Some links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them CatBasket may earn a small commission, and the price you pay does not change. How we research this: we have not lab-tested these beds. The picks are based on manufacturer specifications, UK retailer listings, customer reviews in aggregate and RSPCA and International Cat Care guidance on where cats rest.
Best Cat Beds UK: Which Type Your Cat Will Actually Use
For most cats the best bed is a round donut bed with a raised rim, about £9 to £28 at UK retailers, put somewhere warm and out of draughts. Nervous cats settle better in a covered igloo, and older cats in a low memory foam bed.
Prices checked 28 September 2026 at Pets at Home and Zooplus.
- Most cats: a donut or bolster bed, £9 to £28. Jump to donut beds.
- Shy or rescue cats: a covered igloo or cave, £14 to £29.
- Cats that sit in the window: a window-sill mat or wall-mounted bed, £5 to £32.
- Older or stiff cats: a low-sided memory foam bed, about £28.
- Maine Coons and other big cats: a 70cm-plus donut, about £28.
What kind of bed do cats like best?
Cats pick beds that are warm, out of draughts and either enclosed or raised off the floor.
The RSPCA's advice is to give a cat "a comfortable, dry, draught-free, clean and quiet place" to rest, somewhere to hide, and a high place, because cats "often feel safest when high". That is why an expensive bed in a cold corner loses to the cardboard box it arrived in: the box is enclosed and holds body heat. Put the bed where the cat already chooses to sleep, not where it looks tidy, and most cats will use it.
| Bed type | Price range (Sept 2026) | Suits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donut or bolster bed | £9 to £28 | Most cats; the rim is a headrest | Cheap fillings go flat |
| Igloo or cave bed | £14 to £29 | Nervous, rescue and older cats | Some fabric domes collapse in the wash |
| Window-sill mat or wall bed | £5 to £32 | Cats that like a view and height | Wall beds need secure fixing |
| Memory foam bed | About £28 | Older and arthritic cats | Foam itself is not washable, only the cover |
| Radiator bed | £8 to £33 | Winter warmth | Needs a panel radiator the hooks fit |
Ranges are from Pets at Home and Zooplus listings on 28 September 2026. Wicker baskets, felt caves and radiator beds are covered in more detail in the cat basket guide.
1. Donut or bolster bed: best for most cats
A round bed with a raised, stuffed rim. Cats curl into the middle and rest their chin on the edge. It fits on a chair, a shelf or the floor, and most cats take to it. Pets at Home sells plain donut beds from £9 to £22; Zooplus sells 45cm to 75cm snuggle beds from about £13 to £28. Pick one whose whole bed or cover goes in the washing machine.
2. Covered igloo bed: best for shy and rescue cats
A dome or cube with a single doorway gives a cat somewhere to hide, which the RSPCA lists as a basic need. International Cat Care also suggests igloo beds for older cats because they feel warm and secure. Look for a dome that holds its shape and a base cushion that comes out for washing. A cat that has just arrived from a rescue will often spend its first days in one.
3. Window-sill mat or wall-mounted bed: best for a view
If your cat already sleeps on the windowsill, a plush sill mat for about £5 makes that spot warmer and saves the paintwork. A wall-mounted bed gives height without a cat tree. Fix it into studs or with proper wall plugs, as a cat landing on it puts a lot more load on the fixings than its sleeping weight.
4. Memory foam bed: best for older cats
A firm foam base spreads the cat's weight and a low front edge is easy to step over with stiff joints. Pets at Home lists a memory foam oval cat bed at £28. The foam cannot go in the machine, so check the cover unzips.
5. Extra-large donut: best for big breeds
A standard 45cm bed is too small for a cat that likes to stretch out. Zooplus sells a 75 x 60cm snuggle bed at about £28, and a small dog bed works just as well if it has the same raised rim.
Are cat beds necessary?
No, a cat will sleep on a sofa, a jumper or a box, but a bed gives it a warm, washable spot of its own.
What a cat does need is somewhere dry, quiet and draught-free to rest, and the RSPCA says each cat in a multi-cat home should have its own. A folded blanket in a box meets that. A bed is worth buying when you want to keep hair off the furniture, when the house is cold, or when an older cat needs a softer surface than the floor.
What is the best cat bed for older cats?
Older cats do best in a soft, low-sided bed in a quiet, warm spot they can reach without jumping.
International Cat Care's advice for arthritic cats is to use "soft, comfortable beds placed in easy-to-access, quiet, draft-free places", and it names igloo beds for warmth. If your older cat used to sleep somewhere high, give it a step or ramp up rather than moving the bed to the floor. A self-warming pad, which reflects the cat's own heat, adds warmth without a plug; Pets at Home sells a self-heating donut bed for £22.
What size bed does a large cat need?
Measure the cat lying down from nose to the base of the tail, then buy a bed at least that wide inside.
| Cat | Bed width |
|---|---|
| Kitten | Up to about 40cm, or buy the adult size now |
| Average adult cat | 45 to 55cm |
| Large breed curled up (Maine Coon, Ragdoll, Norwegian Forest) | 60cm or more |
| Large breed that sleeps stretched out | 70cm or more, or a small dog bed |
Listings usually give outside sizes, and a thick rim takes 10cm or more off the usable space, so go up a size if in doubt. The Maine Coon guide covers how big the breed gets.
Are cat beds machine washable?
Most fabric donut and igloo beds are, either whole or through a zip-off cover, but memory foam, felt and wicker are not.
Check the care label before you buy. A bed that has to be hand washed tends not to get washed at all. Washing a new bed once before the cat uses it also takes away the factory smell, which puts some cats off.
Which cat beds should you avoid?
Skip flat thin mats as the only bed, beds with dangling tassels or bells, and cheap electric heated pads with no temperature control.
Flat mats give none of the enclosure cats look for. Small decorative parts can be chewed off and swallowed. For an electric bed, buy one sold by a UK retailer with a UK plug and a thermostat, and keep the cable where the cat cannot chew it.