Table of Contents
We’re reviewing the Petco Cardboard Cat Carrier. Overall, we found the cardboard cat carrier to be a great product and definitely worthy of a look if you're in need of a temporary carrier. We have the full review below. You can find our cardboard cat carrier here.
Cardboard Carrier Details
Price
The cat carrier is $11.99. You can purchase it online or in any Petco store. It isn’t any cheaper in the store so if you don’t need it immediately, purchase it online. You can also find suppliers like Instacart that usually have the carrier in stock. You may end up paying more for delivery if you use one of the 1 hour shipping options.
Quality
The cardboard carrier of course is made out of cardboard. It looks to be about ¼ inch thick. The quality is overall very good and can support cats up to 25lbs. It’s 18.5 inches by 9 inches by 12 inches.
Assembly
Assembly is really easy. There are only two steps. The first step is to make sure the bottom of the cat carrier is secure. You first fold down the big flat panel on the bottom and bring in the sides. Finally you use the smaller of the two large panels to lock the sides into place. Overall I had a little bit of trouble making sure the bottom panel was completely flat from the inside. As soon as you put a cat in the carrier, the bottom lays completely flat.
When you're actually putting the cat in, you want to open the panels with the handles and put the cat in. Then bring the two handle panels together and push down. The side pieces then lock it into place. I managed to do this with a single handle.
A small note that makes a big difference is the cardboard can be pretty sharp on your hand while carrying it with a cat. Make sure to use that small flap over the handle by bringing it through the gap. It'll lock the carrier closed as well as make it much more comfortable on your hand while you're carrying your kitty.
Cat Test
Can the cat escape?
I tested the cat carrier with my short-haired domestic black cat, Chalupa. It was really easy to get him in. All I had to do was open it up, put in a treat inside and he did the rest. Closing it while he was still in there was a little bit of a challenge but not so bad at all. He did feel pretty comfortable in there once I trapped him in. He certainly vocalized his displeasure of his confinement but otherwise had no problems. I put a treat outside of the box to see if he would fight the box to escape. Instead he ended up sticking his paw through one of the holes to no avail (he did get a snack once I let him out.
I should mention that there are online reviews of people claiming that their cat easily tore through the cardboard in the carrier. My cat wasn't able to escape but that's no guarantee that your cat won't be able to. This is a temporary carrier. You should have eyes on it at all times. Don’t leave your cat in it alone and unmonitored.
Easiness to hold
Chalupa is 13.5lbs and the carrier felt very secure while holding him in it. I felt confident carrying it that he would not burst out and create a difficult situation. Because the carrier is a rigid cardboard box carrying it isn't super comfortable. If you don't have the little flap that goes over the handle it's not very comfortable to hold. Please use the flap. Additionally if your cat isn't perfectly in the middle of the carrier, it can kind of make it harder to carry as your cat wiggles around. It throws off the balance and the handle will not absorb a lot of the movement. You'll feel it in your arm and you just have to hold it extra tight.
What to watch out for
This is a temporary cat carrier. It will not last a long time and any water damage could weaken the structure making it unsafe for your kitty. Your cat probably has the ability to tear through it but it’s sturdy enough that it’s pretty unlikely. Please only put in one cat at a time. It could probably fit two cats comfortably but it’s really not a good idea.
Our Review
Overall, we're really big fans of the cardboard cat carrier from Petco. It's a solid product. Remember that it's a temporary cat carrier. It definitely does the job. If you normally don't bring your cat outside, having something like this would be great to bring your cat to the vet or any number of short journeys. your cat may have to go on it's really nice in that it folds flat so it won't take up any space in your closet end cats love cardboard we have no trouble getting park at in the carrier
Other Reviews
Petco.com Reviews
Most of the reviews online are positive. People generally enjoy the cardboard cat carrier. Customers on instacart and Petco consistently rate the product more than 4 out of 5 stars. The only complaints that we saw are really based on the material being cardboard. Your cat can chew on it and if you spill liquid on it it's not going to hold up.
A few selected reviews from Petco.com.
“Two cats ripped right through the cardboard. Maybe make the cardboard thicker and less holes. But overall 5 cats stayed in out of seven. Not too bad.”
“Kitty likes cardboard houses at home, so didn't mind the ride too much being in a hidey place in the car.”
“Works well for just for temporarily travel carrier”
2 comments
This was a complete waste of money. I bought 2 1 for each cat and both of my cats torn through them during the 8 minute ride to the vet. They seriously ripped the heck out them. Do yourself a favor and go to Petsmart and get a better quality box.
This was a complete waste of money. I bought 2 1 for each cat and both of my cats torn through them during the 8 minute ride to the vet. They seriously ripped the heck out them. Do yourself a favor and go to Petsmart and get a better quality box.