How to choose and size an indoor cat house

1. Begin with a familiar resting place

Observe a bed or spot your cat already uses. Note its usable surface, whether it is open or covered and how your cat enters and rests there. Measure the space when it is unoccupied. This gives you a reference you can understand without holding your cat in a position or trying to predict preference from a breed label.

Treat that reference as a starting point, not proof that a new enclosure will be used. A different position, opening or construction changes the choice. Keep another resting option available rather than making one new house the only place to settle.

2. Write down three sets of dimensions

First record the overall width, depth and height, including any projecting legs or roof. Then record the interior measurements and the usable bedding surface. Finally, record the entrance width, entrance height and any step at its lower edge. A listing that supplies only the first set leaves important questions unanswered.

Use the same units for every option. Check whether dimensions were taken with the cushion installed and where a curved or sloping roof was measured. Ask for clarification when a diagram is unclear. Do not calculate missing interior space from a photograph or assume that a stated outer measurement includes room for your cat.

3. Check the room around the house

Place the footprint on a sketch of the room, then add the approach to the entrance. Allow for nearby doors, drawers and chairs as they are actually used. Consider where you will stand to remove bedding or clean the interior. A house that fits between two objects may still be awkward to enter or maintain.

Choose a resting position that is dry, comfortable and away from draughts and repeated disturbance. Keep the bed's position separate from the litter area. Follow the intended use and installation instructions for elevated designs; the available space alone does not establish whether a particular installation is appropriate.

4. Read the care instructions before buying

Separate the shell, lining, cushion and cover in your notes. Which parts are washable, which can only be wiped and which must be removed first? Check drying instructions as well as washing instructions. A removable cover is useful only if you can take it off and put it back without an impractical amount of work.

Look for access to seams and corners, and check how the assembled structure is secured. Ask about missing instructions, replacement bedding or parts before committing. Details that are easy to overlook in a styled photograph often determine whether the piece suits your routine.

5. Decide what is still missing

Compare the options using the same headings: usable space, entrance, room position, intended use and care. Mark unanswered questions rather than filling them with assumptions. If a design fits your room but its interior size remains unknown, the comparison is not finished.

Once the practical details work, choose the appearance you want to live with. Then give the new refuge a considered introduction. Choosing a well-described house and helping your cat explore it are separate steps; neither the price nor a promising photograph can decide that second step for you.

Sources and further reading

• Cats Protection: understanding hiding places

  Read why cats use hiding places and how to offer quiet options without forcing them to leave.

• RSPCA: a comfortable home for your cat

  Guidance on comfortable resting areas, quiet hiding places and separating the litter area from food and rest.