This may be an unusual post…We are going to get an adjustable base but I am worried about 2 things with my cats…
One of them likes to chew cords…is there any type of fabric cover I can get to put over the bottom so she can’t get to them.
How can I be sure they don’t climb in and get smashed when I go from a position to flat.
This may seem silly, but they are genuine questions! Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.
karenamp:
You could purchase a roll of nonwoven material from someplace like JOANN Fabric and then staple that to the bottom of each section of your adjustable bed base, helping to cover up the motors/wires that are exposed. You’ll still have wires running between each section and those will have to be exposed to allow for the movement of the individual sections (as well as your power wire plugged into the wall socket), and your nonwoven material will also need to be loosely stapled to allow for the articulation of the motors/arms. I would doubt the effectiveness of such an option, and I think that the loose nonwoven material would create an even more attractive nuisance for the cats. There are various products out there to wrap around wires to deter animal chewing. Some are thicker plastic sheaths. Others are similar to a sports kinesio tape with a bitter taste.
As for Tabby getting smashed, while not impossible, it’s unlikely. Most adjustable bed bases let the decks fall under their own weight - a gravity release system - and the decks are not actively pulled down to their flat position. This is done as a matter of safety so that adjustable bed base decks won’t act as vices actively squeezing and trapping something or someone. The contact patch that the deck makes with the frame railing tends to be a thin area, so Tabby would have to be perfectly balancing upon the frame rail, then would have to ignore the noise and vibration of the adjustable bed as the deck was being lowered (this alone usually causes cats to skedaddle), and then as the deck slowly made contact with your cat (adjustable bed bases don’t tend to move too quickly), Tabby would have to stubbornly stay there balanced upon the top rail and allow the deck to lie down on top of him. Not impossible - but not probable. Go visit a store and have them raise and lower an adjustable bed base so that you may see how the gravity release system works and observe the contact areas when the base is in the flat position.
Thank you for the suggestions!
You’re welcome!
A final suggestion would be to place a “No Cats Allowed” sign under your adjustable bed base, as cats are known for their obedience and adherence to such things. 