A Familiar Place to Come Back To: Your Cat’s Bedding and Scent

There is a particular cushion your cat returns to. It may be the one beside the sofa, the blanket on a chair, or the center of their tunnel bed. Once a place becomes part of the day, caring for it means thinking about both the bedding and the rest of the room.

A removable cushion makes that everyday care more practical. You can wash the soft part, wipe the tunnel separately, and put everything back together when it is ready.

Familiarity includes smell

The 2013 AAFP/ISFM Feline Environmental Needs Guidelines explain that scent helps cats recognize their surroundings. Their practical advice includes washing bedding in rotation so some items retain a familiar scent, and avoiding products that strongly alter the home’s scent profile.

For an ordinary laundry day, that could mean cleaning the tunnel cushion while leaving another clean, familiar resting option available. Wash soiled items promptly; the aim is to keep some continuity elsewhere in the room.

Care for the cushion and tunnel separately

The central cushion of the ITNaps Cat Tunnel Bed lifts out. Its care routine is different from that of the structured tunnel panels, so separating the two is the first step.

• Cushion: place it in a laundry bag and machine-wash in cold water on a gentle cycle with mild detergent.
• Drying: reshape while damp and let it air-dry completely. Do not bleach, tumble-dry, or iron it.
• Tunnel panels: wipe with a damp cloth. Do not soak them or put them in the washing machine.

Choose a washing time that leaves enough room for natural drying. Before returning the cushion, check the thicker areas as well as the surface. Reassemble only when everything is fully dry, and keep your cat’s alternative resting spot available in the meantime.

Our complete cleaning guide keeps these instructions together for the next time you need them.

Make the return straightforward

After washing, put the cushion back in its usual position. There is no need to stage an introduction or place your cat on it. Carry on with the room’s normal routine and let the cushion be available.

If your cat chooses another bed while this one dries, leave that option available after the cushion returns. A familiar room can hold more than one resting place; cleaning one does not need to rearrange them all.

Ohio State University's guidance on resting areas emphasizes quiet, comfortable places and leaving resting cats undisturbed. Wherever you put the clean cushion, give your cat time to settle without being picked up or drawn into play.

The same cushion, another resting spot

Because the cushion is removable, you can also offer it on its own in another suitable place at home. Try one location at a time and see whether your cat uses it. Measure the space before you move it: the cushion’s overall footprint, including its base, is approximately 21.5 inches square.

The familiar-bedding idea can extend to a carrier. FelineVMA’s Cat Friendly Homes recommends soft bedding with familiar scents and making the carrier part of the home environment. If you want to use the ITNaps cushion that way, first check the carrier’s interior dimensions, ventilation, closures, and the room left for your cat.

We cover those checks in Take Their Familiar Bed With Them. At home, start with the everyday job: a clean cushion, a workable care routine, and a resting place your cat can return to in their own time.

A favorite cushion is one part of the room. A place to retreat offers another choice.