Quick answer: The best donut cat bed is the one you can wash fully and dry quickly. A DIY bed with a removable cover and a separate filling bolster can be washed every week and lasts as long as you replace worn parts. Many store beds wash as one piece, which takes longer to dry and can flatten the filling over time.
Donut beds, with a raised round rim and a soft centre, are popular because many cats like to curl into them. They also gather fur, dander and anything else the cat carries in.
This guide compares DIY and store-bought donut beds on what matters day to day: how easily they wash, how fast they dry, how long they last and whether they stay safe. It ends with a simple build designed around the washing machine.
Why Washing Matters
Bedding is where fleas and fungal spores can settle. Cats Protection notes that fleas can be found in pet bedding and that vacuuming and treating the home are part of flea control. VCA Animal Hospitals explains that ringworm spores can remain dormant on bedding and carpet for up to 18 months. A bed that can be washed and dried thoroughly is easier to keep clean if either problem appears.
Routine washing also keeps fur and dander down, which helps anyone in the house with allergies. It also gives you a regular chance to look at the bed closely, so a split seam or a patch of chewed fabric is spotted early rather than after the stuffing is out.
Donut Cat Bed Types Compared
| Feature | DIY with removable cover | Store bed, one piece | Store bed, zip cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine washable | Cover and bolster separately | Whole bed, if label allows | Cover only, usually |
| Drying time | Short: thin layers dry fast | Long: dense filling holds water | Cover is quick; insert slow |
| Filling | Your choice; replaceable | Fixed; may clump | Fixed insert |
| Longevity | Parts replaced as needed | Ends when filling flattens | Insert wears first |
| Upfront cost | Fabric and filling | Varies widely | Varies widely |
Always check the care label on a store bed. Some long-pile beds are not meant for a hot wash or a tumble dryer.
A Wash Schedule
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Daily | Shake the bed outside or lint-roll it |
| Weekly | Vacuum the bed and the area around it |
| Every one to two weeks | Wash the cover; air or tumble-dry fully |
| Monthly | Wash the bolster or the whole bed, if the label allows |
| During flea or ringworm treatment | Follow your vet's cleaning advice; wash more often |
Dry beds completely before the cat uses them again. A bed put back damp can smell musty and may grow mould in the filling.
How Long Each Type Lasts
A one-piece store bed usually ends its life when the filling clumps or the base flattens and no longer holds its shape. Repeated hot washes speed that up. A DIY bed with separate parts lasts longer overall, because you replace the part that wears, often the cover or the stuffing, and keep the rest.
- Replace if the filling has lumps that do not shake out.
- Replace if seams have opened and stuffing is exposed.
- Replace if the bed still smells after washing.
- Replace if the cat has started to avoid it.
Safety Checklist
- No loose threads, tassels or ribbons that could be chewed and swallowed.
- No beads, buttons or small decorations.
- Zips closed and covered by a fabric flap.
- Filling securely enclosed; loose polyester stuffing should not be reachable.
- No electrical heating pads unless made for pets and used as directed.
- Bed placed away from heaters and stairs.
International Cat Care notes that cats like to have high places and places where they can hide from view. A donut bed on the floor is fine for many cats, but some prefer one on a raised, stable surface.
A DIY Donut Bed Built for the Washing Machine
- Cut two circles of washable fabric about 60 cm across for the base cover.
- Sew a fabric tube about 15 cm wide that, filled, forms the rim.
- Stuff the tube with washable polyester filling, or rolled old towels, and close it.
- Make a separate flat cushion for the centre from a folded fleece.
- Join the cover with a zip or overlapping envelope opening, so the rim and cushion slide out.
- Wash and dry once before use to remove sizing from new fabric.
Keep the finished rim slightly underfilled, so it can be squeezed into the drum and dries evenly. If the cat prefers a firmer edge, add a towel roll rather than packing the filling tightly. The parts wash and dry separately, so the bed is back in use the same day. Our beds and hideaways hub has more builds, including a summer cooling bed and a winter heated bed cover.
Choosing Fabrics and Fillings
Cotton and polyester fleece both wash well. Long faux fur feels cosy but holds more hair and takes longer to dry. Rolled towels are a good, washable filling and easy to replace. Avoid memory foam pieces in a rim, since they cannot usually be washed.
For other builds, see our budget cat bed under $40 and the cooling bed safety checklist. Older cats often appreciate a low-rimmed bed; our senior cat care guide and heated bed cover for senior cats cover their needs.
Washing Without Damaging the Bed
Shake loose fur off outside before the bed goes into the machine; a lint roller or a damp rubber glove lifts hair from fleece. Fur that goes into the drum clogs the filter and sticks to the rest of the wash. A mesh laundry bag around the cover helps keep the fabric in shape.
Use a mild, unscented detergent and rinse well. Strong fragrance can make a familiar bed smell strange to the cat, and some cats will avoid a bed that suddenly smells of perfume. Skip fabric softener, which can leave a residue on the fibres.
For drying, a rim stuffed with rolled towels can be unrolled and dried flat, then re-rolled. A polyester bolster dries better in a tumble dryer on a low setting with a couple of clean tennis balls, which break up clumps. If you air-dry, squeeze the filling every few hours and check the centre before putting the bed back.
Using Two Beds in Rotation
The simplest way to keep a bed clean is to have two. When one is in the wash, the other is in place, so the cat is never without its favourite spot. Rotating also spreads the wear, so both beds last longer than one bed washed twice as often.
If you have more than one cat, give each its own bed in a separate spot, plus a spare. Cats that share a bed may be happy together, but separate beds make it easier to spot if one cat starts to scratch more or sleep less.
Which to Choose
Think about where the bed will live, too. A bed by a sunny window gets used more but fades faster; a bed in a draughty hall may be ignored whatever it is made of. Watch where your cat already naps and put the new bed there.
Choose a DIY bed if you wash often, have a sewing machine or want to reuse fabric. Choose a store bed if you want a ready-made shape and the label confirms it is machine washable and dryer safe. Either way, have two covers, so one is always clean.
Donut Cat Bed Washing Questions
How often should I wash a cat's donut bed?
Wash the cover every one to two weeks and the whole bed or bolster monthly, if the label allows. Shake or lint-roll it daily and vacuum weekly. Wash more often during flea or ringworm treatment, following your vet's advice, and always dry the bed fully before the cat uses it.
Can donut cat beds go in the dryer?
Some can, but check the care label first. Long-pile and calming beds are often meant for a gentle wash and low or air drying. Dense filling holds water, so a one-piece bed can take a long time to dry. A DIY bed with separate thin parts dries much faster.
How long does a donut cat bed last?
A one-piece store bed usually lasts until the filling clumps or the base flattens, which repeated hot washing speeds up. A DIY bed with removable parts lasts longer, because you replace only the worn cover or stuffing. Replace any bed with open seams, lumps or a smell that survives washing.
Is a homemade cat bed safe?
Yes, if it has no loose threads, tassels, beads or buttons, the zip is covered, and the filling is fully enclosed so the cat cannot reach it. Use washable materials and avoid memory foam in the rim. Keep the bed away from heaters and stairs.
