All about carrying for cats

When traveling and during a car trip, during the flight or in the queue to the veterinarian, in a country train or at an exhibition, a safe and private space is necessary for the pet to ensure protection of the pet from annoying attention. Carrying for cats does an excellent job with these tasks. Moreover, it is better to accustom the pet to it at the very tender age - babies adapt to new conditions more easily than adult animals.

But how to choose a large carry or small bag? Will the backpack suit the animal or is it better to immediately purchase a rigid frame container? How to make a bag for kittens with your own hands and what should be the size of the cells on the wheels? Answers to all these questions are very important and require the most detailed study. After all, when it comes to pet comfort, there can be no trifles.

Carrying for cats - simple in its design, but a very important device, necessary for each owner of the animal. According to its purpose, the design can be suitable for long-term transportation - within a few hours or days, as well as created for short-term use. In addition, it is very important to consider the weight and dimensions of the pet - they affect the type of construction and some other features of the carry.

For a large cat (over 5 kg in weight) you should choose a reliable plastic construction. For kittens, it is usual to buy transports for growth, especially if you are going to transport not one animal, but several at once. Pets with a rich coat of wool should choose a well-ventilated cage, equipped with a special cover to create a shadow.

The main purpose of any carrying can be expressed in three key points.

1. The calmness of the host. A pet that is securely closed from possible external influences does not pose a threat to others, is protected from infections, and is saved from the possible risk of escape, loss, and death.
2. Sense of security for the animal. Cats are well-known couch potatoes, they hardly endure the change of circumstances around them and do not like traveling too much. Properly chosen carrying helps the animal to better carry the road, protects it from unwanted influences, unforeseen contact.
3. Satisfying physiological needs. The first and most important thing that carrying gives is the feeling of a hard floor under your feet. In addition, a properly selected container allows the animal to have a comfortable position inside it. In a spacious carrying room, you can allocate a place for a toilet in the form of a hygienic absorbent diaper or a tray with a filler; you can install a water bowl and a feeding bowl.

Carrying is a convenient accessory, but choosing the best version of its design among the variety of options on sale can be difficult. Models on wheels and with handles, shoulder straps and shoulder straps, in the form of cages, baskets and bags - with such an assortment it is easy to get lost.

Classical designs with a light frame and fabric walls are most often made of synthetic, easily washable and hypoallergenic materials.Products can be conveniently stored, washed or cleaned, and straps or handles are provided for carrying them.

It is important to note that the bags are not focused on the long-term stay of the animal, they are poorly suited for large breeds of cats. In the absence of a hard hard-core insert, the pet will experience serious discomfort. For winter operation, you need a warmed model, otherwise the animal will get wet or freeze inside the product.

We should also consider the frame bag-tents, in which the side walls unfold, forming a fairly roomy house. This design is convenient for traveling in a car or a trip to the exhibition, but it is difficult to maintain and takes up quite a lot of space.

Bags on wheels - an option for active travelers. They have a retractable handle, a rigid platform and rollers for moving.

A metal cage is practically the only option for carrying that you can take with you on a plane. If we are talking about traveling in the passenger compartment, you only need to carefully measure the dimensions of the chosen design - they should not exceed 45x35x25 cm. When going beyond these values, the animal will have to go in the luggage compartment. Similar rules apply to cats weighing more than 8 kg.

Metal lattice boxes are also convenient when transporting animals in a car. In addition to safety and good air exchange, the cage allows you to take care of the safety of the animal, because its bars give you the opportunity to pass a safety belt through them.

For exhibitions and shows, this solution is also optimal, allows you to provide a fairly high level of comfort and at the same time demonstrate the pet in all its glory. In addition, the use of cells can reduce the risk of escaping an animal in an unfamiliar place, and if you have a properly selected cover, you can protect your pet from heat and other stress factors.

The most non-standard version of the bag-carrying - shoulder backpack, which the owner carries. Such products have a strong and rigid bottom, they can look like a baby sling or a full-fledged capsule of a spacecraft with a porthole. It is important to take into account the degree of sociability, especially the nature of the pet. In addition, with this method of carrying the animal may experience bouts of nausea, and the first publication is better to spend at all in a quiet park or near the house.

The convenience of a backpack is related to the way it is carried - the load placed on the shoulders is distributed more evenly. But this accessory is designed for non-large animals, and it is better to postpone a long journey. The animal will be inconvenient to be ready to suffer for 1-2 hours. When choosing a model, preference should be given to solutions made of dense fabrics with airway openings and a porthole for the pet to review the surroundings.

A compromise solution is a plastic box, which is suitable for short trips, and for long journeys or even flights. Durable frame in this design is made of hypoallergenic plastic, ventilation holes are complemented by a lattice door, and inside there is enough space for the rest of one pet or even a cat with kittens.

The hard floor of the container makes it possible to distinguish its space by placing inside the bowl with food, water, toilet, bedding for rest. Spacious temporary shelter gives cats a sense of security, helps to better move the road. In many designs there is a second bottom - for accessories, food, spare absorbent diapers.

The owners consider the boxes the best choice for travel and travel with cats. But there are drawbacks. The design is quite cumbersome, carry it by one handle hard and uncomfortable.

This classic is a basket for carrying cats, made from natural wicker or its plastic substitute. This accessory is distinguished by its low weight, durability of construction, it has a hard bottom and a sufficiently spacious place to rest. For the peace of mind of the owners, reliable latches and special locks are installed on products of this type. But the basket is not protected from precipitation, and in winter the pet will be just cold in it.

Among the advantages of these accessories can be noted a good breathability, lightness, affordable price. Plastic models are easy to clean, suitable for road transport of animals, trips to the country or to the vet. Pet will be protected from prying eyes, will be able to conveniently get inside.

The need to choose a suitable carrier for a pet appears even at the moment when the kitten is in the infancy stage. Trips to the veterinarian, trips to the country or on vacation, visiting exhibitions can not do without the use of a special temporary shelter.

If there are more than one pets, you can purchase models of bags for two cats at the same time. Mostly they look like soft tunnels with an arched top, inside of which there is a detachable separator. Using a device for 2 cats that do not get along well with each other, they can be easily isolated. For friendly cats, it will be right to remove the partition - it will become much calmer.

In addition to the number of places to pay attention during the selection of carrying is also the following points.

1. Existence of a viewing window. Cats do not tolerate close and confined space in which they can not control the situation. There will be much less panic if the animal can see its owner during the transportation and observe the surroundings. In addition, through the "windows" at the same time inside the carrying also comes fresh air. They must be made of durable mesh, otherwise the viewing hole may become a escape hole.
2. Type of construction. If the carrying is not used too often, it will be reasonable to choose a model of the folding type, it is convenient to store it and you can take it with you if you have to pick up an animal from a shelter or hotel.
3. A variety of mounts. The more belts, pens and other elements are in the basic configuration of the accessory, the more space for maneuvers will be when using the carry. Straps facilitate fixation of the cage or box in an airplane, car. The shoulder strap allows you to free your hands.

When choosing the size of the carrier for travel and travel in public or private transport, you need to focus exclusively on the size of the animal, especially the breed and personal preferences of the owner. The cat should be free to sit and lie both along and across the selected container or cage.But if you plan to make flights, much more stringent requirements will be imposed on the size range and device design. Among them:

• total parameters of length, width and height should not exceed 115 cm (55x40x20 cm);
• the presence of free air access - no closed bags;
• with a mass of more than 8 kg, animals travel in the luggage compartment (weighed and transported).

Understanding which dimensions are permissible with a particular method of transportation helps to find the right carrying. The use of any public transport involves a closed type of container, preferably with a hard top. The size of the animal itself is also important. For large cats whose weight exceeds 8 kg, it is worth choosing massive bags and boxes. The best choice will be products weighing about 3 kg, which are difficult to break or accidentally open, you can take the model on wheels, so as not to carry weight.

If the size of the pet is less weighty, you can consider lightweight design options. For example, lightweight bags, backpacks weighing no more than 1 kg are suitable for cats up to 5 kg.

Based on the design features for the manufacture of carriers can be used the following materials.

• the cloth. Soft cloth carrying is used for short-term transportation of the animal. Easily washable and moisture-proof fabrics with sufficient hygroscopicity are commonly used. For the winter season, warmed versions are made.

• Plastic. The rigid construction forms strong walls, allows you to create a washable bottom. Such carrying can be washed, cleaned with safe chemicals. Inside, foam rubber mats are commonly used to provide warmth and comfort.

• Metal. From it are made of cells for air transportation, as well as exhibition structures for the demonstration of the animal. Chrome products, protected from corrosion, are commonly used; liners can be placed inside, providing comfort for the animal.

• Woody vine. Wicker products can have an unusual shape and a different size, they are environmentally friendly, provide good ventilation. But when it comes into contact with odorous liquids or animal secretions, the vine absorbs them quite intensively and is difficult to clean.

When choosing materials, preference should be given to solutions that are comfortable for the animal, focusing on the mode of transportation. Among the fabric models you can choose bright attractive models, quite spacious. It is convenient to select various options for carrying - you can find models with a shoulder strap, shoulder straps for carrying on the back or chest, with classic handles.

Polymer containers with low quality materials can have odors, in addition, they are rather cumbersome, not very suitable for long trips. But they have full-fledged ventilation holes that allow for adequate air exchange, and the pet feels protected and less nervous.

If you have to use the carrier in year-round mode, you should take care that the pet was comfortable in it in any weather. For example, in soft bags, for which winter operation is foreseen, removable liners in the walls are often made, allowing to warm the accessory during the winter period. Another option - an outer fur case for a hard carrying.

For summer it is better not to buy bags of black or dark color - they will heat up more than usual, which will create the risk of getting heat stroke for the animal. If possible, you should have your own version of carrying for each season - for example, a winter sling or a backpack can be hidden under the owner's jacket, sharing warmth with your pet.

When transporting an animal, especially when it comes to a sick pet that needs veterinary care, the issues of removing specific biological contaminants are always particularly acute. When several pets use one carrier, the infection can spread quite easily. In addition, it is possible to soil a cage or a container, a cloth bag outside, dirt and dust accumulate on them. The hardest thing to do with wicker products - they are quite difficult to handle. Because of the peculiarities of weaving, you can skip the potential source of infection.

The first and most important rule in the use of carrying is to regularly treat it with hot steam, and wash cloth covers at high temperatures. Plastic containers made of high-quality food grade polymers can be disinfected with boiling water. Subjected to boiling and tissue elements. In veterinary medicine, chlorine disinfecting compounds are most often used for sanitation, but at home you can resort to non-chlorine variants based on formalin, soda ash.

Among the drugs for medical purposes are recommended to use "Virosan", "Glutex", "Ecocide C", "Virotsid". The cell can be sprayed with iodine solution, it is on sale in the form of a spray. When processing with antiseptics, it is worthwhile to leave the compositions to be affected for 20-30 minutes, especially if there was contact with an infected animal. Fabric products are recommended to soak with antiviral agent for some time.

The easiest way to carry it is possible to do it yourself. If you have to take the sick pet to the vet or transport the kitten, you can create a temporary shelter literally from scrap materials - out of the box (cardboard, with high sides), taping its seams with duct tape. A bed of blanket or a soft mattress is placed on the improvised “floor”.

Fabric travel bag for travel is also created quite easily. It is enough to follow simple instructions.

1. Pick up materials. Any thick fabric will fit - from tarpaulin to drape and jeans. A thick cardboard or plastic is used to form a hard bottom, and you can take the bottom from an old gym bag as a base. You will also need tailor scissors, chalk, sewing machine, thread and accessories. For one of the sidewalls it is recommended to choose a mesh cover.
2. Build a pattern. The simplest form is a triangle or a quadrilateral. One of the sides must be detachable, with a wired "zipper", the second - with a grid for air flow (suitable durable mosquito with metallization). The base has the largest area, for it the cover is sewn, to which other parts are attached. The dimensions of the elements should allow the animal to freely be positioned internally horizontally and vertically.
3. By means of the machine it is necessary to connect all parts. starting from the bottom, into which the prepared rigid frame is inserted. For winter, you can warm the floor and walls, make them with fur or replace it with padding polyester. Next, it remains to collect the parts together and sew in a fastener, add accessories.
4. Fasten the carrying strap or handles to the stitched design. It is worth using a shoulder belt - it is the most convenient to use, it allows you to make the process of transportation less uncomfortable. Check all connections for strength.

How to make a carrier for cats out of cardboard, see the following video.