8 best cat carriers for transporting your furry friend with ease

The Catit cabrio is the ideal cat carrier for practical purposes. The surfaces of the carrier are easy to clean, the handle on the top is comfortable to hold, and there’s plenty of space and ventilation to keep your passenger in shipshape.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of this carrier is that it gives you a choice of two ways to get your furry friend inside: either through the gate at the front, or by taking the lid off and lifting the cat inside. We found that this really helped with loading in our feline reviewer, Martha, ahead of a trip to the vets.

This is a sturdy, spacious, no-nonsense pet carrier that prizes simplicity over swanky features. In our testing, the twin clasps on the carrier held the gate securely, despite being particularly easy to operate from the outside. A mat inside provides comfort during transportation, and can be removed for cleaning between uses.

The carrier itself is easy to wipe clean, with a textured finish that is not only pleasant to the touch, but also provides traction, which could help prevent it from sliding while in transit.

One of our feline reviewers, Bertie, has been using this wicker cat basket for several years now. He’s so fond of it that he has taken to using it as a bed on a day-to-day basis. From a human perspective, this is a great little cat carrier, combining beautiful natural materials with a stout metal door that keeps it reliably sealed.

The downside to this carrier – and this is true of many “natural” cat baskets – is that it’s relatively tricky to clean. However, we reckon its cute, cat-pleasing design merits the extra effort on upkeep between uses.

This is a simple, soft cat carrier combining a comfortable interior with plenty of useful features for the human user. We particularly appreciated the pockets on the front, which are just the right size to accommodate some cat treats or a favourite toy.

One of the best things about PawHut’s pet carrier is its outstanding space-efficiency, which is in stark contrast to the hard plastic and wicker ones we’ve tested. Between uses, it packs down into its own bag, and even when in use its profile is neat, with just enough room for a medium-sized cat.

For a simple, cost-effective solution for transporting your cat, look no further than the Rosewood plastic pet carrier. Like the Catit cabrio above, it features two ways to load your pet inside – either through the gate, or by removing the lid. This makes all the difference when it comes to transporting a reluctant cat. The carrier is well-ventilated, can be wiped clean, and also proved able to stay securely closed during our testing.

Some cats, and some owners, prefer a carrier which has very good visibility in both directions. This helps the owner check on the cat, while allowing the cat to see its surroundings. If this sounds like something which would be important to you and your pet, we suggest you check out this carrier.

Secure, lightweight and easy-to-operate, it is fantastically functional. Loading your cat inside is made simple with a top-opening design, while the plastic tray in the base can be removed easily for cleaning.

For cats who prefer riding in a soft carrier, this bargain-priced fabric design from Pets At Home could be just the thing. With multiple points of entry and a very well ventilated design, this carrier fulfils some of our key practical requirements. One downside, however, is that it is a little trickier to clean than most carriers made with hard materials. However, we really appreciated the fact that it can be collapsed when not in use, saving a huge amount of storage space in the home.

In our opinion, this is one of the most beautiful cat carriers you can buy.  Handmade out of wicker, it combines a pleasing, boxy form with some beautiful details, including an elegantly barred window and a gorgeous carry handle on the top.

The only downside is that its wicker weave is much harder to clean than a smooth, artificial surface typically would be. We suggest you consider how well your cat travels before you buy. It should also be noted that the Nala is best suited to relatively large cats, or those who prefer to have plenty of wiggle room.