Hello, I would LOVE to get recommendations for cheap but long-lasting cat carriers. My budget is $40, but for 2 carriers. I have 2 cats both under 8 lbs, but one of my cats are young and may gain a little bit more weight. I want a cat carrier that is long lasting, durable, and soft. A carrier that allows the cat to not only lay down but sit up. Something that would have a little bit more room to insert food bowls for a short while. I will be going on a trip that will take about 26 hours of drive time and I really want my cats to be comfortable. Thank you in advance!
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What Cat Carrier Should I Buy?
- Thread starter melizy12
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Have you seen our reviews section? Carriers & Crates | The Cat Site
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One thing I would say about carriers is that having the option to load from the top as well as from the front is good. If you are dealing with a semi hysterical cat who is refusing to go into the carrier it is easier to drop them in from the top rather than stuff them in from the side. It is also good to be able to take the whole top off of the carrier if the hysterical cat is refusing to come out.
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Seriously, it makes such a difference to have a top loading carrier. It'll prevent the wrestling, scratching, and howling that happens every time I need to take Saipha to the vet - all four paws splayed out, holding onto the edges of the carrier, desperately trying to avoid getting put inside.
Or having to reach in an attempt to grab a hissing spitting swatting cat....
I definitely second a top loading carrier. I've never used the sides except to let my cat out since it's quite difficult to have him enter the carrier from there. I purchased the Good2go carrier from Petco the day I brought my cat home. I find that carrier cheap & excellent since it has a huge pouch on the back to easily put treats or whatever in. And it's comfy enough that my cat can lay down or curl up. I could also put in a small collapsible bowl. But my cat can't sit up on it which is fine with me. My dog has the Sherpa carrier which is also quite good --- though I don't like the mat that comes along with it.
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Another vote for a top loading carrier. I only use this type of carrier and find it to be extremely helpful, as other members have suggested, when trying to get an uncooperative cat to the vet. 
I recently purchased a Petmate carrier very similar to this one:
I recently purchased a Petmate carrier very similar to this one:
I've only ever had hard carriers. Nothing fancy; just from Walmart. It is helpful to be able to take them apart; even if just for storage. I often leave one inside the house with a towel in it and one of the girls will nap in there. Sometimes I cover it with another towel to make it more cave like. I also cover it with a towel if I have to take them to the vet in the winter. Its easy to clean it too. Our carriers are as old as the girls (almost 13) and they have held up fine.
I always used soft carriers with Luna and as soon as I put them on the floor she crawled right into them. Never needed a top loading carrier. She also never meowed in the car until I got into the driveway and put the car in park. But with Artemis he hates to be confined in any way. I put him away in a room with a screen door and he ripped through the door. I put both cats into the basement for a few minutes and he broke off part of the wooden door frame and pulled it off of the wall with the nails still attached to the frame. So, when I took him to the vet, he ripped a hole in the soft carrier. I had another one and I put two seatbelts around it and strapped in down to the seat and from inside the carrier he managed to wiggle the soft carrier out of two seatbelts and flip it upside-down onto the floor of the car (still inside the
carrier). So then I had to get a hard carrier, also strap that one down and he wasn't able to claw his way out of that.
carrier). So then I had to get a hard carrier, also strap that one down and he wasn't able to claw his way out of that.
