10 Best Cat Carriers, Tested With Real Cats

In case you can't tell by the name, this carrier is airline-approved and reviewers have said they've been able to stow it in an airline cabin better than most. It holds its shape, thanks to a springy wire frame that can be squished down a bit if needed for a better fit under a seat.

The dimensions are 18" by 11" x 10.5" and it holds a cat (or dog) up to 16 pounds. Note: Actual under-seat dimensions in an airplane vary depending on the airline and the plane. For instance, small express planes won't have the room that larger long-haul flights have. You can check with your airline about the size of a plane before any trip with your kitty.

If you'll be driving, this carrier has a seatbelt safety strap for securing it in your car. Both the top and side open wide, and there are two zippers at each opening so you can get it quickly closed. We had success getting an easily-scared, 15-pound cat, Helen, in through the side. Later, the other tester cat, Azula, walked in and made herself at home (pictured).

The fuzzy mat holds to the bottom of the carrier with hook-and-loop strips so it doesn't shift around, which is a nice touch we didn't find on all carriers.

Tote this by its handle or use the shoulder strap. The polyester fabric can be wiped clean. With a little bit of work, this cat carrier can be folded down almost flat for storage. Three sides are mesh; the top and one end are not. The solid end features a deep, zippered pocket where you can stash vet records and other documents. Feet on the bottom keep the bag off the floor to prevent wear and tear, but some online reviewers complained that the feet made the bag sit at an angle, and others reported that the zippers broke over time.

Max cat weight: 16 lbs | Dimensions: 18" x 11" x 10.5"

Taylor Swift totes one of her Scottish Fold cats in this faux-leather bubble-window backpack cat carrier in her “Miss Americana” Netflix documentary, leading a lot of cat owners (and our Lab pros) to seek it out. It's a tall carrier, but it's not especially wide. Loading a large, hefty cat into this proved to be impossible, as did loading a feisty 1-year-old cat — she was able to spread her legs and avoid going in. But we did have great success putting a slender, older tomcat, Buddy, inside (pictured); it held steady and Buddy seemed to enjoy peering out of the window.

This luxe-looking carrier with quality hardware has very secure, adjustable backpack straps as well as a tote handle on top. You can swap out the bubble window for a flat, mesh window if you prefer; that would help it slide under an airplane seat.

The sherpa-fabric pad inside is not attached so it does slide around. But we like the open ventilation holes, a point of difference with this carrier — they help the cat breathe and also let you poke your finger in there to reassure your kitty or to slip in a cat treat. It gets great reviews on Petco.com, where it qualifies for free shipping.

Max cat weight: 16 lbs | Dimensions: 15" x 14" x 7"

We tested this with a big tomcat (pictured) and a new kitten and both jumped right in. It can hold a cat up to 20 pounds and includes a suitcase handle sleeve if you'd like to let your cat, in the carrier, ride atop your rolling luggage while you move through an airport. The dimensions — actually a little smaller than our best overall choice — are small enough to fit under most airline seats.

Note that though it can fit a heavier cat than our best overall pick, the fact that it's physically smaller means your large cat won't have a ton of space to move around. For many cats that's fine if they tend to go into rest mode during travel. We like that The Odyssey has roll-down privacy shades for a cat who would rather not see what's going on outside. This can be carried by a handle or shoulder strap.

Travel Cat is a woman-owned small business and the price is higher than some similar carriers, but in the world of pet carriers it's actually mid-priced. The brand's Fat Cat Backpack can hold an even larger cat up to 25 pounds but can't go on a plane. Travel Cat is also the brand featured in the Argylle film; the brand sells Argylle cat merch, including the officially licensed bubble-window backpack.

Max cat weight: 20 lbs | Dimensions: 17" x 11" x 9"

Away is a trusted luggage brand — we named it the best carry-on luggage — and its pet carrier is intelligently designed for travel. A trolley sleeve secures the cat carrier to the handle of your rolling luggage, and separate latches fit a seat belt to hold this securely onto a car's seat.

It fits pets up to 18 pounds, making it good for heavy cats. It's a soft-sided carrier on the bigger side (roughly 18" x 10" x 10"), so though it meets Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for airplane travel, according to real-world reports you might have to squish it down a bit to get it under some plane seats.

Only the top, one side and the front have mesh panels — if you have a scared cat, the less it sees the better, so that helps. A privacy screen rolls comes down if your cat wants to see even less. The lack of visibility also works to your advantage as you sail through the airport without attracting a lot of attention as your cat snuggles down in its comfy, sherpa-lined travel cave. Fewer curious faces peering in equals a less nervous animal.

This is made of high-quality, durable materials like water-resistant nylon and leather trim, and that's reflected in the price. You can load your cat in through the top or the side. The sherpa bed with walls (more luxe than the flat mat of most carriers) can be hand-washed and air-dried if there's an accident, and the rest wipes clean.

There are little touches like an ID card, key clip and multiple pockets. Away's return policy gives you 100 days after purchase to return it, but only if you never put your cat inside. We named this our best overall dog carrier, so it can pull double duty if you also have a small dog. (Just no fitting two pets in at the same time!)

Max cat weight: 18 lbs | Dimensions: 18.7" x 11" x 10.75"

Do you have a chonky cat or a ways to walk with your pet? This pet carrier on wheels can be pulled along by the telescoping handle or worn as a backpack. In our tests, it was much easier to roll than wear with a large cat inside, since the bag itself weighs 7 pounds. If you have a lightweight cat or kitten, wearing it as a backpack works just fine.

When you set it down with the handle against the floor, you can open the top hatch to form a little pet bed. One of our tester cats, Azula, climbed right in without prompting (pictured). We also used this with a hefty male calico cat, Harry, and appreciated how easy it was to get him through the large side opening. The carrier itself is roomy, and Harry made a 30-mile car trip with ease.

Reports from online reviewers about using this for airline travel are mixed. The bottom line is that it's easy to move through an airport but a tight squeeze on many planes.

We tested durability by rolling this through the New York City subway system, up steps and down escalators and along the sidewalks of Brooklyn. It held up beautifully and because one set of wheels can spin 360 degrees, it's easy to nimbly switch directions. Some online reviewers, however, were not happy pulling their cat behind them; if you aspire to wheel your furry pal ahead of you, you'll want a pet stroller.

Max cat weight: 20 lbs | Dimensions: 11.5" x 18.5" x 19"

We love the elevated look and feel of this new pet carrier from Chewy's Frisco brand. It's a nice medium size that is designed to fit on most airlines but also holds a cat up to 20 pounds. A luggage sleeve lets this ride atop your rolling luggage (pictured) and the padded shoulder strap is more comfortable than most for carrying. The regular handles are also extra-padded in case you need to lug this some distance or you have a heavy cat.

The privacy shade on this carrier stays up with magnets or can roll down. The mesh feels durable and scratch-proof, though to be fair, our tester cat was not trying to claw out. There are two exterior pockets plus a zippered pocket, giving you plenty of storage. It comes in beige or black.

Max cat weight: 20 lbs | Dimensions: 18" x 9.5" x 11"