Heated Pet Beds For Cats

Happy winter solstice my fellow cat people! The chilly weather is upon us which is why I started my new article about finding the best heated cat beds.  Although felines are blessed in the Darwinian sense, of developing a thicker, fuller coat during the cold months as a form of adaptation, it's always a good idea to treat them to a nice toasty place to nap. 

We have our own thermal heated blankets and such, why not treat Miss Kitty too, to her very own.Heated pet beds for cats are a real boon in the wintertime!  They're great for dogs too...in fact many older pets, or those with certain health problems like arthritis can benefit from a nice warm mat that has a special electric apparatus - preferably one that can be controlled, as you certainly don't want to cook Fido or Fluffy :)

A good quality heated mat should have several things in place, a nice soft outer cover, a certain thickness, and safety features like a thermostat setting.

Once I was invited to test out a kitty mat with a heater on the house! I enthusiastically agreed to do so and when I'd had at least a week of use I was able to produce a good assessment of it.

This one has a fleece outer cover, if you unzip it on the side you can look inside and see the heating element ; it looks to be made of vinyl. It plugs into any standard electric outlet, It does not have an adjusting setting; it's pre-set at a mild temp so I don't have to worry that it will get too hot.

This is my sweet furry daughter using it right now:

I've been able to remove the heating insert for warm months so they can have something to lay on. I haven't tried to wash it yet, but did give it some work with the mini pet vac.

Sorry but I don't think the seller carries this anymore, but wasn't that a lovely gift to get? I mean for my cats.

Other considerations - besides the weather, some cats can benefit if they are aged, senior cats may have more achy joints. Some cats may develop arthritis too, in which a heated bed or mat would be very therapeutic. Not too different from the heating pad I used to use that had an adjustable setting on it I used for treating pain. 

 In this guide and post, I walk you through everything you need to know as well as some good recommendations 

Pregnant and nursing cats, too also need more warmth. As well as privacy, ideally one of th e most popular styles in the plush mat, which can go within a contained object, even something simple like a cardboard box, Sterilite tote, etc., that you convert into a cat house or dwelling.

How I Chose the Best Heated Cat Beds

Well, three fourths of what I know about cats. their habits and how they gravitate to things. 

The other fourth - I checked them out. Any that I felt like were unsuitable for cats or could be a fire hazard (some people actually had conformation of this in pictures - yikes) I eliminated.

GASUR Heated Cat Bed with Adjustable Temperature

Looking for a pet mat with a heater but don't want to worry about it getting too hot? Look no further, this one is ideal as it ticks off all the boxes with its adjustable temp feature that lets you move it up or down within 5 different degree ranges. The Auto Shutoff is a great addition here, as it lets you set how many hours of duration to have the warmth setting, depending on your cat's conditions. The extra long 83" cord is not only easy to reach outlets but chew proof too.  Although cats are not prone to chewing (well, not like dogs and rabbits)  this is a nice feature to have. Not only do you have these safety bonuses built in for a worry-free experience, it comes in two sizes so whether you've got a kitten or a Maine Coon no problem. 

This would be a grat pad to look into for older cats, cats who have joint problems, or just need to keep cozy during the winter. 

And if you work long shifts ad can't be there to attend to your pet on those chilly winter days, the multiple options for setting the temp will grant you much peace of mind.

Pros: Auto shutooff, Multiple temperature settings that can be adjusted, Time intervals can be set

Cons:Some people thought a 2 hour setting would have been a good idea, also it's not intended for outdoor use

Buying Guide

Before i get into the meat of this post, you may have thought, beds for cats? I know dogs like to have their won, but cats are funny. Where do they usually sleep? Wherever they feel like it. One of my cats always lays on my bed, and he's happy as a clam. Many times, what do cats prefer as far as spaces go? Yours. This is because they always follow your scent, they can pick up onit, and it represents comfort to them, so that;s why they always want to liei in your chair, your sofa, you get the idea.  As I type this right now, Cosmo is sitting on my lap. So why do they need their own bed? Much less with warmers.

There are three th ings to look for in a heated cat bed: A soft outer cover -it can be fleece, or microfiber. Better yet if you can unzip the cover and wash it periodically. You know cats, their hair gets on everything. I use a small handheld vacuum for that before washing things my cats lay on extensively. Second, a cetain thickness to it - too thin and the risk of it getting too hot is there. . Look for a mat that is about 2" thick at least. 

Third is an adjustable thermostat. This is a safety feature....As long as the temperature can be controlled, you don't have to worry about Fluffy getting barbequed... This one I own just has a switch on one side. I wish it had a auto shutoff feature as I forgot to switch it off when Blaze wandered off. But since it is temp-controlled for safety, it didn't get too hot to casue trouble, but i do have to remember to switch it off more diligently.

It plugs into a standard outlet. I can wash the outer fleece cover. In the summertime, I may take out the heating element so they can just lay on the mat. 

How do you entice your cat to use his or her new bed? 

There is a running joke around the cat-meme community that your cat will show way more interst int he packaging that the actual thing you bought for him. I've got pictures on my hard drive of Buddy getting comfy in the box from Amazon so I know I'm not alone here. Well, I can tell you the secret, and that is to think like a cat does. Cats follow our scent as I mentioned earlier. What will get them to come around is to attempt to use the product yourself. No, I'm not insinuating that you can actually get into the bed yourself (that's too weird to picture...) But what you want to do is take a piece of clothing you had on recently, or take a random object you use often and set it in there. Rule-o numero uno-never make a cat think you want him to "do" something. Be as nonchalant as you can. When he gets the impression that you've got dibs on the new bed, he'll come around.  Some people like to use catnip as a lure, but the thing about catnip is this: some cats go nuts for it, others could care less. If yours is of the former, by all means use it as a training tool, I just think the "transferring your scent" method is the most effective.

Buddy enjoying his heated pad one chilly winter day...

A heated pet bed or mat is still a great accessory to have because cats have a tendency to seek out warm places. If you've ever had one get on the heating grate, your laptop computer or other tech tool ? Sputnik used to get on my printer, much to my consternation and badgering him to get off.Even as I type this, Blaze inadvertently kicked the printer on so I have to stay after her too. Good grief.  Do you think they do that to irk us humans? (It seems like it!) There's a logical explanation, and its called instinct - they like warm places, and many tools like laptops and computer consoles emit heat. Being warm means being secure, just like they were when they were kittens and they were never far from their mothers. So it's a safe bet that it won't take much effort on your part, other than the nonchalant "use" by you as in resting articles of your clothing, to pique interst.

Indoor or Outdoor?

Some cats, especially strays, semi-ferals, and barn cats are used to being outside, and not going to be easily rehabilitated to stay inside. Cats like this do fine, including in wintertime, under the right conditions, such as enclosures and little shelter houses. I have seen some people creating these out of large Sterilite totes and lining them with blankets. This is s great idea for cats to have shelter Although many pet beds are made with indoor use in mind, there are some that are designed with outdoor use in combination with shelter like the tote enclosure, your garage, shed or loft. Outdoor beds may have a higher wattage, but it's important that you use them in conjunction with some type of small shelter, as they won't be effective unless the heat is contained in some manner.

Of course, it's important to perform due diligence and make sure to check on your cat periodically - just in case.

#2 K & H Thermo-Kitty Round Bed

For those of you whose cats showed prefence towards the "donut" style bed, you'll find this one has a lot to offer, inclduing the high walls that will provide comfort adn security to your kitty in the wintertime. It comes in 2 sizes, 16" and 20" diameter and 6" depth. It is ideal for cats who "curl up" often when they nap...most do but some like to stretch out more, which is easier to do with a flat bed. It has a unique method of heating called thermostatic control, which means that it will sync up with your cats' natural body temperature relative to teh environment around him,  The internal thermostat warms when your cat is "present" and if she slinks off, it gets back down to the ambient temp. So no wasted energy and you can have peace of mind knowing that your cat will get too big a dose of heat, or worse, get cooked.  The heating element is found with in the cushion in the middle. Yes you can remove it for the warmer months of the year so it will still be useful.

Pros: Designed to heat up when your cat is present and go back to "normal" if she vacates, Design with walls provide security, Will fit small or bigger cats

Cons: Cat may not be able to stretch out as easily with the rounded contours

#3 Lectro-Soft Outdoor Kitty Bed

Also made by the K&H brand which has 20 years of experience with pet products, this is the bed you need to get if you've got feral cats you're hoping to rehabilitate, barn cats tha tneed a warm place out of the cold, or just a nice toasty spot in the garage for those felines that would rather be outside. It is a little thicker than its indoor cousin, about 2" thick and a 20-watt output, the heating elemetn si containerd within a vinyl enclosure but it does incldue a plush outer covering for comofrt. It aslo has the thermostatic heating concept built in meaning it will never get hot enough to burn your cat and will adjust to her natural body temperature. There are three different sizes available for the smallest kittens to Maine Coons. It's topped off with a five foot steel-encased cord.

Pros: Thermostatic design ensures consistent warming when cat is on it and goes back to neutral if cat leaves it, Good for feral adn outdoor cats, Can be used within shelter confinement, Waterproof vinyl outer cover, 3 different sizes

Cons: Some people said the cover did not stay on well