Should I get a hard or soft carrier for my cat?
Monday, March 8th, 2010 at
11:56 am
I will be taking my cat to my parents’ this summer (a two day drive), and have to buy a carrier for my cat for the car. She is a very small cat (less than 8 lbs). Should I buy a hard or soft crate for her? She loves to confine herself into small spaces when she’s stressed, but when she’s in the car, she is most comfortable unrestrained (not a possiblity, I know).
Filed under: Cat Supplies
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I am am world traveler with my two cats, so I will try to help you out. I’ve traveled cross country with both of them twice and felt safer with them in a hard carrier. I think I thought initially as you did, that the soft would be somewhere where they could cuddle and hide. Honestly, you will feel safer driving knowing that if something happened, they would be more protected by the hard cover. Some are actually quite spacious & you could put a towel or fleece blanket in when traveling. My cats actually had more space in these. I am not sure what brand you are looking for, but you can get one for a med. to lg. size cat at most stores & pet stores for between $16.99-29.99. I bought two at Wal-mart last year for $19.99 and they made it from VT to CO. The most important thing is that the cats felt more secure if the car turned or moved. Put a favorite toy in with the cat. It will help, too. I agree that keep her safe & secure (even though she thinks that she wants out) will be a hard carrier…with on of her favorite fleece blankets, Cosmic Catnip, & a soft toy. She will do fine; I am quite sure. Best of luck on your journey.
I have a small female cat and the carrier is plastic but firm. I would not want a flimsy one that would not last very long. A firm one would last longer and you could pad the inside to make it comfortable.
if u get a hard one, then get a small blanket to put in it
What is comtful for u’re cat
I’d recommend getting a very large hard crate so you ca put her favorite pillow or blanket in the bottom.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
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it depends on whether or not your cat is likely to throw itself around while in the carrier if yes then soft is the way to go but hard carriers ar easier to belt down
Get an airline carrier and line it with towels or her kitty bed. This will make her feel comfy and also be the safest way to transport her. Soft carriers do not protect at all in the event of impact.
I hope you have a great trip to your parents house!
Oh, be sure to bring containers of water from your house. New water can upset the kitty’s tummy and cause …. shall we say issues. Pets get used to the exact water they drink and drinking other water can become problematic.
I would get a hard carrier as it is better protection and will give her better balance. If it’s big enough, you could always put a small container of water and a small box of kitty litter in it. If you don’t want to do that, put the kitty litter right outside of the carrier and on stops she can walk right into it. Have fun on your trip with your cat. Make sure that she in contained in the carrier if you need to get out. Also make sure that the cat doesn’t get overheated.
i would go with a soft one as long as it is safe for your kitty. they love to able to cuddle up some place cozy, and it would be more relaxing i think than a cold hard pet taxi. just a thought.