apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Okay... I'm finally going to ask a silly question. For those of you with pets who have bought these pet beds, do your pets instinctively know that it is a bed, THEIR bed, or do they just ignore it and sleep on the human couch/bed as before?

I love the cat pods on the stands so much. I have finally found a nicely designed pet product that is affordable. At $155, that ain't too bad.

P.S. Is there a legal reason why AT can't give us examples of the prices of the designs that they feature?? I mean I love the site but it's a pain having to click on the links and find the product pricing on the linked sites. And not to mention that all of the links on AT open in the SAME bloody window. I mean come on...the links should at least open in a new window so you don't have to hit the "back" button 50 times before you are back at AT. (That's my Edina Monsoon/AbFab rant of the day)

It can take my cat a while to figure out that something is "hers." My trick is to place the object on top of her current favorite sleeping (or scratching) location. She usually figures it out after that.

I throw my cat onto or into anything that is designated for her as often as I can. She gets the picture eventually.

But cats instinctively like high places so with pods like these that are up high and with the added privacy that most cats love, you wouldn't even have to tell the cat that it's theirs. (My cat thinks that EVERYTHING is hers already)

My cat knows when I have gotten something for her as I make production out of it. Whether she likes it and takes to it another matter. She seems to get her greatest joy out of a freshly delivered shipping box when the UPS person comes.

Orangejuce - If you use a browser with tabs, it will eliminate the perceived problem of a link opening in the same window. Just right click on the link and select "Open Link in New Tab" or a choice of similar language. Safari, Firefox and the newest version of IE all have tabbed browsing. It will change your world!

Cats are all different. My cat loves anything new that I bring her.

Hahaha. Hejiranyc, you're assuming that the cats don't think everything in the house is *their* bed. Mine pretty much do, so they'll sleep on anything if they like it; and if it's designed to suit a cat and placed somewhere warm, it'll quickly become their favorite place to sleep.

These look a little unstable though--Designed more to look cool in your apartment then for your cat to actually use.

orangejuice, I hope you report back on the pod if you end up getting one.

These are some brilliant designs! I really like the creative approach to the cat suspended bed. My daschund would love to have one of those but of course on the floor level :)

Aaron, you really know how to take the fun out of a rant, man. Thank for the tip though!

Quercus, I'm definately getting one of the covered pods in grey. I promise to report back.

Chris, my cat loves shipping boxes too.

Oooh, my Bruno (Chihuahua/Bichon Frise mix) would LOVE the Nest bed! It's a little disappointing that the pad insert isn't machine washable, though.

i've spent a small fortune on cat beds and all three of my kitties ignore them. every one of them. from the little pillow-type beds to the ultracool sleepypod that i paid $200 for, my cats could care less. now that it's getting cooler outside, i'm going to try the sleepypod again, this time using the built-in warming pad. i figure that i don't travel often with my cats, but that if my primary cat can travel in her own bed, she'll be more comfortable.

Okay, am I the only one who instantly thought the pod looked like a little charcoal grill? Just throw in some lighter fluid and voila: instant kitty-B-cue.

Hepper website says: "CLEANING & MAINTENANCE: The first step we recommend is to take a vacuum or lint roller to the beds to remove as much fur as possible. Then use a clean rag and warm water with a very mild soap solution to spot clean. Do not put any of the fabric parts into a washing machine."

Who would buy a pet bed that can't be put in the washing machine? I have 2 small dogs and one visit by the vomit monster would render the bed useless. sigh...

I think the nest bed looks like a litter box. At first glance that's what I thought it was.

For a moment I thought the podium beds were bullet planters (can you tell what I have been searching e=bay for?)

My kitty instinctively thinks everything is his.

Unfortunately, my other kitty is 16lbs and breaks the weight limit for this.

There has got to be a good DIY version. The base reminds me of something like a plantstand.

The two best purchases I have made for my cats have been Elizabeth Paige-Smith's Kittypod and the Litter Robot. The Kittypod is, like any cat furniture made from corrugated cardboard, a mess that requires regular maintenance but it has spared my furniture quite a bit of scratching. The Litter Robot is something every cat owner should have! At $300 it's a bit steep but it is worth every penny.

My spoiled cat has a bed in almost every room and uses all of them. He must be in the same room as I am at all times so moves from bed to bed. He instinctively loves small circular spaces he can curl up in. These beds do fit the bill and I've been wanting something more stylish. Unfortunately, unless it can be washed it isn't worth the money for me.

I made some beds for my kitties out of felted sweaters. They really love them. I however have to hid felted sweaters for craft projects from them... :)