Many people have the misperception that cats will sleep anywhere so why invest in a bed that they’ll ignore or never use.  There could be many reasons that they’re avoiding that bed you bought or made.

Consider this…You searched for that purrfect cat bed for your feline family member.  Finally, you spot it online…It’s cute, cushiony, and colorful.  It’s sure to be a hit with your cat.  You can’t wait for it to arrive special delivery and witness the utter delight and approval of your cat.

You discover the package on the porch as you arrive home from work.  You hurriedly bring it inside, unwrap it and drop it under the nose of your cat.  You wait expectantly for your cat to jump in, knead the fabric, produce those approving purr sounds, and curl up for that first snooze.  However, your cat sniffs the bed a few times, circles it, and then shows more interest in the box.

You breathe a heavy sigh as you try to push away the regret of spending that often $40.00 to $110.00 investment in a “cute” cat bed that simply becomes a conversation piece with guests.  Your cat prefers your bed, that flower pot on the porch, that nook in the bookcase, or that sunny spot in front of the window.  So what’s going on?

Your cat’s sleep location and bedding decision is determined by a highly adaptive and acute sense system – sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.

Before we begin, we want to emphasize how important it is to not only to understand cats from a species standpoint, but also from their unique individual perspective and experience.  Their sleep preferences are as wide and diverse as ours.  Observation will provide the information that you need to determine your feline’s needs. 

Some reasons your cat may be avoiding the cat bed that you bought: