As a baseline, your cat carrier should be sturdy, easy to clean, and easy to access so you can get your cat in and out without too much drama. Beyond that, the right cat carrier depends on what exactly you and your fur baby do.
Determine the best cat carrier for your desired activity:
Are you going by plane? Hiking in the mountains? Going to the vet across town? These activities may require a different cat carrier, so it’s important to determine what you and your cat will do the most. If you travel a lot, you want to make sure to get a small carrier that fits various airline requirements—typically something with dimensions of about 17″ x 11″ x 11″. But if you take your cat on outdoor adventures, a backpack might be best.
Do you need a hard-side carrier or a soft-side carrier?
“Hard-side carriers are the most secure,” says Dr. Ramdas, adding that carriers with removable covers also make vet visits “easy.” That said, if you want to take your cat into the cabin of an airplane, you’ll need a soft-sided carrier. “There is no one size fits all.”
Determine what size carrier is best for your cat
When it comes to carrier size, the general rule of thumb is that it should measure one and a half times the length of your kitten, in a way that they can stand up and move around on their travels. But on the other end, said Dr. Blair notes that cats feel safer in smaller spaces, so make sure it’s not too big.
