Pet product review: is Vetbed the ideal pet bedding?

Kiko on her pink Vetbed

All animal carers have the same daily dilemma: what sort of bedding should I use for my pet? I’ve tried many types of bedding over the years, and it’s not easy to find one that ticks all the boxes.
Some soft bedding seems ideal until it’s put through the washing machine, when the soft stuffing clumps together into hard, annoying clumps of matted contents.
Other soft bedding has lasted longer, coming through several washes successfully, only to be destroyed when a dog decides that it’s just the right consistency for chewing.
I’ve sometimes used man-made fabric blankets: these are easy to wash and easy to dry, but they’re too thin to provide a decent level of softness.
So is there an ideal bedding? For me, Vetbed comes closest.
At first glance, Vetbed resembles a type of sheepskin, and it’s true that perhaps that’s the easiest way to describe it: like a manmade version of a sheepskin. It’s made from artificial fibres and has two sections: first, an underlying mesh, similar to the “skin” part of a sheepskin, and second, the comfy, soft, springy artificial fleece part that is attached to the mesh.
It’s easy-to-clean, durable and versatile: it’s no wonder that it’s the”industry standard” for vets, groomers and boarding kennels. Vetbed has excellent drainage properties, keeping pets dry if prone to “leaks”. It’s easy to wash (at up to 95 degrees) and it dries rapidly.
As for aesthetics, Vetbed comes in a range of colours, which helps to keep a stack of bedding organised, as well as allowing colour coordination, if that’s what you like to do in your home.
There’s even a “green” version: the Ecovetbed is made from recycled plastic bottles, yet maintains all the properties of the original Vetbed.
As you’ll have guessed – I’m a Vetbed fan, as are Kiko, Finzi and our three cats.

Kiko on a grey version of Vetbed with black pawprints