cat to use a bed you should put it near the boiler. 💕🤔 Warmth is a massive factor. But this clamshell-type bedding you see in the photograph looks incredibly warm so I would see it as being successful normally.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

One cat needs 4 covered beds in different places as they like to rotate them

This is a really quick note. I was prompted to write it because I was looking for my cat this morning. He had been out and active all night. This is usual for him. He goes to bed at about 11 AM and stays there until the mid or late afternoon. And he likes to rotate the places where he sleeps, which is why it can be tricky to find him sometimes. 

My experience tells me that four different hiding places that are covered and in different locations around the home is about ideal. What are your ideals?

And he particularly likes places in which to sleep that are covered. In fact, he almost insists upon it. The reason is obvious: he feels more secure. Even better for him is when there are four walls and a roof with an entry point in one of the walls as you can see in the photograph.

Domestic cat's sleeping place is covered and enclosed for a sense of security. Image: MikeB

Note about the picture above. You see that well-worn scratching post? That's good as it is infused with his scent due to long usage which will encourage him to continue to use it and avoid the couch or armchair!

It's all about feeling secure and secondly, it's all about having options for a domestic cat to choose from because they like variation. They like variety. They can get bored like people. And they are particularly prone to boredom when they are cosseted and provided for all their lives as they are when living in good homes. 

They can often lack challenges. Domestic cats actually need challenges. They need them to be mentally stimulated.

Domestic cat's sleeping place is covered and enclosed for a sense of security. This is an expensive one at £200! Too expensive but pretty. Image: MikeB

And it's ideal if those little hiding places are off the ground and it doesn't matter if they are high off the ground. It might even be better for some cats. Although of course for older cats they need to be easy to get into because they might suffer from arthritis which makes it very difficult due to pain to climb and jump.

That is the point of the article. Try and provide a variety of little protective hiding places around the home where your cat can sleep. And there might be one or two outside the home if you live in a part of the world where the climate is very amenable for a cat who wants to sleep outside at night. 

Sometimes it's cooler for a cat to sleep outside at night and therefore a similar-type enclosed "bedroom" could be constructed outside as well.

Does Your Cat Sleep In Your Bed?

By Elisa Black-Taylor (USA)

Does your cat sleep in your bed? I've done a little research on the subject and found that female cat owners are much more likely to allow their cat to cozy up in bed with them at night. According to a survey taken by webMD, 62% of cats sleep with their owners and another 13% sleep with children.

Care to join us?

Is it a good idea to allow your cat to sleep with you? That's a whole different story. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) reports that more than half of all pet owners allow their pets to share their bed. Personally, I'm a sucker for a cat meowing at my bedroom door wanting to join me for a little snuggle time. Whether my cats want to share the bed or hide under it for a long nap, I'm not one to deny it.

Unfortunately, the CDC also has a lot of information trying to scare us about out four legged bed buddies. Cats can carry fleas and ticks. They may also carry diseases classified as Zoonoses, which are infections transmitted from animals to humans. This includes MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and meningitis.

Disease isn't the only concern. Those with allergies shouldn't even have a pet in the same room where they sleep. But people who are allergic to their cat and really love their cat are more likely to seek medical help through allergy shots to build up their immunity to their cat rather than to kick the cat out of the bedroom at night (see: Fel D1).

The Mayo Clinic even did a study several years ago showing 53% of those who sleep with their dog or cat have some form of insomnia. Dogs are just as likely to snore as a human, and cats tend to jump all over us as we try to sleep.

Veterinarian technician and feline consultant Ingrid Johnson believes the bed (and bedroom itself) should be all or nothing for a cat. Either the cat is welcome or it's not. Don't allow your cat bedroom access one day and then block it the next. Cat's don't react well when you take away "territory" and may begin displaying destructive behavior.

There's also the relationship status to consider. If you're part of a "couple" then both of you must agree to the cat sleeping arrangements or there's bound to be trouble in the relationship.

Many cat owners claim they can't sleep unless their cat is in the bed beside them. They not only nurture the cat, but also see the cat as a nurturer.

How do the readers here feel about cats and bedroom rights? Does your cat sleep in your bed? Personally, I have to have a cat or two in my bedroom at night. I can't stand the thought of one of my cats outside of my bedroom wanting in and my ignoring it's pitiful cries to join me. A few of my cats like to sleep on top of me. I've had to teach them that's not allowed, as I can't sleep that way.

The CDC and everyone else can keep their advice as far as I'm concerned. My cats are treated for fleas and ticks and hopefully I won't come down with a case of jungle fever or anything else. Anyone else feel the same?

For those of you who don't allow your cat to share the bed (if there's anyone who falls into this category), is your reason related more to insomnia or disease?



Related article at www.pictures-of-cats.org/cat-on-the-bed