Petmate Ultra Vari Kennel 28-inch review

Is there room for a long cat to turn around?

Some cats keep growing long after you’ve stopped buying them things, and a carrier that once fit becomes a tight squeeze. Inside, this one is 24.25 by 18.25 inches and 19.5 inches tall, so a long cat can get up, turn and settle again without folding in half.

The ASPCA’s travel safety tips say a carrier needs room for your pet to stand, sit and lie down, with space left over to turn. This kennel clears that bar for a cat up to about 21 inches from nose to tail base.

Mabel, my Maine Coon, is about 17 pounds and long from nose to tail. With a cat built like her, length catches you out more than weight does, because a long cat needs floor to turn on.

Should length or weight pick the size?

With your cat standing, measure from the tip of the nose to where the tail starts. Our guide to measuring your cat for a carrier walks you through it. The Fit Finder then allows 3 extra inches for turning and checks the total against the inside length.

It’s rated for pets of 25 to 30 pounds. A long cat under 25 pounds can still need this much length, though, so go by the tape first. The Fit Finder puts the tape measure and the scale side by side, so you can see whether this kennel fits your cat.

What’s it like on vet day?

The plastic shell comes with heavy-duty hardware and is easy to put together, and metal vents run down both sides for air. The floor has a moat around it, so your cat stays dry if there’s an accident in the car.

The front door closes with a squeeze latch, and it’s quick to open once you’re in the exam room. This 28-inch size has a carry handle, which you won’t get on the bigger sizes.

In the car, wedge the kennel so it can’t slide or shift if you brake hard, as the same ASPCA page advises. A loose kennel sliding across the back seat is the last thing a nervous cat needs.

Can one person carry it with a big cat inside?

Empty, it weighs 12.33 pounds, and once a 25-pound cat climbs in, the load comes to about 37 pounds. That turns the walk from the parking lot to the front desk into a job for both hands.

That’s the trade for all that room. It’s a carrier for the drive to the clinic, not for a long walk or a bus ride across town.

Can you live with one door and a bulky shell?

There’s only one way in, through the front door. Fig, my rescue tabby, hides under the bed when anything that hints at a trip comes out. If your cat is the same, our guide to getting a reluctant cat into a carrier has the steps that help.

It also takes up real room between trips. On the outside it’s 28 inches long, 20.5 wide and 21.5 tall, so it needs a spot on the closet floor or a garage shelf of its own.

Would the 24-inch Vari or a top-opening bag suit your cat better?

If your cat is 18.5 inches or shorter, about 10.5 inches tall or less, and 20 pounds or less, look at the 24-inch Vari instead. It’s the same kind of plastic kennel, and at 5 pounds empty it’s far easier on your arms.

If your cat won’t step through a front door, the soft PetLuv bag opens on top, so you can lower them in from above. Both are in our guide to carriers for big cats, where the PetLuv is our Best in Show and the Ultra Vari our pick for extra-long cats.