Cats sleep somewhere between twelve and sixteen hours a day, and given the choice they pick somewhere enclosed, off the draught and out of the line of traffic through the room. A felt cave offers all three at once. The walls are what does the work: a cat in a hooded bed is not so much hiding as regulating, with warm air held in and the noise of the household one layer further away.

Felt is the right material for a bed expected to work all year, and it is worth knowing why. It is dense enough to hold its shape without any frame inside, so the entrance does not sag closed on the cat. It insulates in winter. And unlike fleece it breathes, so an animal is not lying in trapped heat in July. Built up in layers rather than sewn from a single sheet, the shell stays rigid where a soft fabric cave collapses after a few months of use.

• Felt construction, built up in multiple layers
• Rigid shell that holds its shape without a frame
• Suitable year-round: insulating in winter, breathable in summer
• Two colours: coffee brown or beige
• Supplied as one felt cat nest

We cannot give you dimensions. Two other things worth knowing: felt is spot-clean only and must never go in a washing machine, and any hooded bed will feel tight to a large or long-bodied cat. If yours sleeps stretched out rather than curled, an open bed suits it better.

Who it's for: Nervous or elderly cats, busy households with children or other pets coming and going, and cold rooms where an open basket never quite does the job.