The 10 Best Pet Self-Warming Pads

There are many outstanding options if you are looking for a pet self-warming pad, also known as a thermal warming mat for your dog or cat. Self-warming pads are a fantastic investment that will help keep your pets warm and cozy all year long without using electricity.

These pads work by having a thermal material inside the mat that reflects the pet’s body heat back to them. Their versatility means they can be used indoors or outdoors and are a great way to help protect your furniture from pet hair while also keeping your pet comfortable.

Self-warming mats are also an easy way to keep your pet warm in your car if you are traveling or are looking to keep outside pets warm in the cold winter months.

Read More: Best Self-Warming Pet Bed

Here are our top ten picks for the best pet thermal warming pads:

1. Furhaven Pet Dog Bed Blanket & Cat Heating Pad


The Furhaven Pet Pad is a bestselling option on Amazon that uses your pet’s body heat to reflect back to them because of the insulating poly fiber batting core. It is inexpensive and fully machine washable, and while the quality is durable enough for most pets.

If your cat or dog is a little rough with their possessions, it may not be the best choice. This mat is a small size (17″ x 22″ x 0.25″) for smaller pets. It comes in several colors and patterns, and the material is soft and plush to the touch.

Check the price on Amazon.

2. K&H Manufacturing Self-Warming Crate Pad

If you are looking for a self-warming mat that will work well in a crate, a great one to look at is the K&H Self-Warming Crate Pad. You can get it in 6 different sizes, so it will fit pretty much any crate (the silts in the corners help give it a better fit in the container).

The bottom of the pad has a non-slip material, while the top is a super-soft microfleece.  It has a self-warming material inside the pad that will reflect your pet’s heat back onto them. It can be cleaned by putting it into a washing machine on a gentle cycle and then air-dried. It comes in three different colors: gray, mocha, and tan.

It is available on Amazon.

3. Cat Bed – Purrfect Thermal Cat Mat

The Purrfect Thermal Cat Mat is an excellent option for cats as it is made of a durable fabric that can withstand clawing and chewing. It also comes in a favorite leopard-print Berber fleece fabric that you can switch over to a solid black color on the other side.

This Purrfect design is one of the cheaper mats available, but it is good quality for the price since most users find it does keep their cats snuggly and warm. It makes a slight crinkling noise when cats step on it, so if you have a cat or small dog that has issues with this type of sound, this probably is a mat you will want to avoid. The size is 22 x 1 x 19 inches, and it is available on Amazon.

4. Milliard Thermal Cat Mat / Self Heating

The Milliard Ultra Soft Thermal Cat Mat is very similar to the Purrfect Mat that is listed above, although it is slightly smaller. It has a soft leopard print design on one side, with solid black fleece on the reverse side. The inside of the mat is a Mylar foil, so this mat will also have a crinkly sound.

You can machine wash this Milliard mat, although it must be hung to air dry (you don’t want to put any of the mats with a Mylar insert into a dryer). It has an attached hangtag that you can use to hang dry the rug after washing or to store the mat when not in use. The size of the product is 21 inches x 17 inches.

Check the price on Amazon.

5. Mora Pets Self-Heating Cat or Dog Bed

This mat from Mora Pets is a newer option with a different look to the styles that have been popular in the last few years. It is a five-layer option filled with three layers of self-warming material, including self-warming fiber, filling fiber, and noiseless heat-reflecting mylar film.

The outside layer is made of fleece and a PV plush that pets love. The size is 27.5″ x 18.5″, it is washable, and it is attractive enough to be placed anywhere in your home.

Check pricing on Amazon.

6. K&H Self-Warming Pet Pad

This K&H mat has a little more cushioning than other self-warming heating mats. The choice of fabric colors is pretty neutral (reversible oatmeal/chocolate or gray/black), so you can find a match to almost any type of home decor.

The top is a soft microfleece, and the mat is machine washable. The small size of 21″ x 17″ means that it works well for cats and small dogs, and it fits well onto most furniture where cats usually like to perch.

It comes with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty.

It is available from Amazon.com

7. Paws & Pals Self-Warming Dog Crate Mat

The Paws & Pals Self-Warming Dog Crate Mat is made from an ultra-soft microfleece that works well to reflect your pet’s heat. It only comes in one size, 37 by 25 inches, which should fit most crates and large carriers.

There aren’t a lot of self-heating mats that come in such a large size, so if you are looking for a rug for a larger dog, this could be a good option for you.

Check the price on Chewy.com

8. Pet Magasin Cat Bed Heated (2-Pack)

The Pet Magasin Cat Bed is a little different because it comes as a package of two mats, one large (22″ x 18.5″) and one small (17″ x 11″), so you can position them in a couple of different areas in your home.

The mats have a core layer of Mylar film, which is the self-reflecting heat material that many of the other mats also use. The outer material is a soft velvet cover with a rubberized non-skid backing on the bottom.

The Pet Magasin Bed makes a slight crinkling noise when pressed on, but many cats love that sound and have no problem with it. They are not machine-washable, so if you have to wash them, you will have to hand wash them.

Check the price on Amazon.

9.Frisco Self Warming Pillow Rectangular Pet Bed

Another option that will work well for a little dog or a cat is the Frisco Self-Warming Pillow Rectangular Pet Bed. It is made of ultra-soft micro-fleece material, with a non-slip textured bottom that helps give it a secure fit.

This design is ideal for use in small crates or as a stand-alone bed. It is 23.5 by 18.5 inches, and it has a decent amount of cushion to it.

It is machine washable, and you can find it at Chewy.com.

10. Aspen Pet Self Warming Bed

Despite this post being about self-warming mats, I wanted to include this Aspen Pet Self-Warming Bed just in case you love the idea of your pet staying extra warm but didn’t realize these heat-reflective materials are also available in pet beds as well.

It comes in various sizes and a few different colors. It is very well-reviewed and gives the extra cushion to ensure your pet stays as comfortable as possible.

Available from Amazon

Features to consider:

When shopping for a self-warming mat for your pets, there are a few features to consider.

Is it washable?

Almost all of these types of mats are ‘washable,’ but some are not machine washable and must be washed by hand. If you have a cat or dog that is older and prone to accidents or throws up a lot, you may want to look for a mat that is machine washable. To dry these types of mats, you will have to hang them to dry; you cannot put them in the dryer because of the material that is used for the self-heating. If they do go in the dryer, they may be ruined.

Does it have an outer cover to take off and wash?

If you are planning on washing the mat a fair amount, you may want to look for a rug with a removable cover to make it easier to clean.

What is the heat-reflective material that is used?

The most common type of heat-reflective material that is used is Mylar, which is a polyester film made from stretched polyethylene terephthalate (PET) that is used for reflectivity.

The Mylar’s texture means that it has a crinkly sound when it is stepped on; some cats and dogs will love this sound, and others will hate it and not want to use the mat.

If you aren’t sure how your cat will react to the sound, start with an inexpensive option.

What size mat should you buy for the size and weight of the pet?

The mat size is essential to get right for the animal you are buying for. The mats made only for cats are pretty small at around 21″ by 17″ inches. The bigger mats intended for large dogs are approximately 25″ x 37″. You may also want to think about how much space the mat will take up in your living area or the place you are planning on putting it.

Does the warming pad have a crinkle noise that repels the cats?

Unfortunately, the material inside most of the mats that helps it radiate your pet’s body heat is also what may make the crinkling noise. Most cats will either like the sound or not be bothered by it.

If you have a pet that is disturbed by particular sounds or you already know that they don’t like the crinkling sound, look for a mat that has a thicker foam pad to help drown out the noise of the Mylar.
Are they chew-proof?

Most of the mats are made of a soft micro plush fabric that isn’t built to withstand much chewing or clawing.

If you are buying for a puppy or a cat or dog that likes to chew or shred their things, some of the mats do claim to be a durable enough material to withstand chewing, so you will have to look specifically for this feature.

What situations will you use it in, a crate, as a bed, or as a mat?

These mats are intended to keep your cats or dogs warm around your house or in their crate during the winter months. They can be used outside for additional warmth or in a garage or sheltered area containing pets.

If you are leaving a pet outdoors on a freezing winter night, these types of mats won’t be sufficient to keep your pet warm since they are only reflecting the pet’s heat back to them.

How thick is the pad? How much cushion does it provide compared to a thicker foam pad?

You may be surprised to find that most of these types of pads aren’t very thick. Because of this, they are often used in combination with furniture or thicker padded beds to help keep pets warm. They are more like a liner than cushioned pet beds.

Marie Davis
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