If you are traveling with your cat for the first time, you may be interested in finding a cat carrier. Cat carriers can be very diverse and there are certainly a lot of them on the market. This can be quite overwhelming for someone who has never had to purchase a cat carrier. Below several types of cat carrier will be discussed to find the best option for your cat.
Soft Sided Cat Carriers are just what they sound like. These are usually in styles like purses or bags, though there are some that are actually closer to tote bags. A purse cat carrier is like a dog carrier for small dogs. There is a flap that can be unzipped so your cat can see out, and, as these are top loading cat carriers, the top flap zips shut so the cat cannot escape. Some of this type of carrier come packaged together as a cat carrier and toy.
An airline approved cat carrier is also an option, especially if you are planning to travel with your cat by airplane and you are planning to check the cat in the luggage area. A cat travel carrier like this is hard sided and must be up to FAA standards. This information can be found on the FAA website, but essentially, there are specific requirements for how the carrier is constructed and how it works. This is to ensure that the carrier will not open mid flight. Some of these, like a rolling cat carrier, make it easier to travel with your cat on a plane by facilitating walking though an airport.
If you search the internet for “cat + carrier”, you will come up with a lot of varieties of the two options above. For example, an Avoir cat carrier is a smaller, space age looking cat carrier with plastic grate sides. This is technically a hard sided cat carrier, but it would not be airline approved. A cat carrier cover is a good idea if you cat gets scared easily. Some cats get spooked very easily, especially by loud noises or people they do not know. It may be a good idea to cover your cat’s carrier if you have to travel with him on a train, bus, or airplane. If you are budget conscious, cheap cat carriers can be found but are not recommended as they can break.
