This may be a little far from the mattress expertise of the site, but given the wealth of experience and knowledge here I’m hoping for some helpful feedback.
First, a huge thank you to Phoenix for providing such a wealth of objective information about what can be a major life purchase (both in terms of cost and quality of life!). I’ve been poring over your articles and advice and appreciate the thoroughness of your work.
I am looking at purchasing an adjustable bed with a latex mattress, and have some concerns about pet safety. Most adjustable beds seem to open up spaces that cats just love to crawl into (mine’s not especially smart, either). Exhaustive searches about pet-safe adjustable beds yielded only one safety feature, the Leggett and Platt sensor. However, I’m looking for something that’s preventative (and does not risk failing if the sensor breaks). Either a base that does not consist of two layers separating - a single moving layer - or one that is closed off, and here I’m envisioning something like the pop-up tent on a camper van: Basically making sure the spaces that are opened up when the head or foot of the bed lifts are inaccessible to less-than-bright furballs.
Does anyone know of any models that offer this kind of feature, or some other brilliant solution to the pet problem that doesn’t rely on electronic parts?
I’ve never seen a feature like that in an adjustable bed… Even with a cat that isn’t too bright as you stated, I wouldn’t have a worry. Adjustable bed bases don’t move that fast, and even if you cat was somehow balancing on the frame rail the vibration of the motor and then the feeling of the deck slowly coming down would alert even the most intellectually challenged feline. There’s plenty of areas where the cat can hide under the bed and not be bothered at all while the bed moves up and down, but you won’t find too many cats interested in sticking around when you adjust the bed.
Thanks for the reassurance. I did find a model by Leggett and Platt that has a one-piece base, the D122 from the Designer Series, if anyone else is feeling paranoid. Also seems like a good choice for getting at the inevitable dust bunnies, for those who don’t care about the traditional frame look.
The D122 will also have a gap between the platform that supports the mattress and the steel frame just like other adjustable beds and there are also many other adjustable beds that have a similar look with side panels around the platform but like Jeff I personally wouldn’t be concerned about a cat getting “caught” in the mechanism.
Basically making sure the spaces that are opened up when the head or foot of the bed lifts are inaccessible to less-than-bright furballs.