Whether you’re driving your cat to a vet visit or planning air travel with your adventure kitty for your next vacation, the best cat carrier will ensure they have a safe, cozy space for their trip. From hard-sided crates to collapsible pet carriers and even cat backpacks, we’ve rounded up the best-selling and top-rated cat travel carriers. Tried, tested and reviewed by Chewy cat parents, these feline favorites are designed to make pet travel safer and more enjoyable for you both.
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Best Overall Cat CarrierSherpa Original Deluxe Airline-Approved Cat Carrier Bag $59 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping$59 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping -
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$55 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping -
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Best Large Cat CarrierSherpa Original Deluxe Airline-Approved Cat Carrier Bag, Large $52 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping$52 on ChewyFREE 1-3 day shipping
Best Overall Cat Carrier
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Well made and large
My Maine Coon is around 20 pounds and long. I keep it open and in the living room for her to go go in and out as she pleases. She loves to take day naps in it
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Highly recommend this carrier.
Roomy when my guys were kittens and still comfortable in their adult years! Classy looking, easy to clean and store. Very pleased with the purchase!
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Good for airplane
I went into private room at TSA point, had to remove cat while they scanned the carrier. After that, no problem rest of flight.
Best Hard-Sided Cat Kennel
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My favorite carrier
With 11 ferrets I have quite a collection of carriers. This by far is my ABSOLUTE favorite because the top opens and I can pop them in quickly before they get like "ohhhh I have a chance to escape". However it can break. My one ferret pushed it off from the top of a ferret nation cage (approximately 5 feet high) and the plastic split. So durable to a point. Don't let your ferrets knock it on to the floor. Definitely worth the money and easy to use.
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Works great
Great, roomy enough for 2 kittens. The only issue is the front door is a little difficult to open and close, but I mostly use the top door anyway.
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Easy to assemble and sturdy
This carrier is lightweight which helps when carrying a heavy pet. Also seems very sturdy and well made. Assembly was super easy.
Best Cat Carrier Bag
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Well made and has easy access
So happy to have this nice carrier for my cats. Shoulder strap is better to carry and have hands free and the top access is awesome!
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Nice carrier
Purchased this carrier to bring my cat on the plane with me. His hard plastic one was too big. This has a nice plush removable pad on the bottom which can be washed. He’s not a happy camper being transported as it is so his creature comforts are better met in this carrier.
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convenient and ideal size for ten pound dog
This carrier is light enough to manage with the pet inside. I like the screen so she can see out.
Best Backpack For Cats
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Durable and Safe
I love this for my Kitties. It has many options for easy access and is great if you want to just wear and go! Makes my vet visits a breeze
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Great for small cats!
While there is no possible way my 16 lb cat would fit in this, my 4.5 lb kitten fits perfectly, with room for him to move around! The inside base unzips, which is great for cleaning. It keeps its shape very well, and the canvas outside and structure is sturdy. The zippers are a little sticky, but not a deal-breaker.
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Loves to sleep in it
Even though he's still learning to be an adventure kitty, I take him to the vet and traveling in this. I like that you buckle in the straps for car safety, and it can open from the top or front depending on your need. The bottom unzips too for cleaning, which is key. Not very well designed as far as ergonomically for the human back (has a waist strap, but the shoulder straps can be awkward to put on at times), so it doesn't feel as natural a fit when backpacking as good backpacks should.
Best Large Cat Carrier
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Well made and large
My Maine Coon is around 20 pounds and long. I keep it open and in the living room for her to go go in and out as she pleases. She loves to take day naps in it
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Highly recommend this carrier.
Roomy when my guys were kittens and still comfortable in their adult years! Classy looking, easy to clean and store. Very pleased with the purchase!
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Good for airplane
I went into private room at TSA point, had to remove cat while they scanned the carrier. After that, no problem rest of flight.
Best Top Load Cat Carrier
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Great Safe Kennel
Only use it for vet or grooming. I do occasionally leave it out and the cat/s will occasionally nap in it. :). It’s well made but is heavy with 12 lb cat. Thankfully the female is6 lb but she does have her own carrier. Repeat buyer here. This product is a gem! . Thank you chewy.
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Best Carrier For Larger Cats
This is the 3rd one of these I have purchased over the yrs. I gave the other my son for his cats after my 2 big boys passed but now my Siamese is getting chunky sooo she needs a larger carrier also. These are the best for large cats. Very sturdy. Highly recomend also for cats that don’t like carriers as the top load is easy to put them into. The top does not stay open by itself but I put it against something and put a towel under one side to slightly tilt it and it stays open. Pop my cat in before she knows what is going on and away we go. Easy peasy.
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Yogi's Christmas gift
This was the best one I found for my Yogi it's got a top loader lots of room well built and worth every penny of it
Best Collapsible Cat Carrier
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Easy to store
Closet space is minimal in the house so these collapsible carriers are GREAT! They came in handy when we had a tornado cow through my neighborhood last year. Quick to put up and put the cats inside each of their carriers and get them all to safety without having to worry about my girls.
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Easy Peasy
My cat was scared at all to lay in it. So nice to not fight to shove her in the plastic carrier.
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Purrrrfect
My kitten loves this. She sleeps in it during the day and I put her in it at night. She loves being in there.
Best Rolling Cat Carrier
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great cat carrier
I'm getting old - lol - so much easier to use this rolling carrier for trips to the vets office. And it fits easily and securely into my 2 seater car.
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10 Stars!!
I would give this 10 stars if I could. Gone are the days carrying a heavy cat in a carrier with a handle that kills your back because the cat shifts in it and throws off your balance. This is a god send, the cat is safe and not sliding around and you are safe from back strain and shifting throwing you off balance, saving you from a potential fall.
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Very Practical
Gucci loved it, she felt very comfy. She had space. I loved that you could roll it, use it as a backpack and a carryon. It's worth the money. You pet will love it, you will love it.
Best Expandable Cat Carrier
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Big boy loves it!
My cat has never been averse to carriers, but they certainly aren't his favorite either, especially since he's a big boy. I put this down though, went to get treats to put in it to start teaching him it was safe, and he'd already crawled in and settled down for a nap. Of course I can't say it's for every cat, but for mine it's definitely an improvement on the last one! Only thing is that I wish it had a suitcase strap, but that's solveable.
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Pet Carrier
I like the fact that it expands to give my pet more room. However, it came not as the color in the picture. It was all black. They should update picture.
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my cat tolerated this well
I used this to bring my 13 lb cat on a 2 hour plane ride. He managed it very well. On the way there, I gave him gabapentin, which he hated, and he somehow managed to open the zipper to the bag from the inside and stick his head out. I kept it expanded under the seat while we flew so he could stretch out. On the flight back home, I didn't give him gabapentin (he spat it out and refused to take it), so we flew without it and he did even better. Highly recommend this, even better if you can put something soft inside (I put a soft highly absorbent microfiber towel in case he had an accident) and he really did just fine. He doesn't love flying...
Best Cat Carrier for Car Travel
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The color
The fact that I could contain my puppy and he could still see out, and the fact that I could secure his car seat to the cars seat belt.
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Works great for short trips in the car
The soft-sided carrier with mesh ventilation is gentle on the puppy. I pull the seatbelt over the top through the handle straps and fasten it for added security. The carrier size, along with its sturdy straps and comfortable handle, allows me to carry my pet as easily as luggage to and from the vehicle.
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Did the job
This was a great carrier until my pup outgrew it. I didn't select/order the wrong size. My pup is about twice the size the breeder indicated.
Best Budget Cat Carrier
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Perfect
Perfect size to take my kitten in the car to get him used to traveling and vet appointments. Very well made.
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Great size, mesh & extra access zippers!
My cat is almost 18 pounds. He’s a big guy, and we had to purchase this as an Emergency back up for his trip to the vet after he didn’t fit in his other carrier from kitten hood. Offhand, I would like to say: Pros- lightweight but sturdy, great fuzzy liner, can open the little side to pull your pet into it and then close the big one to secure them (so much easier than pushing!) Smooth sliding zippers (see note in cons) Extra side mini-zipper to put a hand in to reassure them! Cons: zippers slide SMOOTHLY- this means my guy face-punched his way out the first time when they were at the top of the cage. I recommend getting a luggage lock...
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Perfect
These are perfect to carry the cats to the vet or anywhere else. They sit on my shoulder without any problems. And if the cats hold pretty still they're beyond perfect ;)
Now that you’ve picked out the best cat carrier to keep your fur baby secure and comfortable during their travels, get tips for keeping them safe while on the road—or wherever your journey takes you.
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