Does your cat have a favorite spot behind the sofa when strangers come to visit? Maybe she prefers to hide under the bed. Cats love dens, and their pet beds should reflect their need to have a safe place to rest where they can feel secure. Here’s the compelling reason cat beds should resemble dens.

Enclosed pet beds make cats feel safe

An enclosed cat bed can make your kitty feel safe and secure, especially if they’re new to the family or there’s a lot of extra stress in your home. In the wild, cats can fall prey to larger predators, so a den can keep them safe while they let their guard down enough to sleep. If three sides and a roof are protected, the cat only has to maintain minimal awareness of one vulnerable side, allowing them to relax more.

Think about how much your cat loves curling up in a box. You may not want to have cardboard boxes lying around your home at all times, so why not provide a cat bed that feels as comfortable to your cat as a cardboard box?

Why do cats love cardboard boxes?

Hiding boxes have been shown to reduce stress in shelter cats. Beyond reducing stress, enclosed spaces help cats regulate their body temperature. Studies have shown that cats need an ambient temperature of 86° to 97° F to maintain their body temperature without needing to generate energy to stay warm. That’s a lot warmer than most people keep their homes, so your cat may be working harder to stay warm than you expect.

An enclosed space like a cardboard box or a cat bed that resembles a den will help your cat retain his body heat and remain physically more comfortable, not to mention the psychological relief cats experience when they confine themselves in small spaces.

If your cat loves to hide under the bed, behind your sofa, or in other unusual spaces, they may feel more comfortable and confident with a cat bed that is enclosed and resembles a den.

What types of situations can make a cat prefer a cat bed that’s enclosed?

There are a lot of reasons a cat might seek shelter in an enclosed pet bed:

-Fear or anxiety

-Thunderstorms

-Fighting in the home

-Loud noises

-Abuse in a previous home

-Needing to feel safe

-Tension in the home

-Warmth

-Comfort

-Shelter

A final thought about pet beds

        Your bed is probably the place where you feel the most relaxed and secure, and the same should be the case for your pet beds. Enclosed pet beds may be slightly more expensive than something you can pick up at a retail chain, but isn’t your kitty worth having a pet bed that makes them feel as comfortable as possible?