Recommendations for a carrier/double cat carrier please!

January 13, 2013 6:38 PM

Cosette and Herbie (kitty picture here) need a good carrier.

We have a large, hard-cased one that we brought Cosette home in several years ago, and a soft one that we brought Herbie home in last summer. However, Herbie has outgrown his, and I want to buy a second one in case we ever need to get both kitties out of the apartment in an emergency. Cosette is about 11-12 pounds, and Herbie is considerably less. Something that has a shoulder strap would be preferable, and something I could get from Amazon would be a huge plus. If they are reasonably priced, I might just buy two and ditch the one we have now. Thanks for your recommendations in advance.

posted by roomthreeseventeen to pets & animals (6 answers total)

I have two of these cat carriers, one for each cat. They come with a little bed inside and a shoulder strap. They are small, but my cats (each 11 lbs) fit in them and I think the more snug fit keeps them calmer than being jostled around in one big hard-case carrier.
posted by joan_holloway at 7:35 PM on January 13 [1 favorite]

Cute kitties! I don't have a brand recommendation, but I would suggest you think about two separate carriers rather than one big one for both of them. During a scary emergency, even chilled-out cats who are the best of friends can attack each other just out of fear and stress.
posted by (F)utility at 10:39 PM on January 13

I got this stroller for my two. It's one of many on Amazon. I live alone, and I figured it would be the best way for one person to transport 2 cats. So far it has worked out well; the least convenient part is going up or down stairs, but it's light enough that I can easily lift it with the cats inside.

Totally worth it for the "d'aww, a baby... wait, WTF?" expressions from passers-by.
posted by Pallas Athena at 3:45 AM on January 14

I have your standard front-loading cat carrier and an 'open' cage carrier.
I take two of mine to the vet for checks, and the second cat always knows when the first is shoved in.

The wire cage is great because it is flip top, so it's dump and go... as much as anything is easy with cats. It's hand-carried, but has a handle and I reckon a simple strap would do you in an emergency.

Sadly, I could not find its like on Amazon, but I have managed both of my cats in there at once... when they were younger.
posted by Mezentian at 6:28 AM on January 14

I've got four carriers (for my four cats...), and my favorite is this Sherpa one. I can't remember if mine is a medium or large offhand, but even my 15-pound boys fit into it comfortably (well, one at a time) and I am pretty sure it has a detachable shoulder strap in addition to the carry handles. The top opening is a nice feature and the faux-sheepskin bed platform thing inside comes out for easy vacuuming, etc.
posted by aecorwin at 12:52 PM on January 14

Maybe a Sleepypod?

The downside: Expensive! Sort of awkward to carry despite the armstrap. More awkward still if you have to carry two at once.

The upsides: really nicely made, the top zips off, so they can be used as cat beds the rest of the time you aren't actually transporting them, and they can be seat-belted securely into a car seat.

My 17 pound cat fits into the regular size sleepypod (NOT THE SMALL).

I had a sherpa bag, but it just wasn't that firm on the sides, they tended to cave in on the cat, and that made me nervous.

Or maybe: this Petego Pet Tube?

I haven't tried this one, but I've been looking at it, because it looks like it would be good for a really large cat (which I happen to have) and also for extended car trips, if necessary. Two sizes, the smaller one looks like it can double as a carrier, the larger one looks like it could house an entire herd of cats if necessary (but not be picked up and transported easily)
posted by instead of three wishes at 5:46 PM on January 16