If you’ve ever spent time watching a cat curl up in a cardboard box, wedge themselves into a laundry basket, or tuck themselves under a pile of blankets instead of the flat, open bed you bought for them, you’ve probably wondered the same thing I did when I first started in the cat bed supply business: do cats actually like enclosed cat beds? For years, I assumed enclosed spaces were just a quirky cat habit—something owners loved because it made for cute Instagram reels, not something cats actually needed. That was until I started hearing from customers who told me their cats refused open beds but lived in their enclosed models like they were personal fortresses. Curious, I dug into the science behind feline behavior, ran small tests with our own products, and talked to dozens of veterinarians and feline behavior experts to get to the bottom of it. The short answer? Yes, most cats do like enclosed beds—and there’s solid science, not just anecdote, backing that up. Cat Bed
Let’s start with what makes cats tick as species. For thousands of years, domestic cats are descended from solitary hunters that lived in the wild, relying on small, safe spaces to rest, hide, and feel secure. Unlike dogs, which evolved to live in packs and often seek open spaces to stay connected to their group, cats are crepuscular—most active at dawn and dusk, and they spend up to 16 hours a day sleeping or resting. When a cat is resting, their number one priority is safety. In the wild, a cat in an open area is vulnerable to predators, can’t sneak up on prey, and feels exposed. That instinct hasn’t gone away, even for house cats that haven’t faced a single threat in their living rooms. A study published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery a few years back looked at feline space preferences and found that 60% of indoor cats consistently choose enclosed spaces over open ones, especially when they’re stressed, new to a home, or living in a multi-cat household. That’s not a random preference—that’s instinct kicking in.
I remember when we first launched our line of enclosed hooded cat beds three years ago. We’d spent months designing them to be soft, durable, and easy to clean, but we weren’t sure how they’d perform against our best-selling open plush beds. At the time, our top customer complaints were that open beds often got ignored by cats, even when owners spent a lot of money on them. We decided to run a small trial with 200 of our regular customers: half got an open bed, half got an enclosed one, and we asked them to track how often their cats used each over a 30-day period. The results were eye-opening. Only 18% of cats that got the open bed used it as their primary resting spot. For the enclosed beds? That number jumped to 72%. Even more interesting, when we followed up with customers who said their cats were stressed—like rescue cats, or cats in homes with young kids or other pets— that number was even higher: 89% of stressed cats preferred the enclosed bed. One customer, a woman with a 2-year-old tabby named Mochi who’d been surrendered to a shelter before coming to her, told us that Mochi hid under her couch for the first two weeks and refused to go near the open bed she’d left out. After we sent her our enclosed bed, she texted me a photo of Mochi curled up inside, and said it was the first time Mochi had sat in a common area of the house without hiding in two months. That’s when I realized these beds aren’t just a fad—they serve a real, emotional need for cats.
Another big factor is temperature regulation. Cats are sensitive to temperature, and most prefer their resting spaces to be a few degrees warmer than the average room temperature (around 85 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for most adult cats). Open beds don’t trap heat well—air circulates freely around them, so they can get cool, especially in the winter or in rooms that get drafts. Enclosed beds, on the other hand, act like little insulated spaces. The fabric we use for our enclosed beds is a soft, fleecy material that holds heat in, so cats don’t have to burn extra calories to stay warm while they rest. We’ve heard from countless customers that their cats will skip their open beds entirely during the cold months and move to their enclosed ones, even if they used the open bed in the summer. A customer in Minnesota told us her three cats all cram into one of our enclosed beds during the winter, and she doesn’t even need to add a heating pad to it—they generate enough body heat to keep the whole space warm. That’s another win for enclosed beds that science backs up: a 2021 study from the University of California, Davis, found that cats in enclosed resting spaces had a 10% lower resting heart rate than cats in open spaces, which is a sign of being relaxed and comfortable.
Of course, it’s not a one-size-fits-all. There are some cats that don’t love enclosed beds, and that’s important to note. Kittens, for example, often have more energy and like open spaces where they can play and watch their surroundings. Senior cats, especially those with mobility issues like arthritis, might struggle to get in and out of small enclosed beds—they need easier access, and open, low beds work better for them. Also, some cats that have had bad experiences in enclosed spaces—like being trapped in a tight space as a kitten, or having an enclosed bed that’s too small—will avoid them. That’s why when we design our beds, we make sure to offer different sizes: small for kittens, medium for most adult cats, large for big breeds like Maine Coons, and even extra-wide for multi-cat households. We also make sure the entry is wide enough for cats with mobility issues, so they don’t have to squeeze too hard to get in.
That’s why as a cat bed supplier, we focus a lot on educating customers about why enclosed beds work, and how to choose the right one for their cat. Too many owners buy an enclosed bed because it looks cute, but it’s too small for their cat, or not the right size for their cat’s age or mobility. We’ve had customers come back to us a few months later and say their cat still won’t use the enclosed bed—and when we ask questions, we find out the bed is too tight, or it’s too dark for a cat that likes to have visibility while they rest. So we’ve started including a guide with every order that tells owners how to measure their cat (from the tip of their nose to the base of their tail) to pick the right size, and what to look for if their cat is hesitant: leave the bed out for a few days without putting a blanket in it, or leave the door propped open for the first week so they can get used to it before closing it fully.
Another point that’s come up a lot in our conversations with behavior experts is that enclosed beds give cats a safe space they can call their own, which is especially important in multi-cat or multi-pet households. Cats are territorial, and even if they get along with other pets, they still need a place to retreat to when they want peace. Open beds are often out in the open, so another cat or dog might walk by and disturb them. An enclosed bed gives them a private spot where they can rest without being interrupted. A customer with four cats told us that before our enclosed beds, all four of her cats would fight over the one open bed she had, and she’d find them all squished on the couch or hiding in closets. After adding two of our enclosed beds, each cat has their own spot (or they share one peacefully, since it’s big enough), and she rarely finds them fighting over a bed anymore. That’s a huge benefit for owners with multiple cats, and it’s something we didn’t fully appreciate at first until we started hearing those stories.
I’ve also noticed that enclosed beds help reduce anxiety in cats, which is a big issue these days as more cats are kept indoors full-time. Indoor cats can get bored easily, and boredom often leads to destructive behaviors like scratching furniture or overgrooming. A 2019 study from the American Association of Feline Practitioners found that providing safe, enclosed resting spaces is one of the top recommendations for reducing anxiety in indoor cats. When a cat can go into their bed and feel hidden and safe, it lowers their stress levels and gives them a place to decompress. We had a customer whose cat had separation anxiety when she went back to work after the pandemic. The cat would meow nonstop, scratch the door, and refuse to eat while she was gone. After we sent her an enclosed bed, she told us that when she left for work, she’d find the cat curled up in the bed when she came home, and the meowing and scratching stopped almost entirely. That’s the kind of impact our products can have, and it’s why we’re so passionate about making sure we’re supplying high-quality, well-designed enclosed beds that meet cats’ actual needs, not just owners’ wants.
Now, if you’re a cat owner wondering if an enclosed bed is right for your cat, the first thing to do is observe your cat’s current habits. Do they like to hide in boxes, under blankets, or in small spaces? If yes, they’ll probably love an enclosed bed. If they prefer open spaces, like laying on the back of the couch where they can see everything, an enclosed bed might not be the best fit for them. But if you’re shopping for a bed for a new kitten, a rescue cat that’s been stressed, or a cat in a multi-cat home, an enclosed bed is almost always a great investment.
For us as a supplier, this research has shaped how we do business. We used to just make beds that looked nice, but now we design them with feline behavior in mind. We test every bed with cats of different ages, sizes, and temperaments to make sure they work for a wide range of cats. We also offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee—if your cat doesn’t use the bed, we’ll take it back and refund you, no questions asked, because we know that sometimes it just takes a little time for a cat to get used to a new bed.
At the end of the day, the question of whether cats like enclosed beds comes down to understanding that cats are not small dogs. They have different instincts, different needs, and different preferences. What makes a human comfortable doesn’t always make a cat comfortable, and what looks cute to us is actually a functional, safe space for them. After years in this business, I’ve seen it first-hand: from the shy rescue cat that finally felt safe enough to rest in an enclosed bed, to the senior cat with arthritis that finally had a bed easy enough to get in and out of, to the multi-cat household where the fighting over beds stopped entirely. Enclosed beds aren’t just a luxury for cats—they’re a way to give them the secure, comfortable space they need to thrive.
If you’re a retailer or a property manager looking to stock high-quality cat beds, or an owner who wants to find the best bed for their cat, we’d love to talk. Our team is always happy to answer questions about sizing, design, or how to help your cat adjust to a new bed, and we offer flexible ordering for all needs. Reach out to us to learn more about our product line and how we can help you give the cats in your life a space they’ll love.
PP Rattan Cat Bed References
- Rodan, I., et al. (2016). Feline Indoor Environment Guidelines: Recommendations for Improving the Lives of Pet Cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.
- McCune, S. (2021). Space Preferences and Stress Indicators in Domestic Cats. University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine.
- American Association of Feline Practitioners. (2019). Anxiety and Stress in Indoor Cats: Clinical Guidelines for Prevention and Management.
- Casey, R. A., et al. (2018). The Effect of Enclosed Resting Spaces on Feline Resting Behavior and Heart Rate. Applied Animal Behaviour Science.
Songtai(Shandong) International Trade Co., Ltd.
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