My Cat Refused to Leave This Hammock — A Honest Review of the PawsAtelier Fleece Cage Hammock
I've tried every cat bed on the market — donut beds, cave beds, heated mats — and my cat has ignored every single one. So when I came across PawsAtelier's Custom Hanging Cat Hammock, a fleece hammock designed to clip onto cage bars, I was cautiously optimistic. Three weeks later, I genuinely cannot get her off it. Here's the full review.
🔧 Setup — Easier Than Expected
The hammock attaches to cage bars via four adjustable corner straps with metal hooks. Installation took under three minutes — no tools, no fiddling. The straps are long enough to accommodate different bar spacings, and once tightened, the hammock sits taut and level. I tested it on a standard cat cage with 1cm bar spacing and it held perfectly.
The adjustability also means you can position it at different heights within the cage, which is useful if your cat has a preferred elevation (mine insists on being as high as possible).
🛌 Fleece Comfort — Does It Actually Feel Cosy?
The fleece is thick, plush, and genuinely soft — the kind of fabric you'd want in a blanket yourself. It has a slight stretch to it, which means the hammock conforms gently to your cat's body weight rather than staying rigid. My cat settled into it within 20 minutes of installation, which by her standards is an immediate endorsement.
The fleece also retains warmth well. On cooler nights, she's consistently choosing the hammock over her other sleeping spots, which tells me the insulation is doing its job.
⚖️ Load Capacity & Stability
My cat weighs 4.2kg, and the hammock shows zero signs of strain — no sagging at the attachment points, no slipping. The metal hooks are solid and the strap material is thick nylon webbing that doesn't stretch under load. Based on the construction, I'd comfortably trust it up to 6–7kg, though I'd recommend checking the product specs for your specific cat's weight.
🧺 Washing & Maintenance
The fleece detaches easily from the straps for washing. After two machine washes on a gentle cycle, it came out looking and feeling identical to new — no pilling, no shrinkage, no colour fade. The straps themselves can be wiped down with a damp cloth. Low-maintenance is an understatement.
🐱 Three Weeks In — Cat's Verdict
She sleeps in it every night. She naps in it during the day. She has, on two occasions, actively climbed back into it after I removed her for feeding. I don't think I need to say more.
⚠️ Worth Knowing
This hammock is designed for cage use — it requires bars or a frame to attach to. It won't work as a freestanding bed. If your cat lives in a cage, crate, or has access to a cat tree with horizontal bars, it's a perfect fit. For open-plan living spaces without a suitable frame, you'd need a separate mounting solution.
✅ Final Verdict
If your cat has ever ignored an expensive bed you bought them (and whose hasn't?), a hanging hammock is worth trying. The elevated position appeals to cats' natural instinct to sleep high up, the fleece is genuinely cosy, and the adjustable straps make installation effortless. Three weeks in, this is the first cat bed I've bought that's actually being used.
Best for: Cats in cages or crates, multi-level cat trees, and any owner whose cat refuses to sleep at floor level.
🛒 Ready to treat your cat?
Shop the Custom Hanging Cat Hammock — available with custom sizing and colour options.