A dark corner they can shut the world out of.
For the cat that ignores every open bed and sleeps in a wardrobe instead. The appeal is not softness but an enclosed space: dark inside, one entrance, nothing able to approach unseen.
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Size: M
Why you'll love it
An open bed leaves them exposed on every side, which is why so many end up under the bed instead. A roof and one entrance is what makes a cat commit to a sleeping spot.
A domed cave traps the cat's own body heat. For an older cat or a thin coated breed in a cold house, that is worth more than any amount of extra padding.
It lifts straight out, which means the whole cave does not have to go in the machine every time. Dome beds that are sewn shut end up thrown away instead of washed.
Good fit if
Look elsewhere if
Cats are both predator and prey, and the prey half of that shapes where they sleep. A sleeping cat is vulnerable, so the preferred spot has walls, a single entrance and a clear view of it. That describes a wardrobe, a cardboard box and the space behind the sofa far better than it describes an open basket.
An enclosed bed reproduces the same conditions deliberately. Thick walls block sight and muffle sound, the dome retains body heat so the interior warms quickly, and the single opening means the cat only has to watch one direction. Cats that have refused every open bed will often take to a cave within a day.
Position does more work than the bed itself. Put it against a wall or in a corner so the back is protected, away from the through route between rooms, and out of a draught. A cave in the middle of a busy hallway defeats its own design, since the cat still has people passing on all sides.
Height helps where you can manage it. A cave on a shelf, a sturdy chest or a wide windowsill combines enclosure with elevation, which is the strongest combination for a cat that is at all anxious. If it must go on the floor, a quiet corner of a room the household actually uses beats a spare room the cat never visits.
A cave should be snug rather than roomy, since the enclosed feeling is the point, but the cat must be able to turn around inside and lie down without pressing against the walls. Check the entrance dimensions as well as the overall size, because a large cat can find the opening the limiting factor rather than the interior.
The cushion lifts out, which is what makes this practical. Wash the cushion regularly and spot clean the felt shell rather than machine washing it, since thick felt loses its shape when soaked and a collapsed dome no longer stands up. Air it thoroughly before the cat uses it again.
In the box
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The details
| Size | Dimensions | Entrance | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | 33 × 33 × 33 cm | 18 × 12 cm | Cats under about 4 kg |
| Large | 36 × 36 × 36 cm | 20 × 15 cm | Cats under about 6 kg |
Check the entrance as well as the interior, since a broad chested cat can find the opening the limiting dimension. The cat should turn around inside without pressing against the walls.
Loved by real pet parents
The wardrobe door had to stay shut and she simply found somewhere else dark, so a cave with one entrance was worth a try. She was in it the first night and has slept there ever since. The medium at 33 cm suits her, she is under four kilos and it is snug rather than tight.
The 18 by 12 opening on the medium is fine for him going in but he has to shuffle about to turn round inside. At five kilos the large would have been the better call and that is on me for not reading the weights. The felt walls are thick and hold the dome shape properly, which was my main worry.
Every domed bed I have had before was sewn shut and ended up in the bin the moment it got grubby. This cushion comes straight out, goes in the machine and the felt shell gets a brush over. Six months in and it still looks presentable.
Our eighteen year old feels the cold and used to sit on top of the boiler cupboard. The dome holds her own heat in and she is in there most of the day now, curled on the plush cushion. The large at 36 cm gives her room to turn round.
The ears on top are the reason I bought it and it does look good in the room, no argument there. Our cat has been inside it three times in six weeks and sleeps on the arm of the sofa the rest of the time. I may try moving it somewhere quieter and see if that changes anything.
The sponge in the walls has not gone soft, which is where I expected this to fail. It still stands up as a dome rather than folding in on her. It weighs about a kilo, so I can pick the whole thing up with her inside and she barely stirs.
The point of a cave is that it is dark inside and this one genuinely is, you cannot see her at all from the side. She sleeps properly in it rather than doing the half awake sofa version. The felt is firm and the plush lip is soft where she rests her chin.
No complaints about how it is made, the dome is solid and the cushion lifts out easily. The felt does hold fur like a magnet and wants going over with a brush every few days. I bought the large and at 36 cm it suits a six kilo cat comfortably.
She sleeps in it at night and ambushes us from the entrance during the day, which was not the plan but we will take it. The medium is the right size for now and she is nowhere near four kilos yet. The cushion has been washed twice with no shrinking.
Good questions
The supplier rates medium to 4 kg and large to 6 kg. Most adult domestic shorthairs sit around 4 to 5 kg, so large is the safer choice unless the cat is small or you want it for a kitten.
More often than an open basket, because the appeal is the hiding place rather than the padding. Put it where they already sleep, beside a radiator or under a desk, not where you would like them to.
The cushion comes out and goes in the machine on a cool cycle. The dome itself is spot clean; soaking the felt makes it lose its shape.
Medium suits most cats under about 4 kg, large suits up to about 6 kg. Check the entrance dimensions too, since a broad cat may find the opening tighter than the interior.
Often, yes, if the refusal was about being exposed rather than about comfort. A cat that already chooses wardrobes and boxes is exactly the one a cave is for.
The cushion lifts out and washes. Spot clean the felt shell rather than machine washing it, since soaking causes thick felt to lose its shape and the dome will not stand up afterwards.
Last reviewed 30 August 2026
Advice
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