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Cat Carriers

© Caroline Anderson

Recently I've been completely absorbed in baby stuff - now that I'm starting my 7th month of pregnancy, my husband and I are really feeling the need and urge to "nest." That's one reason I've been so slow to respond and write here, but I'll try to do better now that we've started to stock our nursery.

So what does all that have to do with cats?? Well...my main comparison shopping has been infant and car seat carriers. Which leads me into cat carriers and those types of travel systems. I've already written about travelling and moving with your cats, but important to those ventures is a good carrier for them.

There are many on the markets these days, which is helpful, but that makes it harder to choose! I was having the same problem with the baby stuff. Some carriers are available through a pet store retailer, such as Petco or Petsmart, and most are available online directly from the manufacturer.

Here are a few of the main carriers:

1. The Sturdi Bag - a lightweight, airline approved nylon bag-type carrier. It comes in three sizes and a variety of colors.

2. The Sherpa Pet Carriers - thicker nylon bags that are also airline approved in a variety of styles and accessories. Four main colors and three sizes.

3. Nylabone's pet carriers - a fold-away hard plastic carrier in a number of sizes.

4. Petzazz two door carrier - only available from Petsmart. It has a unique design and has optional casters and leash attachment for zipping through the airport, etc.

There are many hard-sided plastic carriers out there (too many to list). I have listed these four carriers because of their unusal features. It's important to keep in mind that bigger isn't always better and how your cat feels in the carrier is as important as the safety features. Pick a carrier that's big enough for your cat to turn around, stretch, and get comfortable in - and that's it. There shouldn't be too much extra 'elbow room' or the cat won't feel secure. They prefer the feeling of being hidden snuggly away. But, if you have a kitten, pick a carrier that will fit when he is full-grown size - you don't want to buy a new one in a few months when he's bigger.

Ah, that first introduction to the carrier - this can make or break the way your cat will feel about it. If he grows comfortable wandering in and out at will, you may not need to push him unwillingly through the opening while he hooks every claw on the door to thwart your efforts.

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