I have some questions...

[broken]

I got a new kitten named Ozzy a little while ago,and I bought him a cat tent...he never uses it,instead he scratches it up and sleeps with me.I dont mind,but it's really huge and takes up a lot of space and he's not using it.And then I saw this cat in the hat cat bed on sale at the pet store near me,one of those round ones and it's soft and fluffy.I was wondering if cats like the round ones instead of cat tents,or if he'll just never want to sleep in a cat bed no matter what,because i can return the tent and get the other one right now...

I was also wondering if collars are neccessary...Ozzy only goes outside when I put his harness and leash on him and take him outside with me,and my mother wont let me put bells on him...so i was wondering if i have to get a collar and tag for Ozzy or not...Please answer both of my questions...

 

[esrgirl]

He might like the soft round bed over the tent. My cats didn't go anywhere near either cat bed- I have both types- but now they love both. Maybe it would just take him a little time? My cat Annabelle has even been known to push the rabbit and kitten out of her tent by nudging it until they get annoyed and leave.

I have a collar on both cats with a bell so that I can hear them and basically not step on them. The kitten especially has a fondness for running under my feet when I walk. If you ever decide to let the cat outside without being on a harness I think you should have a collar with one of those red flashing light things dangling from it. If you keep him indoors except when she's harnesed I wouldn't worry about a collar, unless you prefer it. Just put his tags in a safe place.

 

[coaster]

Generally cats will sleep where cats want to sleep. Go ahead and get the bed if it's no stretch on your finances, but you can't guarantee that it'll get used.

 

[jennyr]

In the last 40 years or so I have spent a fortune on cat beds, because they looked cute to ME. Most of my cats have carefully ignored them in favour of human beds, chairs, desks, window ledges and doormats. I do now have a covered circular basket in which all the cats occasionally sleep, but they still normally prefer my bed or a big leather chair. I would save your money.

 

[dawnofsierra]

I, too, have spent a small fortune on beds for Sierra. Occassionally it will be acceptable, usually not! It is completely up to you, Ozzy will sleep wherever he pleases!

Sierra has worn a collar with a tag and a bell since she was a baby. She gets new ones twice a year, for Christmas and her Birthday!

 

[booktigger]

i have never bothered with beds, 2 of mine are quite content with a cushion on the windowsill to sleep on, or the bed or the sofa.

I would have a collar on an indoor only cat, just in case someone left the door open and they got out, as they might not know how to get back home. I like mine having the bells on so i can hear where they are.

 

[daddycat]

Our four have a multitude of cat beds strewn all over the place, thanks to MommyCat being indulgent every time we go to PetsMart. Some of them are used, some aren't. As others have said, cats sleep where they want, and ours seem to be just as happy on an old pillow, towel, couch, chair and in bed with us. If cat beds are useful at all, it's to give them an item of furniture that is theirs entirely, some cats may get a sense of territorial security out of that. But in our multi-cat household, "territory" seems to be a pretty fluid concept.

 

[enigma]

mine go through spells, at times they will use the cat beds and other times the cubes. sometimes the couch, sometimes the bed, it is where ever they feel like it. i have six, so i just leave the beds out, and eventually, although it may take a month , they will use it, and rotate. little rasals, they can never make up their minds.

 

[littleraven7726]

my guys only sleep in cat beds when the feel like it. their favorites are one we got for free that has that "egg crate" type foam under a easily removable cover & the other is a homemade fleece bed from the siamese rescue store (www.siameserescue.org). they don't really pay attention to anything else for beds, except their cat forts...they prefer our bed, couch, and the shelf by the window that we covered in blankets for them.

my guys wear collars & id tags. that's a requirement for being a kitty at my house. i think it depends on the kitty, too. my sister's cats and one of my mom's cats won't wear collars.

 

[babybee]

I have to agree that cats sleep where ever they want to sleep. I have spent quite a lot of money on cat beds, and scratching posts, and my cat never sleeps in the cat bed, or scratches the post that I thought was fun for her. She sleeps on the counter in the bathroom, in our bed, on top of the armoire, but never in her cat beds. Also a friend of mine gave us some cheap cardboard scratching thing and my cat loves that but not the expensive posts that I got her. I personally would just save my money, if your cat doesn't like the tent and you can take it back then that would be the best thing to do probably, and maybe get the round fluffy one and see how he likes that one.

My cat doesn't wear a collar because she is an indoor cat and only goes outside with me on a leash, so I don't worry about a collar. But that would be up to you to decide if you want to put a collar on your cat or not. I know many who have collars on their indoor cats as well.

 

[maherwoman]

As far as the bed, it sounds like Ozzy's already decided that he likes sleeping with you. There honestly aren't many cats out there that like them. One thing he might like, though, is one of those cat houses (the ones that are like a carpet-covered cylindar that has a couple holes in the side and an indented place on top for them to sleep/lay on). I wouldn't count on him sleeping on it all the time, but it would give him good variety (which kitties like). As far as a sqooshy bed, the only time I've had any success with one was when we bought one for our kitties' mama when she was still pregnant with them (so we could bring home something with her scent on it and they could be more comfortable being without her at first), but even this was ignored after a couple weeks. Heck, don't even know where it is anymore!!

As far as the collar...if you're taking him outside at all, you should definitely consider it (if only in case he decides to try to bolt somehow). The only reason mine don't wear them is because they haven't even SMELLED the outside except through a window screen or during a trip to the vet! Also, make absolutely sure he's getting his vaccinations and you keep some spot on flea control (the stuff that you put a drop just behind the cat's head, and it naturally spreads through their fur) on-hand in case he comes back in with you and brings along some uninvited friends! )