Guides
Open basket or covered cave: reading your cat's habits
Cats are particular about walls. Some nap in the open with one eye on the door, and some fold themselves under the nearest layer. The bed you buy should match the habit, not the other way round.
Signs a cat wants an open basket
If your cat sleeps on the back of a sofa, on a windowsill or stretched across the middle of a bed, it likes to watch the room while it rests. An open rope basket suits that habit, because the cat can keep its head above the rim.
The woven sides still give a little support for the chin, which is why a basket often gets used where a flat cushion does not.
Signs a cat wants a covered cave
A cat that burrows under a duvet, sleeps behind a curtain or folds itself into a box is looking for a roof. A hooded cocoon gives it the same feeling with a washable lining.
Covered beds also hold warmth, so they suit cats that sleep on cold floors or in draughts. In a hot room in July, expect the cat to move back to the open basket.
When a cat refuses both
A new bed in a new spot rarely gets used on the first night. Put it where the cat already sleeps rather than where you would like it to, and leave an unwashed blanket inside for a few days so it carries a familiar smell.
If a cat has ignored every shape, the problem is usually position rather than the bed itself.