As a feline pet owner keeping your fur baby happy, content, and comfortable remain your biggest concern. Happy and content cats need places they can rest, and that will inevitably bring up the question of this: Are cat window hammocks safe?
But are cat window hammocks safe?
There are many of these on the market, and they allow your cat to rest in the sunshine of a window while doing one of their favorite things – sleeping.
Many cats that might not like basic floor model beds or cats that may be too fussy about sleeping will find these warm outdoor facing beds a great option to snooze in and sit to watch the goings-on outside their home environment.
That being said, are cat window hammocks safe? The short answer is that it depends on a couple of things you should consider before installing one. Here is a quick list of things to look at before deciding to install a cat hammock.
Too Big for a Cat Window Hammock?
This should go without saying but pay close attention to the weight limit when picking out your cat hammock. Safety is a top priority for your feline, and so first and foremost, the weight of what the hammock is expected to hold and knowing your cat’s current weight is important.
Most cat hammocks have a one-size-fits-all in their advertising; unfortunately, weight limits are there when you read the fine print. If you have a larger cat, ensuring that you find the limitations will make the difference in your cat’s comfort or possible injury. Additionally, in hammock-style beds, you need to consider the inside depth dimensions to ensure smaller cats won’t have issues getting in and out of bed safely.
Window Hammock or Something Else?
The next thing to consider for your feline’s safety and comfort when considering a cat hammock is the application. These come in various options, from window-mounted, wall-mounted, to those with stands that sit at a height to enjoy the window’s view and sunshine. In order of safety, the wall-mounted cat hammocks are by far the safest, then the stands and finally the window mounted.
You might be asking why the window-mounted, which is one of the less expensive and more prevalent options, is the lowest in safety rating? These are applied with suction cups, which as anyone that has used those devices knows that applying them to glass can sometimes differ the grip based on environmental factors. Humidity, cold or other changes that can impact the glass also can cause the grip of the suction to falter.
Pay attention specifically to the size, weight restrictions, and other manufacturing details of these suction devices. Be advised for large cats that these hammocks definitely will have weight restrictions that should be adhered to closely. Maybe your cat should lose a little weight before buying?
Now between wall-mounted and stand options, wall-mounted is the more stable. However, it should be noted that wall-mounted are just that, attached to the actual wall and require a bit more work to install and, when removed, can require patching work to the wall.
As for stand-supported cat hammocks, look at reviews, read specifications as you need to ensure these are stable, won’t tip over if you have an active feline that likes to jump. How this stands next to a window is important to ensure that there are no gapping or other safety concerns noted. A little bit of research is needed to find the right hammock style for your needs with your specific cat in mind.
Consider What a Cat Window Hammock is Made From
Lastly, it should be noted that some hammocks will be made of plastic or even wood. These hammocks may serve more like a hammock for the bedding of a cat than the cat itself. Other hammocks are made out of soft, washable materials that are easy to take off and cleaned.
Again, comfort for your feline is critical when going through the details on a hammock to ensure that anything will make them want to enjoy this hammock for years to come. There might be certain allergies, textures, and the like that your feline isn’t a fan of, and this should all be taken into consideration when looking at the specifics of your new hammock. With that in mind, you also want to ensure that the material you select is strong, durable, and safest for your feline’s use.
Balancing the tactile considerations for your cat and the materials’ safety needs to ensure your feline’s safety when the hammock is in use is necessary.
Bottom line, if you do your research on cat hammocks, they can be safe and wonderful additions to your cat’s health and wellness routine. Ensuring that you know the hammock’s weight restrictions to best suit your cat is the first thing to look at to hone in on the right hammock.
Deciding based on your cat’s activity level and the placement in your home, whether a window, wall-mounted or stand version will be the safest option is another factor to be researched. Finally, the durability of the materials used for cleaning, safety, and stability and ensuring no allergies or tactile considerations for your cat will deter them is added to the mix.
Once the boxes above are checked, you should have the perfect, size-appropriate, comfortable, and most importantly, safe cat hammock for your family.
Jonathon Hyjek is an entrepreneur and cat-lover. He is married to Joy and they share their home with their 2 feline-friends, Franklin & Ollie. Jonathon is a self-admitted “Crazy Cat Guy”. He started this website because of his love for his own cats and their well-being.