6 Top Picks for Maine Coon Cat Carriers: Travel in Style!

Owning a Maine Coon cat comes with its own set of challenges, and not being able to find a large enough pet carrier is one of them. Owners often have a hard time fitting their lion-cub-sized cats into the average carrier, which leaves their cats cramped, uncomfortable, and irritated.

So we’ve made the hunt for the perfect carrier easier for you: below are our top 6 picks for the best pet carriers for Maine Coon cats in 2024. They include some extra large sizes alongside some regular picks, but we’ve made sure you know exactly which one’s right for you with our thorough analysis. Read on!

Quick Glance: Best Pet Carriers for Maine Coons in 2024

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Why Use a Cat Carrier for Your Fluffy Maine?

A cat carrier should be a priority on any cat travel checklist. Whether you’re taking your Maine Coon for a short drive or to the veterinarian, ensuring your cat’s physical safety and emotional well-being requires a secure carrier. DIY carriers, such as laundry baskets, tote bags, or pillowcases, are not suitable, as your cat could easily get lost or get in your way while you’re driving. A good cat carrier keeps your Maine Coon safe during car trips, providing a secure and comforting space for them when travel makes them anxious.

How to Choose the Right Carrier for Your Cat?

The quality of your cat carrier is crucial when you travel with your feline friend. They’ll spend long hours in it, so it needs to be as comfortable as possible for your Maine Coon. Here are some key factors to consider in a high-quality cat carrier:

Size and Weight Capacity: Maine Coons are typically larger than average cats, so be cautious of ‘one size fits all’ carriers that might cramp your gentle giant. Experts recommend a carrier that is one and a half times the length and height of your kitty, allowing them to comfortably turn around, stand up, and lie down.

For longer trips, you can extend the carrier to accommodate feeding bowls and a small litter box. However, remember that bigger isn’t always better; cats often prefer smaller spaces when they are out of their comfort zone.

Also, the airlines that do allow in-cabin pets have restrictions on size and weight. For instance, American Airlines allows a hard-sided carrier of up to 19 inches in length and 9 inches in height. This isn’t very large, and will not be able to fit a Maine Coon cat that’s tall and long.

Check the carrier’s weight capacity, as Maine Coons are heavier than the average cat. The manufacturer usually specifies a weight limit.

Secure and Ventilated: Carrier closures are crucial. Avoid complex opening systems that require fumbling around while restraining an unimpressed Maine Coon. The most user-friendly carriers have two openings: one on the front and one on the top. Look for carriers that allow you to lift off the top section for easy access without taking your cat out.

If you plan to use the carrier in the car, ensure it can be secured to the safety belt of your back seat to prevent accidents during sudden stops.

Other Considerations:

• Good ventilation
• Safe and secure
• Easy to carry
• Easy to clean

Discover the Top 6 Carriers for Your Big Maine Cat in 2024

1. Best Overall: Petsfit 2-side Expandable Pet Carrier

Dimensions: 19″L x 12″W x 12″H  —  Max Weight: 20 lbs  —  Made in: China

The 2-side expandable pet carrier from Petsfit is an all-rounder, offering ample space for your cat to relax and move about. With the sides zipped up, it measures 19 inches in length and 12 inches in height, which is enough to fit in a medium-sized kitty.

But with both sides zipped down, the carrier expands to reach 31.5 inches in length. This allows for more than enough room for even large cats to stay inside comfortably. It also ensures your cat gets ventilation from all five sides.

When it comes to its build, the carrier is pretty sturdy. The wire structure ensures the sides don’t collapse, while the strong board base allows you to carry up to 18- 20 lbs without it sagging down. The material is also pretty durable and scratch-resistant, thanks to the thick Oxford cloth it’s made out of.

While airline approval isn’t guaranteed with the large size, the carrier can fit under cabin seats if you remove the rods from the top, which can be easily done. It also comes with a plush liner that’s almost blanket-like, which you can machine wash for cleaning.

With its three straps, you get to either hang it on your shoulder as a tote or carry it with the side straps. They’ve also thoughtfully provided a shoulder pad for ease of use.

A safety feature you’ll appreciate when traveling by air is the attached leash on the inside, which prevents cats from escaping when you open the carrier. We do wish they added extra straps and buckles to secure the carrier inside a car. Considering the price point, though, this spacious carrier offers plenty of bang for your buck.

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2. Best Airline-Approved: Sherpa Ultimate on Wheels

Dimensions: 20″L x 12.25″W x 10.5″H  —  Max Weight: 22 lbs  —  Made in: USA

Out of the many airline-approved carriers available, the Sherpa Ultimate on Wheels proves to be the most cat and parent-friendly.

First off, let’s talk about its most distinguishing feature – the wheels. Two spinning wheels at the front and two set wheels at the back allow you to use the carrier as rolling luggage at the airport. The shoulder strap doubles as a pulling strap for this purpose. Of course, you can also carry it around like a tote if you wish to.

The Ultimate on Wheels carrier is available in just one size that measures 20 inches in length, which makes it approved as carry-on baggage on most major airlines. It easily goes under the cabin seats and fits pets up to 18 inches in length and 22 pounds in weight. We do wish the wheels had some sort of stoppers to prevent the carrier from rolling on its own when tilted.

For ventilation, all four sides have a strong, unscratchable mesh, but you can also roll down the covers provided on the sides to give your cats some privacy. For the pet’s comfort, it comes with a fleece liner that provides cushioning and warmth, which can also be machine-washed. You can choose the top or the front as an entry point, based on what your cat prefers.

The top flap has a small storage compartment, but we suggest not storing anything in it as the flap tends to cave in, even with the support rod and without any items in the storage compartment.

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3. Best for Large Maine Coons: Petseek Extra Large Cat Carrier

Dimensions: 24″L x 16.5″W x 16″H  —  Max Weight: 55 lbs  —  Made in: China

For the XL-sized, long, and tall Maine Coons over 20 lbs, the Petseek extra large carrier is one of the few pet carriers that can offer them more than enough space to relax. It’s great for long car rides that require cats to be in their carriers for hours at a time.

With its 24-inch length and 16-inch height – the highest we’ve seen so far – your cat will not just be able to sit up but also move about if they wish to. It’s so roomy that you can easily fit in food and water bowls and still have enough space for your cat to lie down.

The nylon mesh ensures that your cat is secure, while the Oxford fabric keeps the whole thing free from scratches and offers durability in the long run. We also love that despite its size and weight, the bottom doesn’t sag, even with large cats in it.

With its metal rods, the structure is very sturdy and doesn’t cave in from any side. It’s also easily collapsible, so the carrier completely flattens for easy storage. However, the carrier itself weighs over 6 pounds, and with a large cat in it, it can get quite difficult to carry it. The shoulder straps aren’t padded either, which makes it even more cumbersome to carry the whole thing.

What pet parents will certainly appreciate, though, are the locking zippers that ensure your cats or dog aren’t able to unlock the carrier – a feature often not available even in the most premium carriers. There are also seatbelt clips provided to ensure your cats are safely strapped in the car.

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4. Best Value: PetAmi Classic Heather Tote Bag Pet Carrier

Dimensions: 19.5″L x 10.2″W x 12″H  —  Max Weight: 18 lbs  —  Made in: China

For the most bang for your buck, we recommend checking out the feature-packed PetAmi soft-sided carrier. Its 19.5 inch-length and 12 inch-height ensure medium to large-sized Maine Coons can comfortably lie down and even sit up if they want to.

Where the carrier really shines, though, is its build. It features a strong mesh on all five sides, with the top being completely see-through. One of the sides has a small mesh opening with a zip in case you want to offer your kitty a treat or pet it. Speaking about treats, there are two pockets on the carrier for you to store treats and other stuff.

The zippers to the two access points (located at the front and back) come with locks for extra safety. There’s also a security strap to secure the carrier to the car seat. Another safety feature is the attached leash on the inside, which you can connect to your pet’s collar, preventing it from escaping the carrier when you open it.

We also love that it comes with a soft fleece liner that can be detached from the velcro under it to be washed and cleaned. Apart from this, it comes with a nifty little collapsible food bowl as well as a name tag on the side. However, people have complained that their package was missing the food bowl.

For carrying the bag, you get a top handle and a medium-length strap. However, this strap poses two problems: a) it doesn’t have any padding for shoulder comfort and b) the sides tend to cave in a bit when you carry it as a tote bag, leaving the inside a bit cramped.

Nevertheless, this pet carrier is one of the most budget-friendly yet feature-packed, and many airlines may even approve of it if you push the top to bring down the height.

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5. Best Hard-sided: Petmate Two Door Top Load Kennel

Dimensions: 24″L x 17″W x 14.5″H  —  Max Weight: 15 lbs  —  Made in: USA

Hard-sided carriers are frequently chosen by pet parents because of their durability and ease of use, and Petmate’s two-door kennel offers just that.

Built with strong and sturdy plastic, the carrier offers two entry points – one from the top and one from the front. Both doors open and close by pinching together the mechanism, however, squeezing the metal rods at the front isn’t the most comfortable experience. That said, it does lock pretty securely.

Because of the mesh door at the top and large holes at the sides, it provides plenty of ventilation for pets. If you choose the largest size, you get 24 inches of space lengthwise and 14.5 inches of height, allowing large cats to lie down comfortably and even sit up with ease. The extra space also lets you add comfy bedding inside without making things cramped.

When it comes to assembly, it’s pretty straightforward – attach the front door and screw in the bolts of the plastic cover, and you’re done. We’d like to point out that you’d have to screw in the bolts with your hands, and while it’s not a particularly difficult task, it does require strength.

Because of its durability, straightforward design, ample space, and moderate price point, you’ll find this carrier offers the best value for your money when it comes to hard-sided kennels.

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6. Best Crash-tested: Sleepypod Air

Dimensions: 22”L x 10.5”W x 10.5”H  —   Max Weight: 18 lbs   —  Made in: China

The Sleepypod Air is among the few crash-tested pet carriers available, and while this may be too expensive for some, it’s definitely worth the investment if you travel often enough.

This 22-inch long soft-sided carrier has been car crash-tested against US, Canadian, and EU child safety standards. It has also been independently tested by the Center for Pet Safety, receiving a 4 out of 5 star safety rating.

When traveling by car, you can easily secure the carrier by strapping it in with your car’s seatbelt from the front and the back. An instructional leaflet that’s provided with it explains how you can do this. 

Meanwhile, the carrier ensures your pet is warm and comfortable during the journey with the plush and soft bed it comes with. It’s filled with water-proof pads that you can remove and clean in case your cat soils it, while the lining itself can be machine-washed. The carrier also has a wide storage compartment in the front in case you want to store treats, wipes, etc.

When it comes to the build, it’s pretty sturdy with a stable base that doesn’t sag. The exterior is made of strong nylon while the interior is crafted with a water-repellent polyester.

Meanwhile, the chew and scratch-resistant mesh is positioned at the top, front, and back along the zip lines. However, we feel like this can restrict airflow, especially on hot and humid days, as the sides are completely covered.

Other than this, the Sleepypod Air is pretty ergonomically built with the cat’s and the cat owner’s comfort in mind. If you’re willing to pay the huge upfront price, this versatile bag won’t just come in handy during car rides, but you can also take it on airplanes (the base can fold to reduce the size, enabling it to fit under seats).

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