Welcome to another Buzz Pet product review. Today we look at the previously previewed and very chic Sleepypod mobile pet carrier and bed from meowme.

A little bit about the product

The Sleepypod is made by meowme, a USA based company that make a range of innovative pet products including the Sleepypod, Sleepypod Mini and the Cloudpuff.

The Sleepypod is the company’s flagship product that has effectively redesigned the humble pet carrier and brought it into the 21st century (my words not theirs!). Seriously folks, this is one beautiful pet product that not only looks the part but is also extremely functional. So let’s get started with the review.

First impressions

Before evening opening the packaging of the Sleepypod I was impressed by the level of detail; if you are at all familiar with any of Apple’s products (such as the MacBook laptops) you will instantly relate to the experience. The Sleepypod is beautifully packaged with such attention to detail as a colour swatch and sample of the plush interior embedded into the top of the box (so you can see / feel the product without opening).

The product

After hastily opening the box and removing the Sleepypod I began to examine the product itself (note Charlie at this point was inspecting the cardboard box - see below).

The Sleepypod appears to be extremely well made and cleverly designed, with perfect stitching and a genuine solid feel to it. The product itself boasts many features including:

• Removable padded shoulder strap
• Removable mesh dome top with carry handle
• Machine washable and replaceable plush interior
• Water resistant foam liner
• Luggage grade nylon outer bed base.

In addition to the above the Sleepypod can also be purchased with a bed warmer (an optional extra - not reviewed) which is inserted within the Sleepypod base and can be powered by both 240v and 12v power (very handy for longer car trips in winter).

Charlie gives it the run-through

Charlie the Tonkinese (aka official Buzz Pet reviewer) was immediately intrigued with the Sleepypod but in all honesty was initially more interested in the packaging than the Sleepypod itself! Charlie’s love for cardboard boxes was however short-lived and he soon became interested.

The first step of introducing the Sleepypod into Charlie’s routine was to replace his regular cat bed with the Sleepypod (which incidentally I was happy to do). Charlie at first was hesitant to jump into the Sleepypod but preferred rather to sniff his way around as to inspect (and presumably give his nod of approval). I left to him to his own devices only to return later in the afternoon to find him curled up fast asleep in his new bed. One point to meowme!

Lets get mobile

After a few days of Charlie enjoying the Sleepypod as a bed, our first trip in the Sleepypod was achieved - albeit around the house! Charlie was again hesitant at first but soon settled down and enjoyed the short journey enclosed within the Sleepypod; in fact after returning to the kitchen and removing the dome mesh top, Charlie continued to sleep in the Sleepypod until the late afternoon - and they say it is a dog’s lfe! As for carrying the Sleepypod, it is a doddle. Very comfortable and easy to “wear”, it was similar to carrying the Australian made Crumpler courier bags.

Car tripping

After waiting for our car to return from the repair shop, I eventually got around to jumping in the car with Charlie and the Sleepypod and giving the pod a test-drive (excuse the pun). The Sleepypod fitted perfectly on the front seat of my Subaru and with the security of being able to buckle-in the Sleepypod using the seat belt (no more reaching across to the passenger seat to stop the carrier falling off!) we were good to go. A quick trip to the shops and back and not a noise was heard from Charlie; on closer inspection he was yet again fast asleep and secure in his Sleepypod. Second point to meowme.

Hard to fault

I have to say the Sleepypod is very hard to fault; it is genuinely a great product and like none other I have reviewed previously. My only slight criticism would be the fact that the pet carrier is not airline approved for Australian airlines (in Australia all pets must travel within the cargo hold of the aircraft and as such all carriers must be hard cased). This I feel however is a very minor complaint and realistically will only affect the few pet owners that travel by air often with their pets.

Summary

The Sleepypod really is a great product; the design and quality of manufacture is something that I typically do not see in pet-related products. Meome have essentially reinvented the pet carrier - not only is the Sleepypod a hugely functional product, it is beautifully designed and looks great in the home. For those familiar with the typical pet carrier, having the Sleepypod as an alternative is almost a no-brainer. Let’s hope we in Australia start to see the product in good pet stores very shortly!

Note: Currently the Sleepypod is only available through Amazon, selected distributers and the meowme website. If you are interested in purchasing the Sleepypod you can do so directly by using the Amazon links on the Buzz Pet homepage.

Popularity: 69% [?]

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

My order has been placed and the products have been shipped. Now all I have to do is now wait the estimated 2 weeks for delivery …….. and it is killing me! Seriously though readers, on their way from the USA are the following modern pet furniture items ready to be reviewed by the eager Buzz Pets:

The Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed

Redesigning the pet bed / pet carrier is the Sleepypod mobile pet bed from Meowme. The Sleepypod is a pet carrier for both small dogs and cats, that doubles as a gorgeous pet bed (which has an optional heated base for those cold winter nights!). 

This product I have to say looks amazing; not only does it appear to be beautifully made and functional in design, I have to say it is simply stunningly attractive. I look forward to have it in action when Charlie and I go mobile!

The Cheeky Chaise and Wall Flower

At last, modern pet furniture that you would be proud to have in your home. Marmalade Pet Care has designed a beautiful range of modern pet furniture made predominantly out of recycled cardboard. 

On its way to Buzz Pet HQ are both the Cheeky Chaise lounge and the Wall Flower scratcher products. A detailed review to follow!

In Australia, it is fair to say that we have nothing similar available (well certainly than I can find) so needless to say I am very excited about receiving these products and beginning an in-depth Buzz Pet review (with the assistance of Charlie and Milly of course).

Stay tuned for further updates when the products arrive!

Popularity: 49% [?]

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Despite what the majority of the large pet furniture manufacturers may think, not all pet owners have a desire to furnish their homes with pet furniture or products that are bright purple, lacy or covered with faux fur. Some of us actually have style and a love of design, and hence desire pet related furniture to compliment their modern home.  So….I have good news, the pet furniture you desire is available and building in popularity!  For further details, check out the links below of modern pet furniture manufacturers that are making some truly beautiful and innovative products. 

Marmalade Pets

Socially responsible and aesthetically pleasing pet furniture designs, Marmalade Pets are a US based and manufacture some very funky designed cat and pet related furniture products. All made from corrugated cardboard! Hepper is another US based pet product manufacturer that produces beautiful pet products designed by an awarded industrial designer. Check out their cat pods, how good do they look?

TrendyCat

TrendyCat is an online sore selling some pretty good looking cat furniture. Their cat towers look particularly good, although a little expensive for my liking. Check out there online store for yourselves and you will be pleased to know that they do ship internationally.

Design Public

Design Public are another online design store that has a limited amount of designer pet furniture. I particularly liked the pet feeders which looked the part and were reasonably priced. Unfortunately shipping is only within the US. A great reason to get back in touch with your US friends and family!

The Sophisticated Cat

The Sophisticated Cat is a well stocked online cat store specialising in well designed and modern cat products. Their range of scratching posts are quite amazing and yes, they ship internationally.

Popularity: 51% [?]

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Every winter, Charlie our cat, migrates from his rather deluxe cat home to sleeping under the covers of our bed (no doubt deciding his cat home is unsuitable for a Melbourne winter).  Migration usually takes place every night after we fall asleep, leaving Jen and I to awake with a warm cat curled up at our feet. Now I would be the last to say that this was unpleasant, as of course we love our cat, however being woken every night during the working week was getting to be a little too much so the search for a cure began.

Using my powers of perception (aka searching on Google.com) it became clear that our cat was simply searching for a warmer place to sleep.  Although he had a cat home this was obviously not considered to be warm enough, so we investigated the options and decided to purchase a heated cat bed.

What it is

The bed itself is a foam mattress with a cover and an electric blanket type bladder that fits underneath the cover between the cover and mattress.  It simply then plugs into the mains power to heat up.

The good

The bed works like an electric blanket and hence is very easy to operate; the bed that we purchased had one temperature setting built in and hence you simply plug the bed in and turn it on each evening.

In addition, the cover is removable and machine washable making cleaning the bed a breeze.  The power cord is  also covered with a safety sheath which is both chew and liquid resistant.  So too is the heatable bladder. 

The not so good

I am hard-pressed to pick a fault with this bed. A very minor complaint would be that it would be great if there was a built in timer to turn the bed on/off at particular times.  This I am sure is available in more deluxe models / versions of similar beds  and in any case is easily overcome with a traditional plug timer.

In summary

The bed works like a dream and has stopped the annual migration from cat home to our bed with our cat Charlie.  The bed has been reliable, uses very little power and has been easy to clean.  All in all, I highly recommend using a heated bed to keep your cat (or dog) warm during the winter months (and to regain control of your bed!).

Verdict: 9/10

Popularity: 52% [?]

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Another excellent advice video from Expert Village; this video provides some great tips in relation to cat bedding and homes now on the market.  Enjoy!

Popularity: 47% [?]

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Snooza are an Australian company that manufactures a variety of pet related products including pet beds, blankets, cat and dog accessories.

The scratching pole

The Snooza scratching pole is made of recycled plastic (guaranteed to never split or rot according to the website) and fits firmly into the provided base (which is completed covered with scratch resistant material). The pole includes a replaceable cover that is staple-free and that slides snugly over the pole. Two sizes of the scratching pole are available (small at 52cm(H) x 8cm(W) and large at 80cm(H) x 8cm(W)). In addition, a top-base can also be purchased (not road-tested however here).

The verdict

Having the ability to replace the pole cover when it is worn (rather than throwing the pole away) is I believe a huge benefit. Replacement covers come in a variety of colours (so you can change to match your interior / surrounds) and are around $15 each. Far cheaper than buying another pole and kinder to the environment. My only minor quibble with the pole is that I do wonder whether the cover could be made of a more a durable material. Depending on how much your cat uses the pole, replacing the cover can be a regular thing - not a huge investment in money terms but nonetheless it does add up. I have also noticed that leaving a worn cover on the pole tends to lead to my cat getting the backing material stuck in his claws. Note ideal. Having said the above, I do believe the Snooza Scratching Pole is one of the best on the market for the price and my cat certainly seems to enjoy using it.

Score: 8/10

Popularity: 38% [?]

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!