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Last December, we decided to buy a cat carrier at Argos.
We’d limped along using the battered box that had come with our rescue cat but it sorely needed replacing.
We’d booked the cat into a boarding cattery for over the new year and were dreading it. It felt as if we were betraying her and just as she’d started to settle in. Now, we were bundling her into a box and sending her to live somewhere else.
I hated the thought that she wouldn’t know she was coming back. Although I suspect that was more my anxiety than hers because, long story short, she was absolutely fine and had a blast during her vacation.
In the lead up to handing her over, however, I realised that a big part of my anxiety revolved around our battered old cat carrier.
Whilst it was sturdy, a clip was missing at the side, and the plastic sometimes creaked when she moved. The lady who fostered rescue cats was kind enough to give it to us, but we had no way of knowing how old it was.
We’re fortunate enough to live a 3-minute walk from her veterinarian, but even when taking her, I’d deliberately hold the carrier steady with my hand under the base. I was worried that the carrier would break and she’d escape. The kindest thing I could do for her and the safest thing I could do for her was to buy a new one.
And we wouldn’t take our cat in the car without a carrier.
We spent some time discussing the pros and cons of getting a hard or soft cat carrier. We chose plastic in the end because we wanted something durable and sturdy.
| Quick reference The budget carrier is available on Amazon in the US and Amazon in the UK, and, of course, at Argos. It’s best for: veterinarian visits, short car journeys, and owners looking for a budget-friendly hard-sided carrier. It’s not ideal for: very large cats or airline travel |
Pros Cons
| A very affordable cat carrier | Basic compared to other options |
| Very easy to wipe clean | Needs bedding or blankets added for comfort |
| Secure metal door | Small level of assembly |
| Top and front-loading for easy access | Bulkier than a soft-sided carrier |
| Suitable for everyday use | Not suitable for airline travel |
| Good ventilation for long car journeys. | Can’t be folded down when not in use |
| Not suitable for very large cat breeds |
| Remember There are three different size options for this carrier. You’ll see those options clearly on the Amazon product page, but it’s easy to forget before checkout. These are the size options you can choose from: 19.0″L x 12.6″W x 10.0″H 22.8″L x 15.0″W x 13.0″H 23.6″L x 15.7″W x 13.0″H |
It’s made from durable plastic with a metal mesh grate. Once we’d assembled it (which didn’t take long), we were happy with the quality and certainly felt that it would take the weight of our pet. It was relatively lightweight. I think cat carriers are often heavy even before you put the animal, in so I can’t speak for the weight of this one compared to others but I’m okay walking it down the road with the cat inside.
Empty is weighs 1.98kg
Its self-assembly and it didn’t take us that long. Although, there weren’t any instructions in the box. If you go to the product page on the Argos site, however, they’ve since added a PDF showing how to assembly it. People were confused by the six-bolts included. These secure the sides together if you don’t just want to rely on the plastic clips.
I really liked that it can be a top-loading carrier (ideal for difficult cats), but you can also screw the top and bottom sections together for extra security.
Our cat is one of those rare breeds: she actually doesn’t mind getting into a carrier so we felt the top-load was unnecessary. Once screwed together the carrier felt very secure.
The spring-loading lock was secure, too. It clips into place and feels very safe.
The inside is easy to wipe down and it’s well ventilated. There’s slits along the top and the mesh grill allows the cat to see outside. If you have a nervous cat, then it would be really easy to (ad) spray some Feliway inside and cover the top with a blanket or towel.
We’re really happy with the cat carrier and we’ve since recommended it to family and friends, too.
If it’s not for you, then we’ll list some similar cat carriers.
We’re pleased with our carrier. It does exactly what we need it to. We don’t use it very often, and it’s mainly for the occasional vet trip or cattery visit, but we’d definitely recommend it as a budget hard carrier.
If you’re looking for a simple, durable hard-sided carrier without spending a fortune, this remains a solid choice. It isn’t packed with premium features, but for vet visits and everyday travel, it offers good value for money.
We’ll list some other carriers below that you might also like to take a look at, even some soft-sided carriers which may be more suitable for calmer cats.
These are Amazon Affiliate links; we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase 🙂
| Basic hard-sided carrier | Simple but robust plastic carrier ideal for those looking for a budget carrier. | Amazon US Price Amazon UK Price |
| Morpilot soft-sided carrier | A comfortable fabric carrier for calmer and less anxious cats | Amazon US Price Amazon UK Price |
| Soft-sided collapsible carrier | Cat carrier that collapses down for storage | Amazon US Price Amazon UK Price |
| Two-door pet hard carrier | Hard carrier with top and front-opening doors | Amazon US Price Amazon UK Price |
| Airline compliant hard crate | Hard carrier for cats traveling in the hold of an aircraft | Amazon US Price Amazon UK Price |