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Its no secret that cats absolutely hate being in carriers. The good news however is that there are carriers out there that can make the experience for them much more enjoyable and less stressful as well.
Before I list my recommend cat carriers let look at some things to look for in a cat carrier for a situation like this one. If you don’t care about this stuff you can just scroll down to the list of recommended carriers.
What To Look For In A Cat Carrier
Window covers: What a cat can’t see they can’t be stressed out about. Having a cat carrier with this feature is really useful and minimizes stress. Some cats however like to see their surroundings and makes them feel more secure to see their owner so this is something you might have to experiment with.
Material: I would not get a soft carrier if your cat hates carriers. I would recommend getting a cat carrier that is more durable as they are more likely to claw through the material since stress can cause them to do this. This is especially true for the windows as they are made of mesh a lot of the time.
Plastic carriers or leather like materials would suit this situation well.
Hard material is also useful for difficult cats because stressed cats are more likely to defecate in the carrier and hard ones are much easier to clean then softer ones. If you still want to get a softer one you could always get bathroom pads and slip them inside of the carrier.
Top loading carrier: Some cat carriers have a door at the top and there is a good reason for this. They make it much easier to get your cat in when they are really stubborn and refuse to get inside of the carrier. If you get a cat carrier this is one of the most important things I would look for when considering a carrier for your cat.
There are a lot of things that you should look for but generally you want one that is comfortable and is hard to break out of. Zipper locks would also be a good thing to invest in as cats can maneuver the zips open if they are smart enough.
Some good locks I would go with are “Forge TSA Approved Cable Luggage Locks (click here for the amazon link)“. I use these same ones and my cat hasn’t maneuvered them off ever. I’ll only be listing hard carriers or leather ones in this article as well since softer ones really aren’t suited for scared cats.
1: Frisco Plastic Kennel
For an aggressive, stubborn cat that despises cat carriers this is my number one choice and not only that I used this one myself as well. Its very comfortable, made with environmentally friendly materials and is even airline approved.
If you need something simple this get the job done quite well. Comes in X-Small, Small, Medium, Intermediate, Large and X-Large. It also comes only in Almond & Black. Click here for the chewy.com link.
2: SportPet Designs Foldable Travel Cat Carrier
This one would be a good choice for cat who hate carriers because of its unique triangle design. The door is designed in a way so your cat feels more comfortable going inside of the carrier so its much less of a hassle to get them in the car with you.
Its easy to clean and you can fold it up when you’re done with it as well. Comes in Grey/Tan and Turquoise/Grey. The sizes are also Regular and XL. Click here to check the current price on amazon.
3: PetLuv Pull-Along Soft-Sided Rolling Cat & Dog Carrier
Cats hate carriers so make the carrier more like something that they do like! I like this carrier because it feels more like a cat bed and not really a carrier as much and you cat will be a lot more comfortable riding in it.
The cushion on the inside can also be removed and washed if needed. It also has privacy covers so your cat won’t be as scared being in the car with you. Comes in navy, tan and red. Click here to check the current price on chewy.com.
4: Catit Voyageur Model 100
If you have a big cat this probably isn’t the best choice in your case but if you have a normal sized one I would recommend checking this one out. The first thing that I noticed about this carrier is its unique design.
The ventilation holes are shaped like a cat which is really interesting looking. It also has a top door which is really useful. It comes in baby blue, and pink. Click here for the chewy.com link.
5: Sleepypod Air in-Cabin Pet Carrier
This thing is slightly expensive but this is a carrier that your cat will love being in because of how well it is made. Its made out of nice polyester on the inside and the outside is luggage grade leather. These carriers have mesh on them but they are strong enough so your cat can’t break through them in most cases.
On the other hand, there are a lot of cool colors to choose from as well. It comes in Dark Chocolate, Glacier Silver, Jet Black, Orange Dream and Strawberry Red. Click here for the amazon link.
6: Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed
This is more of a rounder version of the air in-cabin version. This one would be a good choice if you want something a lot smaller than the one above. This carrier also has the mesh windows on it but your cat most likely won’t be able to break it open as its very durable on this particular carrier.
It comes in Arctic White, Blossom Pink, Dark Chocolate, Jet Black, Sky Blue and Strawberry Red. Click here to check the current price on amazon.
Conclusion
Not a lot of cat carriers really stand out so its quite difficult to find something that cats don’t get repelled by. If you make it a comfortable as possible for them you will make it a lot less likely for your cat to hate the carrier. Unfortunately some cats will always hate carriers no matter what you do.
