Cats want two things from a piece of furniture that are awkward to combine: somewhere to disappear, and somewhere to watch from. A den with a snug entrance handles the first. The rows of spinning balls set into the walls handle the second, giving a cat something to bat at from inside, where they feel unobserved, and unobserved is where a great many cats will actually play rather than sit and stare at you.

The entrance is deliberately narrow, and that is not a shortcut in the design. Cats settle better in spaces enclosed on most sides, and an opening they have to duck through is a large part of what makes a box feel safe rather than exposed. The panels wipe clean, which is the practical half of it: the fur, dust and stray litter that collect in any cat den come out with a damp cloth instead of a full strip-down.

• House-shaped den with a snug entrance
• Rows of spinning teaser balls set into the walls
• Wipe-clean panels
• Works as a hideaway and a play station at once
• One version, with no size or colour options

On what this actually is. There is no post, no sisal and no scratching panel, so if your cat needs somewhere to scratch, that remains a separate purchase.

Who it's for: cats who play best when they think nobody is watching, and owners short of room for a full activity centre.