There are a lot of ways you can go about warming a cat bed, some which depend on electricity, some which don’t. Some of them are waterproof and weatherproof – fine to use outdoors, others should be used exclusively indoors because they are not.
While you may have one type of need in mind, say to have an electronically heated bed for a cat house outside, it’s also a good idea to take a look at some of the other options, say in case of a power outage in the middle of the cold winter months as a back up for an outdoor cat. Same is true if you’re looking for bed warmers for indoor cats. Waterproof and weatherproof options could be ideal in case you have a cat who ever has vomit or pee accidents in cat beds or other spots he or she sleeps. You always want to be on the safe side with these things, and knowing all the viable options is the first step.
It’s possible to get a cat bed to be quite warm without electricity, and while this may not do for an outdoor cat in cold winter months, in terms of keeping indoor cats cozy, especially if you’re out of the house and would rather not leave an electric cat bed warmer on while you’re out, there’s quite a lot you can do. There are even self-warming cat beds available for pretty darn reasonable prices if you’d like to go that route.
That being said, based on the sheer volume of good reviews, it seems as though there are a lot of electric bed warmers that have no issues with malfunctioning, so don’t be afraid of these options if you’re interested in them. I’d advise taking the time to look through the negative reviews on any electric pet bed warmer you’re interested in to make sure no one had issues with the product malfunctioning before, and going with options that have a large volume of reviews in total, as that can help you to be sure they’ve been thoroughly “field” tested, essentially.
You never know when an emergency will strike, speaking from experience. Back when we were living in Canada, my husband and I went through a Toronto power outage that lasted 5 days and 4 nights, and we had our cat Avery with us at that time. We all huddled together in a room to keep warm, and luckily we had a plethora of blankets to dump on the queen sized bed we all shared, but after that experience I thought long and hard about how to keep our little family warm if it were to happen again, and even wrote up an article on how to stay warm indoors if the power goes out. It’s an easy feat if you prepare for it, and hopefully you never have to use any of your plans, but I know my little family of then three would have been a lot more cozy if we were a little more prepared. Anyway! All this to say, if you’re trying to get a bed warmer for your cat and you go the electric route, opting for non-electronic options as a back up might end up being an exceptionally wise decision if you end up having a power outage, even if it’s not anywhere near the amount of time we had ours. Your cats will likely be fine, but they’ll be ever so much more comfortable if they have options.
Okay enough of that! Time to take you through some of the varieties of bed warmers for cats out there. I definitely think there are a slew of ways you can tackle this problem, so I tried to touch on as many of those as I possibly could. Let me know in the comments section below if you can think up any more, or if there are certain ways of warming cat beds you’ve tried and approve or disapprove of.
Zeller Shark Felt Cat Basket Pet Bed – Amazon
Self-Warming, Indoor, & Outdoor Bed Warmer Options for Cats
1. K&H Pet Products Lectro-Soft Heated Outdoor Pet Bed
This electronically heated outdoor pet bed features an exterior that’s waterproof: “exterior is made of a super-soft, waterproof and durable PVC material giving owners much more flexibility in placement.” Super helpful, again, not just for those looking to create a warm spot for outdoor cats to sleep, but also for those looking to provide an incredibly warm, electronically heated cat bed for indoor cats who have accidents from hairballs to urination in places they happen to be sleeping, like pet beds. If your cat struggles with these issues, you may want to check out my article on waterproof cat beds and waterproof bed covers (for human beds) as well, as chances are these will help you out considerably in keeping things clean and tidy whenever accidents happen.
2. K&H Pet Products Outdoor Kitty House Electronically Heated Cat Shelter
You may have thought it would be a slew more expensive to look for a heated cat house than a heated bed warmer for cats, but honestly, it’s the electronic that’s the bulk of the cost, so a lot of electronic heated outdoor cat houses are not significantly more expensive than waterproof outdoor heated cat beds. Check those out, as well as insulated cat houses that don’t depend on electricity if you’re working toward keeping an outdoor cat dry and warm, as they may end up being better options for you than the electronic waterproof and weatherproof bed warmers.
3. K&H Pet Products Pet Bed Warmer – Place Inside Most Any Pet Bed
Really just want an indoor bed warmer for cats and aren’t fussed about it being water or weather proof because your cat hasn’t had an accident (thankfully!) that’s liquid-related in a bed or any other sleeping spot before? Or planning on using a waterproof pet cover like the PetAmi Dog Blanket on top of the cat bed anyway, so that washing is easy in case there is any spillage? You might want to grab one of these pet bed warmers instead.
K&H notes you can place them inside virtually any pet bed – just open them up, place this inside, and plug into the wall. I daresay the price is much more inexpensive than I would’ve imagined for these, so if you’re lucky with accidents or have another way around leaky messes, they’re a great buy, I think.
4. K&H Pet Products Thermo-Kitty Mat Heated Pet Bed Mocha
Prefer an indoor heated cat bed warmer that’s already got padding on it? This is one of the most popular on the net. Super easy to place on any surface without anything but love from cats – straight on the floor, on top of a human bed, on top of another cat bed, in a cardboard box. The options are endless. Seems comfortable enough as is, though that makes sense since the product is essentially a “dual thermostat heater buried beneath soft foam.” What more could an indoor cat want?
5. K & H Manufacturing KH Pet Bed Warmer Large
I have to mention that a lot of these products are available in larger sizes, so please do check out the alternative sizes, like this large one, in case you think it may be better to have a bigger pad. If you have a multi-cat household and cats often sleep together, or you’re trying to encourage bonding by getting cats to sleep over a very warm space in the winter, a larger pad may be a better option. I don’t find they’re typically all that much more expensive than smaller options either, so I’d definitely opt for one of these for my 3 indoor cats, just in case they’d all like to sleep together atop it.
6. Milliard Thermal Cat Mat
If what you came here looking for was essentially a warm cat bed that required no electricity and was just made of a material soft and self-warming enough for a cat to be cozy lying on top of it, this is a great choice. An excellent back up for an electrically heated cat bed warmer as well, especially if you don’t like leaving these on when you’re out of the house and not present in case something goes wrong.
Trixie Pet Products Minou Cuddly Cave – Amazon / Chewy
7. RIOGOO Pet Heating Pad, Electric Heating Pad for Dogs and Cats Indoor Warming Mat with Auto Power Off
If you’d like a electric bed warmer for your cats that has a timer which will automatically switch off the heating pad after a set amount of time, there are a number of products like that available. This particular one will switch off after 1-12 hours, depending on how you set it. RIOGOO mentions in terms of safety that it features, “7 layer Protection Structure with UL approved heating wire will prevent your pet from get burnt. With temperature sensor inside warming mat can avoid overheating to protect your pets.”
8. K&H Pet Products Thermo-Kitty Heated Pet Bed Deluxe Cat Bed
There aren’t many pet beds that look this warm and comfortable, as this deluxe electronically heated warm bed for cats is cocooned in and, to be honest, looks like it would be ridiculously warm and cozy for a cat even if it wasn’t on. You can get it in a small size, perfect for one cat, or a larger size, perfect for larger cats or even a couple incredibly snuggle-loving kitties who have no problems sleeping together in the same comfy-cozy place. Love this one to bits, personally.
9. luciphia Premium Fluffy Fleece Pet Blanket Lightweight Pet Throw
Warm, fluffy, fleece blankets are a great alternative for self-warming, non-electricity based cat bed warmers. I typically throw one of these on my lap or on the bed when I want my cats to snuggle up and they typically oblige. If you have a blanket or two at home to try lining a cat bed with or to place on top of your human bed, give it a go as a replacement for a bed warmer – you might find you don’t need to purchase anything at all to keep your cat happy.
10. RIOGOO Pet Heating Pad Large, Dog Cat Electric Heating Pad Indoor Waterproof Adjustable Warming Mat with Chew Resistant Steel Cord
If you’re looking for a heating pad but are worried about the cable because one or more of your pets likes to chew on power cords, you may want to opt for a more heavy-duty option like this one. It’s not completely chew-proof, but it’s got a chew resistant steel cord, and if you were hoping for an option that’s also water proof, this one happens to be moisture and waterproof as well.
If your cat has no history of chewing cords, I’d personally opt for one of the more popular pet bed warmers on this list, as a lot of pet parents seem to have trouble with the less popular ones ceasing to work after some time, but if you really need an option that’s chew resistant, this looks like a good bet. Although maybe not strong enough for some dogs, I think it’d fare alright at deterring and living up to the chewing of many cats.
11. K&H Pet Products Kitty Sleephouse
This gorgeous indoor cat house is heated with electricity (though you can buy a non-heated option as well). It’s got what looks like the warmest little nook for your cats to sleep in on the bottom, as well as a cushioned portion at the top – excellent for multi-cat households, as I’m sure the top bit would be warm enough to please a second cat that doesn’t get along quite-so-well with the first.
12. K&H Pet Products Self-Warming Crate Pad
If you keep your cat in a crate for visits to the vet or have an always-open crate (I recommend doing this if your cat has a fear of carriers, since that way he or she will become used to it) that your cat loves to snuggle up in for naps, you may want to opt for a cat bed like this, that’s made specifically for the bottom of crates. They typically add a lot of comfort and heat, and unlike what I typically use (a blanket, folded up multiple times), don’t move around when your cat shifts positions or in vehicles since that are moving.
Your Thoughts on Bed Warmers for Cats?
Have you ever bought or thought of buying a bed warmer for your cat(s)? Which type were you thinking about grabbing – an electric one or a self-warming type?
Were you looking for one for an indoor cat or an outdoor cat? And would you opt for a bed warmer that’s waterproof, or do you think this is an unnecessary feature?
Have you ever DIY’d, improvised, or grabbed a cat bed warmer before? What did you think of it? Did your cats love it or ignore it?
Love to hear your thoughts on the topic in the comments down below!
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