Review: Tuft and Paw Porto Cat Carrier

Some cats are easy. They’ll walk on a leash or hop right into a carrier when you need to take them somewhere. I have never known that joy. Cat carriers are necessary evils. They’re necessary for safely getting to vet visits, moving, and dealing with emergencies, but they’re evil to our precious felines who can't think of anything worse than getting shoved into one.

There are an overwhelming number of options that range all over the price spectrum, but how much you want to spend will likely depend on how long you're traveling, when and where you're taking your cat, and what your cat will tolerate. We have a few recommendations, and Tuft and Paw's new Porto Cat Carrier is one of them.

The biggest difference between the Porto and other carriers is that it's framed with zippers. It can go from totally flat to completely zipped up and structured. This gives you more options for loading, unloading, and lounging. If your cat prefers top entry, you can open the entire carrier like a box instead of trying to squeeze them through a small rectangular door. Or maybe you need the top and one end open, or even the entire side. It's customizable to make it as easy as possible on you and your furry friend. I could see this being a huge help for disabled pets who need a little bit more care when getting into a carrier.

While getting them into the carrier is typically the biggest battle, getting them out can be just as hard if you've arrived somewhere they're scared of, like the vet. Instead of trying to pull them out, just unzip it around them.

The generally accepted advice for getting cats used to carriers is to leave the carrier out around the house so they'll feel confident to explore them before you go anywhere. With the Porto, you can unzip one side completely, and then unfold the faux shearling pad to make a little bed for your feline to relax in. This could also be good for traveling or moving, serving as a safe space if you have to stay the night in a hotel room. One of my cats has been lounging in it like this frequently, though it hasn't made it easier to start closing it around him—cats just don't care what you want.

When all zipped up, the Porto kind of looks like a sophisticated duffle bag and there is a luggage handle pass-through on the back. When not attached to a suitcase, the bottom of that pass-through zips closed so it can be used as a pocket instead. An additional pocket on one end also has an ID card slot for writing your and your cat's information on. There are also seat belt straps to keep it from bouncing around in the backseat while driving, but as the brand states, this isn't a guarantee of safety if you crash. (Also, you shouldn't strap them into the front seat, as the airbag could be fatal in an accident.)

The canvas shell is water-resistant and should be spot-cleaned only. I sprayed it with the faucet and it wiped dry easily, though of course, should you be caught in a rainstorm, the fabric around the zipper and straps will stay damp. The pad can be thrown into the washing machine.

The Porto only comes in one size, but with a 30-pound weight limit, most cats and even small dogs should fit. My three cats run the gamut of size, weighing 4, 10, and 20 pounds. Technically my biggest cat fits, but since your cat should be able to turn around completely, he probably needs something bigger. My husband and I don't take them out of the house frequently, but we'll keep testing it.

Tuft and Paw designers work alongside cat behaviorists to make sure their ideas are not just visually appealing, but consider the safety and mental well-being of cats too. In this case, that influenced the amount of mesh. There's one mesh door and a small panel on the top, which might be less mesh than you're used to. Tuft and Paw's spokesperson told me that while most cat parents assume more mesh is better, too much visual exposure can actually make tense situations worse. There's enough mesh for airflow and some sight, but not so much to cause already scared cats to be overwhelmed.

Its products are usually as pricey as they are beautiful—all of our cats deserve to play on this luxurious cat tree but not all of our cats are contributing to the bills, am I right?—but in this case, I don't think $99 is outrageous. It's not much more than the $60 to $80 carriers I was used to, and I did notice an obvious quality upgrade when I switched to the Porto. The uber-expensive $195 Diggs Passenger carrier uses thicker, more rugged material. But it's also smaller, with an 18-pound limit. If you're on the fence, Tuft and Paw also includes price breakdowns on every product page to explain the general costs that go into creating and shipping each item.

Knowing why a product costs so much doesn't magically put money in my pocket, but the work that goes into Tuft and Paw's designs makes spending money on its products a little easier than just throwing money at a random Amazon seller. Hey, I said easier, not painless.