Partially. Ralph slept in the donut bed for an extended period (long enough for the camera to switch to night vision), but Bella stubbornly returned to the LEGO bed from a previous video. The bread-shaped bed saw no use whatsoever during the week of monitoring.
At a glance
Length
9 min
Channel
Half-Asleep Chris
Video from
Jun 2025
Rating
⭐⭐ Great video · 2/2
Best for
Cat owners tired of wasting money on unused products
What this video answers
Did any of the cat beds actually get used?
Why didn't the cats use the cat wheel?
Which product was the most successful?
Did the motorized toy work?
Are silicone spike grooming gloves worth buying?
Reads the guide aloud in your browser — free, no account.
Summary of This Weird Cat Products Experiment
Half-Asleep Chris tests eight of the internet's strangest cat products, from exercise wheels to silicone grooming tongues, to see which ones his two cats—Bella and Ralph—actually enjoy. Armed with motion-sensor cameras and plenty of treats, he runs through each item methodically, documenting genuine reactions rather than staged enthusiasm. The results are honest and often humorous: most products fail spectacularly, while a few manage to hold the cats' attention just long enough to count as a win.
The experiment spans everything from high-tech scratching posts (DJ decks and whack-a-mole) to novelty beds shaped like sharks and donuts, plus practical items like a silicone tongue for grooming and a hemp activity carpet designed to trigger hunting instincts. Throughout, the video balances entertainment with genuine utility—showing what actually works for real house cats, not the idealized versions advertised online.
Key Moments
Key Points About Weird Cat Products That Actually Matter
Cat wheels often go unused—both Bella and Ralph ignored the wheel entirely, despite motion sensors running for a week.
Food-based products win consistently—the yogurt spoon had immediate success with both cats licking it completely clean.
Novel beds require patience; cats often prefer existing favorites (the LEGO bed from a previous video) over new options, though some like the donut bed eventually.
Interactive toys with motors may be too loud—Bella showed interest in the motorized toy only when it was attached to a familiar stick toy, suggesting sound matters.
Sensory enrichment works—the hemp activity carpet genuinely slowed Bella down and encouraged foraging, making it one of the video's success stories.
Grooming gloves with spikes outperform gimmicks—Ralph loves the silicone spike gloves far more than the weird silicone tongue alternative.
Why Testing Real Cat Products Matters for Pet Owners
Pet product marketing often features cats enthusiastically using items they'll ignore in real homes. By documenting actual cat behavior over time—including footage from motion-sensor cameras—this video cuts through the hype and shows what genuinely enriches a cat's life versus what sits unused. For cat owners considering investing in expensive or unusual items, seeing honest results from a relatable household prevents wasted money and helps prioritize what truly adds value. The video also highlights that individual cats have strong preferences; what works for one cat may not work for another, so patience and observation matter as much as the product itself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Weird Cat Product Testing
Did any of the cat beds actually get used?
Partially. Ralph slept in the donut bed for an extended period (long enough for the camera to switch to night vision), but Bella stubbornly returned to the LEGO bed from a previous video. The bread-shaped bed saw no use whatsoever during the week of monitoring.
Why didn't the cats use the cat wheel?
The video suggests laziness is partly to blame—both Bella and Ralph preferred sleeping or sitting to running. Even with treats as incentive, neither cat engaged with the wheel, and motion-sensor footage confirmed they never used it, despite having a full week to discover it.
Which product was the most successful?
The hemp activity carpet earned the top marks. Bella initially showed caution but grew braver and engaged with it over time, using it to forage for hidden treats—the only toy that genuinely encouraged natural behavior in a measurable way.
Did the motorized toy work?
Mostly no. The motorized toy held Bella's attention only when attached to her favorite stick toy, suggesting the motor's loud mechanical sound was off-putting. Cats online loved it, but these particular cats were less enthusiastic.
Are silicone spike grooming gloves worth buying?
Yes, absolutely. Ralph loved them from kitten age and still adores them as an adult cat, producing significant fur in just 30 seconds of use—making them both effective and genuinely appreciated by at least this cat.
Security cameras triggered by movement that record footage only when something moves in their view, useful for monitoring pet behavior when the owner isn't present.
Activity carpet
A textured mat (often made of hemp fiber) where treats are hidden so cats must hunt and forage through it to find them.
Catnip
A dried herb from the mint family that many cats find stimulating and enjoyable, though not all cats respond to it equally.
Silicone spikes
Small rubber protrusions on grooming gloves or brushes designed to gently massage and remove loose fur from a cat's coat.
This video is genuinely useful because it shows what happens when the cameras are rolling but the owner isn't hovering nearby—that's when cats reveal their true preferences. The honest approach and willingness to admit failure make it trustworthy guidance for other pet owners facing the same purchasing decisions.
My favorite part was watching Ralph finally settle into the donut bed and sleep so peacefully the night-vision kicked in; it proved at least one "weird" product could win over even a picky cat. I'd wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone considering unusual cat gear.
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Testing WEIRD CAT Products. I test the world's weirdest cat products, include a tongue, cat wheel, donut bed, activity carpet, caterpillar toy, DJ scratching deck, giant catnip ball, and more!
Video transcript for “Testing WEIRD CAT Products” Accessibility
A full written transcript of this video, provided for accessibility. Select any timestamp to jump the video to that moment.
This video is sponsored by incogni. This is a silicone tongue, this is a tunnel bed, and this is a cat wheel, because in this video, I’m gonna be testing the weirdest cat products that exist. NUMBER ONE. You know how hamsters like to run in wheels? Well this is a cat wheel, and I’m gonna make a bold prediction: they’re never gonna use it.
So the idea is that they run around in it and get some exercise, but my cats are incredibly lazy, I reckon they’re gonna sleep in it. Bella quickly investigated the giant new object that had just appeared, and rolled around like pig in mud. I should point out that I got this second-hand,
so it possible it smelt like other cats, but it’s equally possible they never used it either. I bribed her with treats which she happily accepted, but then never upheld her end of the bargain, instead just giving it her trademark headbutt. I’ve put her on it, so let’s see what happens.
Bella tentatively tried to sit down, and then this happened. Yeah, that’s a no from her. As for Ralph, it’s easier to let him discover these things on his own, so I set up some motion-sensored cameras. Now I’m gonna be honest, nothing happened. The cats never used it, not even once, but the cameras did
provide a really lovely snapshot of the week. Bella would just find a spot to sit for ages, whilst Ralph spent hours birdwatching on the windowsill. I really love this shot where it’s just whiskers, and it even captured a squabble. I’ll probably give the wheel to a cat shelter, statistically at least one cat that is bound
to use it, right? NUMBER TWO. Next up, a spoon, and the idea is you can put a yoghurt treat in here, and then, squeeze this down over the top of it to get every single drop out, they’re definitely gonna like this one. And for once I wasn’t wrong. Ralph eagerly lapped up the juicy goodness,
just look at this close-up, and then proceeded to lick the spoon clean. And Bella… [aeroplane noises] Aeroplane spoon for aeroplane ears. Bella loved it, obviously, I mean it’s food, and Bella loves food. Once again she licked the spoon so clean it could go back into the cupboard without washing.
I’m kidding, I keep the spoons in a drawer. NUMBER THREE. In the past I’ve built and tested some very weird scratching posts, so maybe these ones aren’t all that weird after all, a DJ deck, a laptop, and whack-a-mole. I had grand ambitions for the DJ deck, but the cats completely ignored it. I also had grand ambitions for the whack-a-mole,
but the cat also completely ignored it. As for the laptop, it brings us nicely to this video’s sponsor Incogni. When you’re online, data brokers gather information about you, your name, age, address, IP address, beliefs, interests, shopping habits, browsing history and more. They know everything about you,
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Use code CHRIS at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan. Thanks so much to them for supporting the channel and sponsoring this video. NUMBER FOUR. Last year I made a video all about catnip, testing catnip itself, catnip tea, catnip bubbles, catnip toys and more. Well somehow I managed to miss this,
a giant catnip ball. I can’t imagine why anyone would need such a large ball of pure compressed catnip, maybe it’s meant for lions or something, but better late than never. Well probably better never. The cats didn’t care at all. Ralph gave it a cautionary sniff, and left, and Bella wouldn’t even look at it.
Still, I’m kind of intrigued to see if it really is solid, so cut it open to find out. That didn’t go to plan, but there’s your answer, no it is not solid. NUMBER FIVE. In the previous video, I built a LEGO cat bed, and whilst it took them a while to warm to it, they now argue over who gets to sleep in it.
I know, I can’t believe it either, they actually like something I made for once! Anyway, I’ll probably end up building a second, but until then, I’m gonna try out some of the weirdest cat beds the internet has to offer. Yup, it’s a shark. Then this one’s a tunnel bed! It’s a weird donut-shaped bed,
and the cats can either sleep on top of it, or inside it, it’s a tunnel which goes the whole way round. I kinda think they’re gonna love this one. As always, Bella was immediately curious, but it looks like her donut might keep her out of them. Luckily I’ve got another one just for her. See, there’s this quiet corner in the
hallway where she likes to sleep, so I added a slice of bread. It actually sounds quite nice, having a nap on a giant slice of bread. Bella obviously disagrees, for now, I’m sure she will. I checked back in an hour later, and… I don’t believe this, look, the only two beds they’re not using, Ralph’s on my bed,
and Bella’s in the LEGO one again. I wouldn’t expect anything less. I set up the trusty motion-sensored cameras so I wouldn’t miss any action, and after the usual routine of sniffing the cameras themselves, it looked promising. Ralph showed a lot of interest in the donut bed,
oh he’s leaving, and would you look at that, Bella’s in the LEGO bed again. But then… Ralph was actually using it! In fact, I was out at this point, and he slept for so long the cameras turned to night vision mode. Naww, isn’t he adorable?! Butttttttt, unfortunately that was it.
The bread bed camera wasn’t triggered at all, except for an extreme close-up of Bella when I set it up, and the donut bed, although both cats seemed fairly interested, they never ventured inside. I had these cameras set up for an entire week, but nope, I guess they were determined to prove me wrong, although one out of three isn’t bad.
NUMBER SIX. This next one is a toy I’ve seen on the internet for a while now, and it looks amazing. So when I press this button, ooh, that was not meant to happen, still that’s pretty cool. Oops. After attaching it more securely, Bella came to have a look, and showed some interest, but not enough to actually play with it.
Luckily I had an idea. It came with a spare fluffy thing, so I’ve put it on one of her favourite stick toys to see if I can entice her. Bella can be very playful, and this was looking promising. Wow! She’s really going for it now. But unfortunately that’s as far as it went. I can only assume it’s down to the
motor’s loud mechanical sound, but cats online seemed to love it. What can I say, Bella’s a very hard cat to please. NUMBER SEVEN. Ok this next one’s weird not only because it’s weird, but because I don’t have any idea what or why. It’s something called an activity carpet. I’ve actually read the instructions now, and this is natural hemp fibre,
I’m supposed to hide cat treats in there, and they’re meant to rummage through to find them, supposedly, er, encouraging their natural hunting instincts, I’m not sure Ralph or Bella have natural hunting instincts. There’s only one way to find out. Bella warily located the treats from the edge,
so I popped her in, and she promptly hopped out. Ralph soon joined in, although a single treat was evidently enough for him. Soon Bella’s bravery grew. I’d go as far as to say she liked it, kind of. I mean I wouldn’t want to eat off a carpet either,
it looks like she got a generous amount of hair in her mouth. I don’t know about natural hunting instincts, but it certainly slowed her down, and I’d say that this was definitely one of the more successful products of the video. Admittedly the bar isn’t that high. NUMBER EIGHT.
Long time viewers may remember these gloves, with silicone spikes for brushing fur. At just a few months old, Ralph loved them, and they’ve since been replaced by this trendy pink pair. And yup, he still loves them just as much. That’s from literally 30 seconds of stroking him. But that’s not the weird part.
So it’s a silicone tongue, and I’m supposed to bite that part there, and groom him, this is incredibly strange. Ugh, I can’t believe I’m about to put this on the internet. I felt incredibly creepy, and Ralph clearly wasn’t a fan either. I think I’ll just stick to the gloves and
let’s pretend this never happened, please? Thanks again to Incogni for sponsoring this video, use code CHRIS at link below and
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