Cat Bed Questions

[vwinkel]

Inspired by the dog bed thread. . .

I have a cat who will lay right on top of the heating vent. After information from you ladies in the Cat Mom thread, I found that they make heated cat beds. The ones on ebay are around $40-$50 and I was looking to possibly make my own.

Here are my questions:
1. Do you think I could make my own with an old heating pad and sewing a lambswool cover/padding?

2. How are the ones you buy "safe"? I really don't want to burn down the house if I make my own. ;)

3. Do the heated cat beds remain "on" all of the time? I think a heating pad has a off switch after so much time, so I guess I would need to set it up on a timer.

TIA!

[greenbunny]

I'd recommend a self-warming bed instead of an electric one for safety reasons. They have that mylar-like stuff in them, like what they make emergency blankets out of. Here are a few:

Petsmart bed (http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444177 8458&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025518&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023690&bmUID=1143062637307&itemNo=0&Ntt=self+warming+bed&In=All&previousText=self+warming+bed&N=2)

http://handsnpaws.zoovy.com/product/PGBEDTHERMAL

This one has a panel made of buckwheat inside that can be microwaved:

Petstages Snug Spot Bed (http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-flypage-7172-d284637257c33e09cdb36e3f400d6240&ps_session=38bceba17dddfab436c46a287b72088e)

[southerner]

I can honestly say, I've seen it all now. ;) I want one!

[vwinkel]

greenbunny - Thanks. Have you tried the mylar beds or know someone that has? Do the kitties like them?

I've been in the mood to break out the 1970's sewing machine in my basement for a project, so maybe I could make my own with the mylar too. Do you think Happy Birthday balloons would work? jk ;)

southerner - If I find them less expensive, I'll let you know! CC is notorious for making me want things I never knew I needed!

[greenbunny]

I don't have them, but our close friends who have four cats have two, and the cats fight over them.

ETA: If you want to make them something, I saw some nice homemade cat beds at the pet store when they were having the shelter in for publicity. The lady made catnip pads to put into regular beds as a special treat. They sold pretty fast, so they must be well-liked.

[jnettie]

He he! My cats would love a self heating pad! Maybe they'll get a special gift, too, once I get my tax return money. :D

Right now, they have a basket that once was a muffin gift basket with some leftover polarfleace, which they seem to enjoy.

[KrissyCat7]

I havent seen the heated cat beds but I do know that there is a warning on my heating pad that says to keep all pets off of it. You might want to check your heating pad if you decide to make your own.

[laurenc]

my cat has a mylar self-heating pad. the crinkle sound freaks her out, she woudln't go near it for a long time. so i put an old t-shirt on top of it to muffle the noise a bit. i don't know if it blunts the self-heating effect but she seems to use it more lately.

[keska]

My cats have two heated beds from Drs. Foster & Smith (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/). One is a flat fleece pad and the other is a fleece cup. Both have removable covers that can be washed. They love both. To be safe, we replace them every year.

My cats don't like the crinkly sound of the mylar beds either, unfortunately. I bought one of the crinkly sacks lined with fleece but my cat that normally loves sleeping under blankets or in boxes won't go near it.

[fuzzy]

I could have sworn I saw a heated bed that turned on and off based upon pressure from the cat. That is, if they stepped on the bed, it turned on and vice versa.

Likely, I'll be spending the rest of the day surfing the internet trying to find it...

:p

[meganth]

I could have sworn I saw a heated bed that turned on and off based upon pressure from the cat. That is, if they stepped on the bed, it turned on and vice versa.

Likely, I'll be spending the rest of the day surfing the internet trying to find it...

:p
Yep, i have this one for my kitty. It's right in front of the vent so she gets double heat. I got it from Drs. Foster & Smith.

[meganth]

Here's (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3569&Ne=40000&Nao=9&N=2002+22729) the bed i have for Isis.

[keska]

That's the one we have too. I don't think it actually turns off between uses, though. I think the temperature just goes down. If you notice, it says it warms to 102 degrees when in use but remains 10 degrees above room temperature when not in use. I could be wrong, though.

[meganth]

That's the one we have too. I don't think it actually turns off between uses, though. I think the temperature just goes down. If you notice, it says it warms to 102 degrees when in use but remains 10 degrees above room temperature when not in use. I could be wrong, though.
Correct - it's still on, but to the touch it's not hot.

[vwinkel]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I guess I'm jus going to have to suck it up and pay the $35 - that's so much safer and frankly. . . cooler! The fact that it turns on when they sit on the bed is a huge selling factor!

Any chance anyone has a Doctors Foster & Smith coupon code?

[vwinkel]

I ordered a Dr. Fosters and Smith catalog and there was a $5 coupon on the cover! :D

[PG-rated]

FWIW, I'd make sure your cat will actually use a cat bed before shelling out the money. Our cat was making beds out of our towels in the closet, so we put a terry-like bed in the same spot. She wouldn't touch it. We tried putting a small towel on top of it - still nothing. We gave up and put an old towel on top of the "good" ones, and that's what she uses now. We plan to give the cat bed to the shelter. :rolleyes:

[Sarah051504]

My cat won't touch any of her beds we have bought/made for her but she'll fight the dog for his bed! :rolleyes:

[greenbunny]

PG, your cat seems to be seeking out your familiar scents in his bedding choices. He might use the bed if you line it with a tee shirt you've worn. Or, if you can remove the terry cover, stick in in your bed for a few days to get your scent.

[PG-rated]

Yeah, we tried the T-shirt thing, too - no dice. And the towel that we put on it was one that had been in with the rest of the towels. On the plus side, we can put the bed on top of the fresh laundry to keep her from climbing into the basket. ;)

[keska]

One of my cats won't sleep in unheated beds but will sleep in heated beds. The other will sleep in cup beds but doesn't care for flat beds. Neither likes the slumber ball, which was highly recommended to me by several people. DH likes to lean on the slumber ball while sitting around on the couch, though, so at least it gets some use. With cats, it seems like you never know until you try. I have the hardest time finding toys my cats will play with too.

[vwinkel]

Just wanted to follow up and say that I was shopping at Petsmart this weekend and they had an endcap of the heated pet beds (over by the dog stuff) and they were all on clearance! They had one similar to the Dr. Fosters and Smith small version for only $18.99 but I ended up buying a larger one for $24.99 that came with the cover.

It's only 13 Watts and it takes about an hour to fully warm up. I plugged it in and stuck it in the middle of the living room so that the cats would see it. Two hours later, I came downstairs and Sassie was curled up on it! :D