When you get cold in your home, it’s a very easy problem to fix. All you have to do is get up and adjust the thermostat or grab yourself a blanket from the closet. But your cat doesn’t have the same options you do. Because of this, some cats, particularly of the hairless variety, are chronically cold, and there’s not a whole lot they can do about it.
Luckily for your cat, you’re aware of their chilly condition and have found a simple solution; self-warming cat beds. Plenty of these products are available, but as you know, they’re not all created equal. After getting a few self-warming cat beds that we weren’t thrilled with, we decided to solve this problem once and for all.
So, we picked out many of the most popular cat beds that were advertised as self-warming and put them to the test. In the following reviews, we’re going to share how each of these beds performed, what we thought about them, and which ones were our favorites, to help you pick the right one.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites (2023 Update)
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Best Overall
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Aspen Pet Self-Warming Cat Bed |
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Best Value
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Frisco Self Warming Cat Bed |
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Premium Choice
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K&H Pet Products Self-Warming Cat Bed |
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Pet Craft Simple Sleeper Self Warming Cat Bed |
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Pet Magasin Self Warming Cat Cave Bed |
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The 10 Best Self-Warming Cat Beds
1. Aspen Pet Self-Warming Cat Bed – Best Overall
After testing many similar products, we finally settled on the Aspen Pet Self-Warming Cat Bed as our top choice. It appears to be of higher quality than most competing products, though it’s priced more affordably. Because it comes in 4 different sizes, you’re certain to find a size that’s perfect for your feline. Unfortunately, you don’t get any choice in color; red and cream is the only option.
What makes this bed self-warming is the special interior layer. It reflects your pet’s body heat back to them, helping them to feel warmer than if they were laying in a regular cat bed. Thankfully, no electricity is required. This bed doesn’t have to be plugged in and it’s completely safe for your kitty.
More than just safe, this self-warming bed is also very comfortable. It’s covered in a faux lambs’ wool plush that’s super soft to the touch. Furthermore, there’s plenty of padding in this bed, so your cat will be comfy curled up in its clutches. Additionally, the non-slip bottom ensures that the bed stays put and won’t slide around while your cat’s in it.
2. Frisco Self-Warming Cat Bed – Best Value
Self-warming and simple, this cat bed from Frisco is our pick for best value, and it might just be the best self-warming cat bed for the money. Less than half the price you’d pay for some of the more expensive options on this list, this bed brings self-warming satisfaction to those on a strict budget. Of course, you’ll have to make some sacrifices, including variety since this bed comes in just one size and color.
Still, if you can deal with the lack of options, this bed is a great choice. It’s a neutral gray color that will work well in almost any environment. Cleaning is easy since it’s machine washable. Just toss it in the washer and any lingering odors will be gone. The non-skid bottom is also a nice touch that prevents it from sliding around if the bed is placed on a hard floor like tile or wood.
Altogether, it’s an affordably priced, albeit, simple self-warming cat bed that works exactly as intended.
3. K&H Pet Products Self-Warming Cat Bed – Premium Choice
If you’re looking for a step-up in luxury to provide for your cat, then check out the K&H Pet Products self-warming cat bed. This cat bed has high, firm walls that give your cat something to really curl up against, keeping them cozy, comfy, and warm. There’s even a removable hood that covers the top, turning this bed into more of a cat cave, which many cats really love.
Whether your cat is tiny or giant, you’ll find a good fit with this bed as it comes in two sizes. The interior is plush and soft to the touch, with plenty of padding to keep your kitty comfortable. For the self-warming effect, metalized insulation is used under the plush layer that will reflect your cat’s heat back into the bed.
There wasn’t much about this cat bed that we didn’t like. Not all cats are fond of the hood, but it can be easily unzipped and removed. The price is a bit steeper than some similar alternatives, but for what you’re getting, we don’t think it’s unreasonable.
When it comes to premium picks, we think this is the best self-warming cat bed of the year.
4. Pet Craft Simple Sleeper Self-Warming Cat Bed
We love affordable products that offer performance similar to the more expensive options, such as the Pet Craft Simple Sleeper Self Warming Cat Bed. If it weren’t for a few flaws we noticed, this bed probably would have been our pick for best value. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide as much cushioning as we’d like, and the self-warming effect isn’t as strong as some other beds we tested.
Still, there’s a lot here to like. Even though it only comes in one size, it fit all of our test kitties just fine. It’s priced much lower than alternatives, but still has great features like the non-slip bottom that keeps it in place or the built-in catnip pouch that makes it doubly attractive to your feline.
You can purchase this bed in brown or grey. Not many options, but at least you get a choice. It’s easy to keep clean since you can machine wash it. Unlike many similar products, this bed can even be machine dried. It’s a great product, and if a few minor flaws were to be addressed, it would likely be a top-three choice.
5. Pet Magasin Self Warming Cat Cave Bed
Cat caves are becoming more popular than ever, and this cat cave from Pet Magasin is self-warming, making it even more attractive. Some cats love these cat caves, but others aren’t as fond of them. Luckily, this cat cave can be used in multiple ways. If your cat doesn’t want to crawl in, you can lay it flat for them to use as a bed, or you can sit it upright to be used as a snuggly cup.
No matter how your cat prefers this bed to be set up, the faux fur lining will keep them comfortable. In our experience, most cats preferred to use it as a bed, rather than as a cave. That’s fine with us though, as the exterior is made from antibacterial microfiber. It’s easy to keep clean and the exterior is still soft and plush. It’s a bit pricey for your cat to just use it as a bed, but it’s still a solid product overall.
6. K&H Pet Products Self-Warming Bolster Cat Bed
Another self-warming bed from K&H Pet Products, this one is a two-tone lounge sleeper. It comes in three color schemes but only one size, which is a bit smaller than we’d like. Inside, there’s metalized insulation that reflects your cat’s body heat to keep them warm. Unfortunately, the insulation makes a lot of crinkling noise; more than other beds we tested. Many cats are turned off by this noise, unfortunately.
This bed is filled with eco-friendly filling made from recycled materials. The bottom is non-skid, so it stays in place and doesn’t slide around on hard floors. But the walls don’t stay standing. Instead, they collapse in on your kitty, reducing the size of the already small sleeping area. Thankfully, it is machine washable, but that’s not quite enough to make this cat bed one of our top choices.
7. Best Friends by Sheri Self Warming Cat Bed
If you’re looking for the cat bed with the most color choices, then try the Best Friends by Sheri OrthoComfort Deep Dish Cuddler. This bed comes in 16 different colors, allowing you to match it to your home’s décor. There are also two sizes to choose from, ensuring that you’ll find the right fit for your cat.
One thing we really liked about this bed before we tested it was the high walls. We assumed they’d make our cats feel comforted and relaxed, but the walls aren’t stiff enough to remain standing. Since they’re so tall, when they collapse in, they tend to collapse onto the cat inside, which most cats aren’t too happy about.
After just a week with this bed, we noticed a hole in the bottom, forcing us to question its durability. This wouldn’t be such a problem if this weren’t one of the more expensive options, but it is. At least it’s easy to keep clean since it’s dryer safe and machine washable. If the walls remained standing, this cat bed would likely climb much higher on our list. Instead, it fell to a low position, just like its collapsing walls.
8. Miss Meow Self Warming Cat Bed
Here’s another self-warming cat cave, this time from Miss Meow. Like many similar products, this one can be flattened out for use as a bed, which is perfect since the roof doesn’t really stand on its own anyway. At this price, it’s disappointing that it doesn’t retain its cave shape, but that’s why it’s ranked so low on our list. Because of the collapsing roof, most of our cats weren’t very fond of this bed.
There were still plenty of things we liked about this bed though. It’s machine washable, making cleanup easy, though it shouldn’t be machine dried. The base is reinforced and has a non-slip grip. Inside, it’s covered in PV fleece and cotton, making it soft and comfy. But the materials aren’t very durable. Everything on this bed is thin and prone to tearing easily from your cat’s claws.
When this bed first arrived, we were excited to try it. As soon as we unboxed it, the excitement faded when we noticed the strong odor. We let it air out for a couple of days, but our cats were never very interested in it, even after the smell dissipated.
9. SAVFOX Self Warming Cat Bed
Most of the cat beds we tested stayed within a certain price range, but the SAVFOX self-warming cat bed climbed way out of that range. Despite the higher price tag, it didn’t do much to impress us. The bottom is very thin with little cushioning, so it’s not going to be comfortable for your cat. Worse, the self-warming effect is minimal, hardly noticeable at all.
The first week we used this bed, the seams started coming apart, a major disappointment for such a pricey product. But we did like that it’s machine washable and can be machine dried as well — that is, if it holds up to the washer! There are five sizes to choose from, though the three largest sizes are probably too big for cats. The anti-slip covering on the bottom worked as intended, but with so many other flaws, that’s certainly not enough to redeem this bed.
10. Mora Pets Self Heating Cat Bed
Most cats prefer to curl up in a bed with walls that they can press into and feel comfy. But this cat bed is just a pad. There are no walls for your cat to curl up against, and because of this, many of our cats had no interest in this bed.
Despite the lack of walls, we were excited about the self-warming feature of this bed since it contains three layers of self-warming insulation, only without all of the crinkling noise that other self-warming beds made. Unfortunately, in our testing, we couldn’t feel the warming effect at all.
While using this bed, we were constantly needing to vacuum and sweep up all the lint it left behind. It sheds quite a bit. It’s also very thin and doesn’t provide much padding to keep your cat comfy. In the end, it’s not a product we’d recommend as it doesn’t offer much value for the price.
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Self-Warming Cat Beds
When there are too many choices available, as there are with self-warming cat beds, it can become difficult to choose between all the options. If you’re finding yourself in such a situation, then this buyer’s guide is meant to help.
Choosing the Right Self-Warming Cat Bed
In this section, we’re going to take a look at the things you should be thinking about when comparing self-warming cat beds. These are questions you should ask and features you ought to be looking for. Doing so will ensure you pick the perfect bed for your pet.
Noisy Self-Warming Beds
Self-warming beds generally use a metalized insulation layer to reflect back your cat’s body heat. These layers are generally quite crinkly, making a lot of noise when your cat walks on them. We found some self-warming beds that didn’t make this sound, but they also didn’t effectively reflect warmth.
Not all cats are alright with the crinkling sound. If your cat doesn’t like it, then they won’t use the bed. Of course, not all beds are equally loud. For some of them, it was a real problem, while others made only minor noise.
How Warm Does It Get?
The whole point of a self-warming bed is to keep your cat warm. Unfortunately, not all beds work as advertised. Several that we tested didn’t seem to self-warm at all, though others were clearly effective.
Is It Comfortable?
Even if the bed reflects heat well, if your cat isn’t comfortable laying on it, then it won’t get used. One of the most important features that makes a cat bed comfortable is the stuffing. We found that some beds don’t use enough on the bottom, so you can feel the floor through the bed. Other beds had a much thicker bottom layer and our cats all seemed to prefer these beds.
Does Your Cat Like It?
At the end of the day, it’s all going to come down to your cat’s preference. You might pick out what you think is the perfect self-warming bed, only for them to completely disregard it. Unfortunately, you can’t test for this until you have the bed in hand, so you’re going to have to take a leap of faith at some point!
Mat, Bed, or Cave?
Many cats love cat caves while others are repelled by them. Cat caves are cozy and provide a safe, comfortable environment to keep cats from getting stressed or anxious. Beds have walls that your cat can curl up against to keep them cozy. Mats are just flat pieces on the ground that look like padded carpets. We’re not big fans of mats and neither are our cats. Beds are generally our top choice as many cats are comfy in a cat bed. Cat caves can be hit or miss, but many of them can also be used in other ways.
Cleaning and Care
Cats are pretty clean creatures, but they still release lots of hair, dander, and odors. So, the cat bed you choose must be easy to keep clean. We prefer models that are machine washable and dryer safe, simplifying and shortening the cleaning process.
Appearances
You don’t want to pick a cat bed that you think is an eyesore. You’re going to have to see it every day, so make sure you choose a bed you like the appearance of. Since it has to stay in your home, it might be a good idea to pick something that matches your existing color scheme.
Price and Value
Often, you get what you pay for. That’s not always the case though. There were many affordable beds that we thought outperformed the more expensive options. We recommend finding the beds that fit your needs, then narrowing the list down by price to ensure you’re getting the best bed at the best deal.
Conclusion
Every cat needs a comfy place to lay and relax. While many cat beds can provide such a place, self-warming beds take the luxury to another level by providing more warmth than your cat can get from a regular bed, keeping them comfy and content. Our reviews have compared some of our favorite self-warming cat beds, but we thought it might be helpful to reiterate our top recommendations once more.
Our favorite choice overall was the Aspen Pet Self-Warming Bolster Cat Bed. It comes in multiple sizes to fit any pet, features a special interior layer that reflects body heat, and the non-slip bottom ensures it stays where you put it.
For the best value, we recommend the Frisco Self Warming Round Cat Bed. It’s a simple design with an affordable price, non-skid bottom, and it’s safe for use in the washing machine.
If you’re looking for something a bit more elegant, we recommend the K&H Pet Products Self-Warming Hooded Cat Bed. This bed features a removable hood to convert it into a cat cave, metalized insulation to reflect your cat’s body heat, a comfortable plush interior, and it comes in two sizes to accommodate any cat.
- Related Read: 10 Best Cat Beds at PetSmart
