Which cat carriers are airline approved?

An eager pet lover cannot remain in peace without seeing his four-legged pal. For this reason, whenever and wherever he goes, solicitously keeps his feline friend along with him even when crosses from one country to another.

But international travel by air certainly requires an airline-approved cat carrier to ensure a safe as well as a cozy journey for both the cat and the cat parent. So, this article will let you know about the features that an airline–approved cat carrier must have and the names of the best airline-friendly cat carriers.

Whichever category you choose, an airline-approved cat carrier must have the following features:

Before you purchase a cat carrier to use in an airline you must consider its size. It should be roomy so your cat can move easily and yet small enough to get snuggly fit under the seat space of your plane.

But take it under consideration that your cat should get plenty of room to stand up, turn around and comfortably lie down inside. It is better if there is at least a 2 to 3 inches gap from the top of your cat’s ears to the interior roof of the carrier.

It is wise to purchase a soft-sided cat carrier if you want to use it on airlines because such carriers are convenient to stow under the airline seats.
The mesh section of the carrier must be robustly durable so your cat can’t make any damage come out of it.
The zipper of the loading entrance should be extremely sturdy and have a lock system. Moreover, the zipper should have the ability to run smoothly.
An airline-friendly carrier needs to be made well-ventilated to prevent your cat from getting overheated during the journey. To serve this purpose the mesh panel should be large. Remarkably, a soft-sided carrier should have 3-sided ventilation.
The carrier should be comfortably carriable and not be collapsible while you are walking with it.
It should be easily cleanable also using dish soap and water.
You should know your airline’s regulations well in advance of your feline’s flight. That means you must check whether your cat carrier meets the dimensions and other criteria of the particular airline that you are going to board with your cat.

To transport your cat with a crate by air, the crate for cargo should maintain the following standards.

Table of Contents

Size of the crate

The crate’s interior width should be at least two times the width of the cat and the length of the crate should be at least the length of a cat plus half his height. The crate’s or carrier’s height must meet the minimum of the cat’s height in a natural standing position which means, from the tip of the ears to the floor. But it is better if the crate is 2 to 3 inches taller than the cat’s natural height.

Material of crate

For air travel selecting a flimsy and cheap crate is simply unwise. Rather it must be constructed with robust plastic, wood or metal with a sturdy roof. The roof should not contain any door or ventilation and only one side or front door, made of metal, should be there which can be closed securely.

Crate interior

Inside the cat crate during an airline flight only a few items are allowed which are an absorbent liner or a potty pad, a soft pad or blanket and clip-in water bowl and a food bowl which are attached to the crate door.

But if you think there is not a lot of space inside the carrier to set bowls of food and water, toys and treats and your cat is not habituated with all these during air travelling and may create a mess inside the carrier, then don’t place all these over there. Rather, it would be best to let the cat drink water just before the flight and offer them food and water just after the flight is over.

A couple of other things

Crates of aero plane cargo should not be equipped with wheels, plastic-made doors or latches. Moreover, they should not be collapsible also.

Some of the best airline-friendly cat carriers

You will get a huge number of airline-approved cat carriers on the market with different styles or categories. It is really difficult to opt for the best one from so many options. So, we have presented here a shortened list of the best airline-approved carrier for your convenience.

Best cat carrier for large cats: PPOGOO Large Cat Travel Carrier

Speciality : This airline-approved travel carrier is special for holding a large cat with a carrying capacity of 22 pounds(10 kilograms). Its sturdy bottom plate allows the heaviest cat or dog to lie on it.

Best Soft-sided cat carrier: EliteField Soft-Sided Cat Carrier

Speciality: This airline-friendly cat carrier is remarkable for its durable soft sides. It has a super supporting load-bearing board covered by a fleece rug.

Airline-approved fashionable carrier: PetsHome Dog Carrier Purse

Speciality: It is special for its very much fashionable look. It is studded with gold hardware and made with premium PU leather.

Best for uncooperative cats: petisfam Top Load Cat Carrier
Speciality: petisfam Top Load Cat Carrier airline-approved cat bag is special for uncooperative cats. To make escape-proof petisfam Top Load Cat Carrier adopts all the escape-resistant zippers.

Best expandable cat carrier: MASKEYON Cat carrier
MASKEYON Cat carrier is expandable from 4 sides to offer your feline more space to move comfortably.
Airline-approved backpack: Expandable Cat Carrier Backpack
Special for: Expandable Cat Carrier Backpack is extraordinary because you can carry it on your back and it makes it possible to keep your both hands free.·
Airline-friendly plastic crate: Karlie 513771 Nomad – Airplane Box

Speciality: Karlie 513771 Nomad – Airplane Box is a tough and thick quality plastic-made cat box. It has a strong shiny metal-made door and comes with a feeding bowl steadily clipped on the door.

Summary

An airline-approved carrier can be carried everywhere you go. They maintain an international standard and a decent look. Whatever the transport system you undertake to move from one place to another you can carry your pet in it.

The final word, check the must-have features and regulations of the airline that you are going to board with your pet before you select and shop for the most suitable airline-approved cat carrier.

Last Updated on January 17, 2023