Best Cat Carrier Backpack for Walks and Travel

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A cat carrier backpack lets you carry your cat hands-free on a walk, a hike, a bus ride or a trip across town. It is not the right carrier for every cat or every trip, though. This guide covers the two backpacks that did best in a hands-on test by a named reviewer, the other models that tester tried, what to check before you buy, and how to keep your cat cool and calm inside, with advice from cat vets and welfare charities.

How we wrote this: we only link a backpack when a named reviewer tested it hands-on with a real cat and the maker’s own page is current. Both picks come from CNN Underscored, where Michelle Rae Uy tested six cat backpacks over several weeks with her 15 pound cat Arrow, on hikes, errands, short walks and vet trips (updated July 25, 2025). Specs come from the maker’s product pages. Safety advice comes from the Feline Veterinary Medical Association (FelineVMA), PDSA, Battersea, Cats Protection and a UC Davis veterinary handout. We did not test these backpacks ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings.

Is a backpack the right carrier for your cat?

Start here, because cat vets are cautious about backpacks. The FelineVMA carrier guide for cat owners lists backpack carriers among the carriers to avoid, saying they let the cat move too much and expose the cat to too many sights (FelineVMA). The same guide prefers carriers with a removable top, so your cat can stay in the bottom half during a checkup. PDSA also prefers a carrier made of solid material, with a front door, a top door and a lid that clips on and off, and says fabric carriers do not make cats feel secure (PDSA).

So for vet visits, a sturdy carrier with a removable top is usually the better tool. See our best cat carrier guide for those. A backpack makes more sense when you need your hands free over a longer distance: a hike, a city walk, public transport, or a cat who already enjoys going out on a harness.

Not every cat enjoys outings. PDSA points out that most cats will feel seriously stressed by being walked on a harness and lead, because they lose control of their surroundings (PDSA). A backpack does not change that for a cat who hates going out. If your cat panics outdoors, keep trips short and practical, and ask your vet or a qualified behaviorist before you push further.

Our picks

Best overall: Travel Cat The Navigator Convertible Cat Backpack

The Navigator is a structured soft backpack with mesh windows on three sides. The maker rates it for up to 25 lbs of cat and lists two interior clips for attaching a harness or leash, zipper clips on all zippers, adjustable shoulder, waist and chest straps, a removable mat, a water reservoir pocket, and a detachable shoulder strap so it also works as a traditional carrier. It folds flat for storage (Travel Cat).

CNN Underscored named it the best cat backpack. Arrow settled down and curled up in it right away, which he did in no other backpack, and the four large mesh windows made it airy inside. The tester found that the bottom did not sag with her 15 pound cat inside, and the padded back panel and thick straps let her carry it for hours without the bottom edge digging into her lower back. Her favorite feature was the zipper pulls that buckle together, because one of her cats has learned to unzip carriers.

The one reason she gave to look elsewhere: it has no expandable section. Travel Cat’s page makes no airline size claim for the Navigator, so check your airline’s rules before you fly with it.

Good for: hikes and long walks with a confident, harness-trained cat. See the full product page.

Best bubble backpack for bigger cats: Travel Cat The Fat Cat Cat Backpack

The Fat Cat is the bubble style backpack, built for larger cats. The maker rates it for up to 25 lbs of cat (11.5 kg) and lists a bubble window and screen attachment for visibility or ventilation, mesh panels and air holes, an interior leash clip, adjustable shoulder and chest straps, side storage pockets and a structured design that folds flat (Travel Cat).

CNN Underscored listed it among the other backpacks tested rather than as a top pick. The tester found it spacious and liked that the front panel swaps between the mesh screen and the clear dome window, and that the side mesh windows, mesh top and air holes give ample airflow. She recommends it if you want a bubble backpack but do not trust a bubble to let in enough air. Her complaint was fit: the bottom edge sat on her hip bone whatever she did with the straps, which matters more with a heavy cat and a shorter torso.

Travel Cat lists flights and airport travel among its uses, but the page gives no airline size claim, so check your airline first.

Good for: big or long cats, and cats who like to look out. See the full product page.

Other backpacks the tester tried

These come from the same CNN Underscored test. We name them without links because each one either missed a top spot or we could not confirm a current maker page.

• Pecute Cat Carrier Backpack: the tester’s budget pick. It has a mesh annex that unzips from the back panel for extra room, a hip belt, and zipper pulls with carabiners. She found the straps thinly padded and the build less robust than the Navigator, and says the XL version tops out at 24 pounds. We could not find a maker product page, so we do not link it.
• Pidan Expandable Cat Backpack: spacious and breathable, with an extendable mesh compartment and a foldable litter box, but she found the plastic window less robust, the bottom thinly padded, and the load limit only 16 pounds.
• Roverlund Ready-For-Adventure Pet Backpack: the sturdiest materials in the test and a 25 pound capacity, but bulky and tight inside.
• Petkit Cat Backpack Carrier: a hard-shell bubble with vents and a small fan. The tester found it did not feel breathable, the fan was weak and noisy, and it was hard to load an unwilling cat.

What to look for in a cat backpack

• Weight limit and room. Check the maker’s weight limit against your cat’s weight. PDSA says a carrier should be big enough for your cat to stand up, turn around and lie down (PDSA).
• Ventilation. PDSA wants openings on at least two sides to prevent overheating (PDSA). Mesh panels on several sides, or a bubble that swaps for mesh, give you options on warm days.
• An interior tether and secure zippers. CNN Underscored’s tester recommends a leash clip so you can tether your cat before you open a flap, and valued zipper pulls that lock together. Clip the tether to a harness, as Travel Cat describes for its clips (Travel Cat).
• A firm, padded floor. PDSA says padding helps your cat stay warm and steady while being carried (PDSA). Battersea adds that cats feel unbalanced and stressed when a carrier is swung around or tilted (Battersea), so a stiff base that does not sag helps.
• A removable, washable mat. Accidents happen. The tester suggests a removable mat so you can clean the corners.
• Straps that fit you. A chest strap and a hip or waist belt share the load. Both picks fit the tester differently, so check torso length and strap range if you can.
• Airline fit. CNN Underscored notes that airlines typically require a pet carrier to fit under the seat in front of you. Check your airline’s own size rules, since makers rarely guarantee fit.

Getting your cat used to the backpack

Train your cat to the backpack the way you would to any carrier. PDSA suggests leaving it somewhere your cat spends time, ideally all the time but at least for a few weeks before travel, then rewarding your cat for going in, closing it for a few seconds, and building up slowly over at least a week or two. Go back a step if your cat seems stressed (PDSA). Battersea gives the same advice: do not rush, and watch for signs of stress (Battersea). For more steps, see how to get a cat into a carrier.

Once your cat is calm inside, try short trips around the house and yard before a real outing. If your cat already walks on a harness, see our best cat harness guide; the harness is what you clip the interior tether to.

Heat, stress and safety

• Never leave your cat in a parked car. Cats Protection and Dogs Trust warn that even a few minutes in a hot car can prove fatal (Cats Protection). A UC Davis veterinary handout says the temperature can quickly rise to fatal levels (UC Davis).
• Keep the backpack out of direct sun and check on your cat often. The UC Davis handout lists excessive vocalizing, panting and hiding as signs of stress (UC Davis). If you see them, stop, find shade and head home.
• Know the signs of heatstroke. Cats Protection lists heavy breathing or panting, excessive drooling, diarrhoea, confusion, restlessness, vomiting, drowsiness and collapse, and says to call your vet immediately if you suspect it (Cats Protection).
• Keep trips short at first. PDSA says being in a carrier is stressful for most cats, so keep the time as short as possible (PDSA).
• In the car, the FelineVMA advises securing carriers on the floor behind the driver or passenger seat, and only using seat belts with crash test certified carriers (FelineVMA).
• If your cat becomes very distressed or unwell on car journeys, Battersea suggests speaking to your vet (Battersea).

FAQ

Are cat backpacks safe for cats?

They can be, for a calm cat that has been trained to the backpack, with good ventilation, a tether clipped to a harness and short first trips. Cat vets are more cautious: the FelineVMA lists backpack carriers among the carriers to avoid for vet trips, because the cat can move too much and sees too much. Choose the carrier for the trip, and ask your vet if you are unsure.

Are bubble backpacks bad for cats?

A clear bubble shows your cat a lot of the world, which some cats enjoy and others find stressful, and a hard-shell bubble can feel stuffy. CNN Underscored’s tester found the Petkit bubble did not feel breathable, while the Fat Cat lets you swap the bubble for a mesh screen. Watch your cat and switch to a covered or mesh front if they seem uneasy.

How long can a cat stay in a backpack?

Keep it as short as you can. PDSA says being in a carrier is stressful for most cats, so keep the time as short as possible, and plan breaks if a trip runs past a couple of hours. Build up the time slowly at home first.

Can I take a cat backpack on a plane?

Often, if it meets your airline’s rules. CNN Underscored notes that airlines typically require a pet carrier to fit under the seat in front of you. Check your airline’s size limits and pet policy before you book.

Can two cats share one backpack?

It is better not to. The FelineVMA advises one carrier per cat, and PDSA says even bonded cats may fall out when forced to share a small space during a stressful trip.

For more cat travel gear, read our best cat carrier guide, our best pet stroller guide and the leash, harness and carrier buying guide.