There comes a time in every cat owner’s life when they want or have to travel with their cat. Whether it’s to the vet, to a petsitter, with you on vacation, moving, or any other travels, a way to carry your cat safely is necessary.
With such a huge variety of carriers and all the different types available today, it can be difficult to find the best cat carrier for your cat. So below, we’ve researched and provided the information needed for the different types of cat carriers to make your decision easier and well-informed.
QUICK COMPARISON
|
Carrier |
Quality |
Price |
Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petmate Two Door Top Load Hard Sided Pet Kennel |
A+ |
$$ |
5 |
| Sherpa Original Deluxe Soft-Sided Pet Carrier |
A |
$$ |
4.5 |
| Petmate Soft-Sided Kennel Cab Pet Carrier |
A |
$$ |
4.5 |
| Bergan Soft-Sided Comfort Carrier |
B+ |
$$$ |
5 |
| Suncast 23-Inch Hard Sided Pet Carrier Round |
A+ |
$$ |
5 |
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A CAT CARRIER
The two main types of carriers available are Soft-Sided designs and Solid or “Hard Sided” designs.
In these two main categories, you can find many different styles and designs. We’ve listed them below:
- Soft-Sided
- Hard-Sided
- With Wheels
- Top Loading
- Front Loading
- Collapsible
- Backpack Carriers
- and Carriers that are Airline Approved
Believe it or not, there are more that we haven’t listed and other types and variations of carriers available to you so, finding the right one for your cat is made very easy with all the choices available. However, what’s not easy is finding the correct one, and that’s why we’re here to help!
The only difficult thing about choosing the carrier for you and your cat will be finding the one with the features and benefits you’re looking for. We’ve made this easy for you by putting together our research on the benefits each one has to offer and why they are perfect for keeping your cat safe while you travel.
Size
The first thing to always look for in the cat carrier you buy is its size. Most carriers typically come in large or small sizes. This is important because keeping a cat in a carrier that’s too large or too small for them may increase their stress levels, and we all know keeping your cat stress-free and comfortable is our top priority.
Most humans know that traveling in small spaces for long periods gets old, fast. However, unlike humans, too large of a space for your cat can be just as irritable for them as small spaces are for us. If the carrier is too large, your cat can easily slide around inside while moving, and they may feel unprotected.
Cats like to feel the protection of the walls at their back and know they won’t be ambushed. This is why it’s important to ensure they have enough space to freely move and feel protected by their space’s confines.
A good point to remember is your cat. If they are a kitten or younger cat, they will grow! Keeping this in mind can help you prepare for the future when they are larger. A good item to note is your carrier should be 1 and 1/2 times your cat’s size to make them completely comfortable.
A Few Tips For Using Your Cat Carrier
Materials
The Soft-Sided Carrier
In the past, the only way to carry a cat was in a solid-sided, heavy (usually grated) cage. However, with today’s innovation in materials and experts focused on a cat’s needs during travel, the soft-sided carrier has become very popular among cats and cat owners.
The soft-sided carrier is great because it allows your cat a comfortable space to travel in. The soft materials these carriers are made to allow your cat some room to breathe and places to rest. While they can be spacious, they also give your cat the feeling of being secure and protected within them.
Because these carriers are soft-sided, they are made with a strong screen-like mesh in places that will give your cats the ventilation and uninhibited sight they need to put them at ease while you both travel. In addition, most soft-sided carriers come with openings on the top and front that allow you to load your cat without a struggle. Solid-sided designs do not always have this functionality, and you will have to load your cat how the design designates!
Another great feature of the soft-sided carrier is the comfortable handles and straps that allow you to easily carry your cat for long periods without the need to put them down to rest. You can also store them much more easily because they fold up and fit in place a solid-sided carrier may not!
Overall the soft-sided design is a great choice for any cat on the go and wants to be comfortable while they travel.
The Solid or “Hard Sided” Carrier
If you own a cat that prefers a solid environment and makes them feel comfortable, this may be the best choice. The solid-sided design is exactly what it sounds like and can be the difference between having a great trip and an uneasy one for you and your cat.
Solid or hard-sided designs are typically made of hard plastic, and they’re very protective of their delicate contents. While this type of design may not be the easiest to store, you certainly won’t have to worry about your cat being harmed while inside, and they can be stacked for storage.
Solid-sided cat carriers typically come with openings in the front for loading and can be tilted upright to allow a top entry. Some have a front and top opening for your convenience. Padding can be inserted to make the space comfortable for your cat, and some even come with food or water dishes for the inside. This design also allows them to be used as simple homes while you are on or off the road, which will give your cat a familiar environment to feel secure in.
Solid-Sided Carriers are made so that the vents in them don’t have any give or movement, so if your cat doesn’t like other animals or people looking in on them, they can feel protected by lying low and staying away from the openings.
The solid or hard-sided design is a great choice, and you and your cat can appreciate the protection it will offer.
Airline Approved Cat Carriers
If you happen to be traveling by air, most airlines make your pets feel welcome by allowing them to travel with you aboard the airplane. Some airlines even allow cats and smaller pets to travel in the cabin of the plane with you. However, when this is the case, they require your cat to be contained in an airline-approved cat carrier, so they are safe and protected while you travel.
Always check with the airline you choose to see if they allow pet travel and if they do, you will want to make sure the carrier you use for your cat is airline approved. Keeping your cat safe when traveling aboard an aircraft is always a priority, so make sure you choose a carrier that is airline approved and one that will put your mind at ease no matter where in the airplane they travel.
A few airlines that have approved travel with your cat are included in the list below.
- American Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- United Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- Alaska Airlines
- US Airways
- Jet Blue Airlines
- Other Airlines
To Sum Things Up!
To sum it all up, choosing the right cat carrier comes down to finding the one that will make your cat most comfortable, reducing stress during travel. In turn, this will make you more comfortable knowing they are safe and happy. The carrier’s size should typically be 1 and 1/2 times the size of your cat, so they have the room they need and the secure feeling they require. You can generally get a good idea of what type of carrier your cat will enjoy by watching the environment they like at home and emulating that in the carrier you pick for them.
One last thing to note is that you do not want to buy one carrier to use with two cats. Cats are very different when they travel than when they are at home. They can get upset with another cat in their space, even if they are completely fine with it in the open space of your home. Also, most carriers are designed with one cat traveling in them in mind. Also, if you only have to travel with one cat, your carrier will be too large, and your cat will slide around inside and have too much space to feel completely comfortable and protected.
By following what is discussed here, you cannot make the wrong decision, and your travels will be happy and worry-free!
REVIEWS OF THE BEST CAT CARRIERS
|
Carrier |
Quality |
Price |
Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petmate Two Door Top Load Hard Sided Pet Kennel |
A+ |
$$ |
|
| Sherpa Original Deluxe Soft-Sided Pet Carrier |
A |
$$ |
|
| Petmate Soft-Sided Kennel Cab Pet Carrier |
A |
$$ |
|
| Bergan Soft-Sided Comfort Carrier |
B+ |
$$$ |
|
| Suncast 23-Inch Hard Sided Pet Carrier Round |
A+ |
$$ |
|
Petmate 2 Door Top Load Pet Kennel
Petmate has released their version of the hard-sided carrier, and they haven’t done a bad job.
As you can see from the picture, they’ve included two methods of entry and exit. A door on the top lets you place your cat into the kennel quickly and easily. The traditional front door lets you load your cat comfortably, back feet first, into it while it’s tilted upwards.
Once your kitty is inside, they will have a nice size space to move around in and still feel comfortably secure. The inside of this baby measures 21 inches long, 14.5 inches wide, and 13.25 inches high.
The grates are made of sturdy metal. That way, your cat is securely inside and protected from the outside world, and the outside world is protected from them!
The rest of the carrier, it’s made of strong plastic. This is where this type of cat carrier gets its name, solid, or “hard” sided carrier. The Petmate Cat Kennel is also approved by most airlines, although they recommend calling to confirm before you travel.
Sherpa Original Deluxe Cat Carrier
Next up, we wanted to give you a great example of a soft-sided carrier, and the Sherpa Original Deluxe does just that.
This carrier is not only appealing to the eyes, but it’s also a very safe and effective way to travel with your cat! While it looks like leather, the Sherpa Original Deluxe is made of a strong nylon material.
It also has two entry points, one on the top, making it a top loading cat carrier, and one on the carrier’s front, giving you your choice of loading options.
Inside, you’ll find a waterproof faux fur liner, which will help prevent any accidents that may happen inside from ruining the carrier. There are also fiberglass poles that help the carrier keep its shape and prevent it from being crushed.
While the Sherpa may not be as large as the Petmate kennel above, it has quite a bit of room inside. The Sherpa Original measures are 20 inches long, 11.5 inches wide, and 11.75 inches high. It is completely airline-approved and designed to give your cat the comfort they need when traveling by air and on the ground.
Petmate Soft-Sided Kennel Cab Pet Carrier
Proudly made in the USA, Petmate brings out their take on the soft-sided cat carrier.
Now don’t get us wrong, this carrier is pretty simple, but that’s what makes it great. It goes to show you that you don’t need a whole bunch of features, bells, and whistles to get the job done right.
The Petmate Kennel Cab is another top and front-loading cat carrier, so you’re not stuck with only one way to get your cat into their carrier.
It’s made of strong polyester material and has mesh sides for ventilation and sight range for your kitty. There’s also a faux fur bottom for your kitty’s comfort. It measures 20 inches long, 11.5 inches wide, and 12 inches high—plenty of room for those long travels.
The Kennel Cab comes with a velcro handle for comfortable carrying and a shoulder strap for when your arms get tired. It’s also equipped with feet not to get damaged or torn when placed on the ground. There’s a mesh pocket on the back for essential items your cat will need and things that might help keep them comfortable during your travels.
Bergan Comfort Soft-Sided Pet Carrier
This next contender in the soft pet carrier arena is the Bergan Comfort Soft-Sided Pet Carrier.
We love this carrier’s look right off the bat because it’s got a modern elegance that the rectangular carriers don’t have. Also, unlike the Petmate Kennel Cab, the Bergan Comfort comes with a ton of great features that should make traveling with your cat a piece of cake.
For starters, the carrier is a front loading carrier with a zipper door. There are, however, two zippers that partly open, one on the top and one on the opposite side of the door. These are great because they allow you to get into the bag to comfort your cat or give them things during your travels without letting the cat out of the bag! See what we did there?
It also has two ways to carry the bag—one comfortable hand to carry it as a tote and a shoulder strap for the longer hauls.
You’ll also find a fleece liner that is nice and cushy for your cats. Also, on the inside, it’s pretty spacious. The insides measure roughly 19 inches long, 10 inches wide, 13 inches high, fully extended. It is airline-approved so that you can use it on a plane trip easily.
There are multiple pockets for storing your cats or your belongings, and it has car safety straps for when you travel in a car.
Suncast 23-Inch Hard Sided Cat Carrier
Lastly, we have a modern but retro take on the hard-sided carrier. We wanted to review this one to have an idea of the different versions of carriers out there.
Suncast gives you diversity with their carrier. It’s made of a strong plastic resin material, and its design is just a nice as its effectiveness.
It has metal grates for ventilation and a field of view for your cat. It also has a compartment on the top for storing items like treats or food.
There’s a food and water tray that comes with it to allow your cat to eat and drink on the journey.
This is another front-loading-only carrier and does not give you the option of loading your pet from the top. However, without a top load, it does allow you to lower your cat in the back paws first, which is typically the best and easiest way to load a cat into a carrier.
It measures 23 inches long with a rounded back, 15 inches wide, and 12.5 inches high inside the carrier. Overall with its sleek look and comfortable space, this is a cat carrier for large cats.
Image Credits: Amazon.com