The 8 Best Cat Caves of 2026

The Meowfia Felt Cat Cave impressed us with its perfect score across all testing categories. This cat cave is made from Merino wool from New Zealand, a 100 percent natural, biodegradable, and sustainably sourced material. Merino wool is known for being durable yet soft, making it a perfect choice for a cat cave that will last. It’s also moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating, keeping your cat cool and comfy in the summer and warm and cozy in the winter. 

We love this cat cave’s contemporary, artsy design, making it an actual addition to your home decor instead of an eyesore. Plus, it’s available in eight different color combinations and two sizes, so you can find the right fit for your cat and your space. Our tester cat took a few days to warm up to this cave, but once he did, he could be found making the most of it. The cat cave was used as a play area with other toys or by itself, and as a private lounge spot. He also used it as a hiding spot and would often pop out of the hole as his owner walked by. It’s lightweight enough for cats to drag around the house, too.

This cat cave is also pretty easy to care for since the Merino wool is easy to clean and hides cat hair well, but it can be a bit of a struggle to shape it after it arrives. It is delivered squished up and needs to be shaped using either a steamer or by leaving it stuffed full of clothes or bedding for a few days. But once the shape has been smoothed out, it will stay that way over time unless washed. Since this is made from 100 percent wool, it’s delicate, hand-wash only, and requires air-drying. Keep in mind that it may occasionally shed wool depending on how long you own it and how interactive your cat gets with it. 

_{Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 10 (small), 19 x 19 x 12 inches (large) | Materials: Merino wool | Colors: Light gray, aquamarine, slate gray, black aqua, dark gray, green, beige, pink}

We tested the large size Cattasaurus Peekaboo Cat Cave with a spunky torbie rescue with an affinity for tall cat trees and cardboard box beds. Unlike your typical walk-in cave with surrounding walls, this cat cave has a donut shape that allows for a surprisingly versatile number of uses. At the top of the donut is an indented nook that functions as a bed well for one adult cat or two cuddling kittens, and there is enough space on the inside of the donut for up to three cats, providing they are friends. Measuring 2 feet across and 11 inches high, it’s a small footprint for something that can house up to four or five cats. Specs claim the bed well can support up to 30 pounds of cat, but our 13-pound tester cat seemed a little untrusting and mostly stuck to running laps on the inside of the donut, swatting at toys through the cute cat face-shaped cutout on one end, and using it as a hiding spot. 

The featherlight cave is constructed of compressed felt and comes with just two pieces (the top and the bottom) that are easily connected via a zipper. When not in use, you can zip them apart and store one-half inside the other half. We love how many colors this cat cave comes in and that the jumbo size is big enough for a small to medium-sized dog to crawl into, too. However, this cat cave has no padding or plush features, so if you know your cat prefers to hide and nap in soft spaces, it’s worth sizing up so you can add a cushion or blankets. 

_{Dimensions: 24 x 24 x 11 inches (large), 27 x 27 x 11 inches (jumbo) | Materials: Felt | Colors: Green, brown, dark gray, forest green, light gray, pastel macaron, pink, ruby snowball}

This tunnel-style cat cave is a cinch to assemble—essentially all you need to do is zip together the two ends to create a donut, or you can leave it open as a C-shaped tunnel—and includes thoughtful extras like a hanging catnip toy and a cat-face-shaped peekaboo cutout that encourage play.

There’s also a center circular bed area that our tester said felt a little skimpy on the cushioning, noting their cats much preferred the tunnel space for naps. In fact, the cats seemed to love the tunnel right off the bat and spent time each day chasing each other through it, napping in it, and playing “hide-and-hunt” with toys and treats. Our tester appreciated how easy it was to assemble and that it was lightweight enough to move around, but cautioned that it’ll likely slide on non-carpeted surfaces. They also noted that, because of its large size, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a large enough space to accommodate this tunnel.  

_{Dimensions: 39 x 39 x 12.5 inches | Materials: Polyester fabric, cushion filling | Colors: White/gray, gray, brown pattern, red/blue plaid}

We tested the Lesure Sherpa Cat Cube with not one but three cats. It was an instant hit with two cats who love to cozy up inside, nap on top, and parkour off of the cube when they’ve got the zoomies. Our tester was impressed by how simple this cube was to put together and how well it managed to avoid being covered in cat hair (they were testing the cream color with black cats). When assembling the cube cave, they liked how the top lounge area was supported by an actual hammock in the frame. Although the cube ended up being larger than expected, the 16-inch square size turned out to be a space-saving alternative to a cat tree since all three of their cats could use it simultaneously. This cube cave comes with a plush cushion and soft sherpa cover that can be removed and machine-washed. There’s also a hanging puff ball in the entrance that their cats went wild for. 

We had early access to this product, and so the version we tested contained plastic tube framing, which our tester noted was sturdy but would doubtfully be able to support the weight of a cat weighing more than 12 pounds on top. According to current specs, the product is now made with steel tube framing and is able to support up to 55 pounds. 

_{Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 16 inches | Materials: Synthetic fabrics, sherpa, steel tubing | Colors: Cream, black houndstooth, cloud gray, sky blue, matcha}

If you have an anxious or timid kitty who loves to burrow into a warm, furry cave for safety, this hooded calming nest from Catism could relax your feline’s nerves. This hybrid donut-shaped cave doubles as a bed if you fold down the spongy hood structure to become part of the side and bottom portion. Used as a cave, the hooded portion stays up on its own, so you don’t need to worry that it will collapse in on your cat.

The grippy non-slip bottom is also waterproof and houses the supportive, cotton-filled pad. You can unzip the bottom to remove the pad and machine-wash the plush exterior. The cave comes in just two calming neutral colors with a warm, creamy color interior, but these colorways are beautiful enough to blend in with any decor. The fur hood and body of the cave naturally heat your kitty’s hideaway without the use of any type of heating device.

Note that the cave only holds up to 15 pounds, so it’s not for super large cats or multiple cats to sneak away together.

_{Dimensions: 21 x 21 x 15 inches | Materials: Suede-like fabric, cotton, faux fur | Colors: Coffee, gray}

We tested the Best Supplies Pet Tent Soft Bed with two medium-sized cats who can be shy when company comes over and who love to find new places to hide and nap around the house. It didn’t take long for one of the cats to claim this ultra-plush and soft cat cave as their own. Word on the street is she’s been using it as her daily napping spot since day one. We tested the 19-inch size. The tent base is a square shape with 12-inch sides on the inside, keeping it roomy enough for one large or two medium-sized cats (provided they like to snuggle). The thick interior cushion seems to be supportive while remaining extra plush, and the soft corduroy fabric on the outside is a nice touch that stands out among other cat caves and tents. 

Our tester said they appreciated how featherlight the tent was when it came to moving it around the house (they could just loop it with one finger and relocate it easily), but they were less excited about how thin and flimsy the tent walls appeared. Any time their cats would attack the tent or it was moved to a new location, they’d have to re-fluff and shape the tent. Still, our tester was pleasantly surprised by this cat cave, noting it delivered beyond expectations, didn’t show any signs of wear and tear during the testing period, and was still holding up after daily use. 

_{Dimensions: 16 x16 x 14 inches (medium), 19 x 19 x 19 inches (large) | Materials: Linen, faux suede, corduroy | Colors: Brown linen, corduroy beige, gray lattice, gray linen, navy, tan}

If you want to add a cat tree to your cats’ environment, this one from Mau Cento includes a bottom-level cat cave and two bowl-shaped wicker cat beds. This tree has a modern design featuring natural wood, wicker, and shaggy faux fur. It’s available in white, light gray, or natural with brown and black furry accents.

The cat cave area (which my cat Bo loves) is completely covered in faux fur inside and out and has a thinly padded fur-lined floor. However, cleaning that part of the tree can be tricky because it’s not removable. The tree also offers two wicker bed baskets with circular cushions inside, which are removable and machine-washable.

The Mau Cento is one of our favorite cat trees for larger cats since it’s sturdy enough to hold up to 23 pounds of cat. My 17-pound cat loves perching up inside the wicker baskets, and the tree has never once toppled. Just be aware that it can be a slog to put together—be prepared to sift through several parts and a lot of hardware—but the struggle for assembly was worth it for such a high-quality, great-looking cat tree. 

_{Dimensions: 23.5 x 18 x 46 inches | Materials: Natural wood, rattan, faux fur | Colors: Cotton white, brown, bullet gray}

Imagine a cat tree that was just three levels of cat caves, and you’ll already have an idea of what the Trixie Lilo Three-Story Cat Tower is going for. Three slightly different-sized cat cave cubes stack on top of one another to create the ultimate cat cave tower. Each cube arrives pre-assembled; includes a removable, machine-washable cushion; and features plush, lined interiors along with carpeted and sisal exterior surfaces. Reaching 4 feet tall, this cat tower uses a combination of Velcro and bolted surfaces to hold the three units together. We love that the modular design allows you to set it up as you see fit and switch things up to keep your cat(s) interested. 

All three cubes have their own entrance cutouts, and there is no through passage between the boxes—your cat will need to jump and climb its way to the second and third cubes. We found that staggering the boxes provides more surfaces for cats to find their footing and climb. That said, the top level is difficult to reach, and our tester cat wasn’t even interested in attempting it, essentially making it a waste of space. In addition, moving between levels may be hard for older or mobility-impaired cats.

The tower also has a maximum weight of 12 pounds. At 60 pounds itself, the Trixie Lilo isn’t easy to move around once assembled, but it is extra sturdy. Our tester said they like that the “unique” design allowed flexibility in how to position the cat tree, where to put it in the home (they suggested it goes great in corners), and that it seems easy to integrate into your existing decor. 

_{Dimensions: 18 x 18 x 48.2 inches | Materials: Faux fleece, sisal, synthetic fabric, plant material | Colors: White/brown}