We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

The 5 Best Cat Strollers, Tested With Real Paw-ssengers

Cat inside of a Tavo Pets Maeve and Roscoe 3-in-1 Pet System Stroller in a park
Credit:

The Spruce Pets

A pet stroller is a practical solution for cat parents who want to take their cat outside for a leisurely stroll. Most cat strollers are more comfortable than a duffel or backpack pet carrier, and a cat stroller is also a great option for elderly cats or those with limited mobility.

“I know plenty of people who use strollers for cats that are physically challenged, cats who are paralyzed, cats who don't get the same outside stimulation,” Jackson Galaxy , a cat wellness and behavior expert. shared with The Spruce Pets. “If you think your cat's going to love it, by all means.” 

To find the pet best strollers for cats, we selected over 20 of the top brands and models for evaluation in our New York testing lab. We assembled and disassembled; measured interior and storage spaces; and ran each stroller through an obstacle course of cones and curbs. We then sent our top performers to homes with real cats and/or small dogs for long term testing.

Why I'm The Expert

I'm Steven Asarch, a writer and devoted cat dad of two indoor darlings, Lola and Samson. Cats are finicky so I was unsure if either of my cats would take to the stroller. With the Tavo Pets Maeve and Roscoe 3-in-1 Pet Stroller, Lola has discovered the beauty of nature outside of her home. She admires the trees and the flowers from the safety of her hooded canopy as strangers gawk at what they thought would be a human baby. Samson is less enthused by the outside world, but settles into the Tavo Pets car seat carrier whenever he goes for a ride.

What We Like
  • Compact and easy to fold down

  • Plush interior for maximum comfort

  • Able to handle off-road terrain

  • Canopy provides UPF 50 protection from the sun

  • Lab tested benchmarks align with child restraint standard by United Nations ECE (R129)

What We Don'tLike
  • Larger footprint than other strollers on our list

Our favorite pet stroller for cats is the Tavo Pets Maeve and Roscoe 3-in-1 Pet Stroller which combines a crash-tested car seat and a smooth riding stroller in one. It's durable, extremely easy-to-use, and provides a gentle glide—even over uneven park terrain. It's the most expensive option among our top picks, but if the price point fits into your budget, we highly recommend this cat stroller for you.

The innovative design of this stroller and car seat combination comes from Nuna, a top brand in the strollers for human babies industry. They infused their safety, comfort, and practicality features into a carrier designed for pets. The 3-in-1 pet system includes ample amounts of storage, single button collapse, and secure yet gentle locking of components. The three elements are a carrier, a stroller frame, and a car seat installation base with an energy absorbing stability leg that adjusts from 10.5 to 20.9 inches in height to fit a variety of cars. The entire system is rather large, but if you regularly take your cat into your car, you'll find it very convenient and time-saving.

After months of using the Tavo Pets Maeve and Roscoe 3-in-1 Pet Stroller to hold two feisty cats, I quickly realized why Tavo Pets is superior to other cat strollers I've tried in the past. The car seat carrier by itself, called the Maeve, is equipped with a durable foam interior and liner cover seat that is easy to take out for necessary de-shedding. The canopy has specially designed magnetic secure snaps that keep the top from detaching, while also offering enough mesh to see the precious kitty cargo inside. Taking my cat Lola out into the world for the first time was stressful, but those special snaps kept the canopy on and the mesh holes allowed her to look through. The stroller is easy to maneuver with wheels offering traction and stability.

The Roscoe stroller frame easily snaps into the Maeve carrier and can be taken off with just a simple button press. It is truly impressive how effortless it is to connect with the push of a button and now easily and securely it all comes together. Overall, it's a fantastic stroller that is worth the price tag, but we also found a few others that are great and more affordable.

Dimensions:  31.7 x 16 x 22 inches (medium car seat); 35.5 x 20.6 x 42 inches (stroller frame); 27.6 x 12.8 x 5 inches (car seat base) | Weight: 10.8 pounds (medium carrier and canopy) | Materials: Aluminum, vegan leather, memory foam

What We Like
  • Latch makes raising and lowering hte canopy a cinch

  • Lightweight and portable

  • Viewing window on top to observe your cat

  • Ample storage underneath and cupholders up top

What We Don't Like
  • Some color options are more expensive

We tested out the Pet Gear No-Zip Happy Trails Lite Pet Stroller with a pomeranian, rather than a cat, but her size and shape are similar enough that we think this style will work for most cats too. This stroller has a number of convenient features, including an easy-to-use attachment point for your cat's collar or harness to keep them secure while they ride. But its best feature is its no-zip canopy, which pops up or down easily, and uses a latch instead of having a long zipper to deal with. Our testers were also appreciative the mesh storage compartment underneath, which is open on top and easy to access.

While the Happy Trails Lite isn't the best off-roading stroller we tested, its four front wheels make for a smooth ride and a sharp turning radius—it handled both curbs and turf with ease. We also loved the viewing window on top of the canopy, which makes it easy to observe your cat while walking.

Pet Gear also offers a lighter, more portable model—the Pet Gear Travel Lite Plus Stroller—but our testers weren't happy about its lack of storage or an attachment point to clip to your cat's leash or collar.

The Happy Trails Lite Pet Stroller is available in multiple colors, though some cost more than others. It also comes with a removable padded liner. Did we mention it has cupholders too?

Dimensions: 28 x 12.5 x 22.5 inches | Weight: 13 pounds | Materials: Nylon

What We Like
  • Great for cats and dogs

  • Durable

  • Quick lock brakes

What We Don't Like
  • Weighs close to 30 pounds on it's own

The Pet Gear No-Zip Jogger Pet Stroller is a seriously beefed up version of our overall favorite. The main difference (aside from its price) are the three 11-inch "Air Ride" tires, which leapt over curbs without disturbing our pet riders in the least. It's also got a cushioned handle for easy grip while jogging.

The Jogger also has all of the features we appreciated in other Pet Gear strollers, including the view-through window that lets you observe your pet in transit, the cupholders, and the no-zip canopy that makes opening and closing the main compartment of the stroller incredibly easy.

The only real downside is the additional bulkiness, which makes the Jogger easier to transport by minivan then in a compact car trunk.

Dimensions: 36.6 x 21.3 x 42.9 inches | Weight: 27 pounds | Materials: Mesh

Advice From An Expert

Not every cat will enjoy being inside a stroller. Jackson Galaxy, a cat behavoralist, believes that it’s important not to force your cat into a situation that they may not want to be in and “just because you think something would be fun for your cat doesn't mean your cat would agree.“ If your cat is clearly uncomfortable, meowing often, or overly upset it might be best just to leave them inside instead.

What We Like
  • Comes mostly assembled

  • Foldable

  • Mesh provides visibility

What We Don't Like
  • Not as sturdy as more expensive models

While it entails some compromises, it's hard to find a useful pet stroller that's more affordable than the BestPet 3 Wheel Stroller—if you're not sure whether or not your cat would enjoy a stroller ride, this is the best way to find out without spending a lot of money.

The 3-wheel design of the BestPet stroller makes for excellent maneuverability, though we found it to be a rough ride for pets when going over curbs or bumpy surfaces. Our testers also found that the front wheel had a tendency to jack-knife if you turn too sharply. Still, the BestPet handles admirably enough on sidewalks and normal, paved conditions.

It's also got a lot of the features we like from our favorite Pet Gear stroller, including the cupholders and the underside storage—though we found it more awkward to access. It's got a liner, breaks on the rear tires, and an safety tether inside for attaching your cat's collar.

Zipping up the mesh canopy on the front of the stroller is a little bit of a pain, but the lightweight material makes for a stroller that's under 13 pounds. It's not the most durable fabric we tested—"everything feels a little too thin" one tester said—but it is effectively water resistant, and is easy to fold up and store in a car trunk.

Assembly out of the box is incredibly simple, all you have to do is strap wheels to the bottom and you are ready to go. The BestPet 3 Wheel Stroller is available in five different colors.

Dimensions: 29.53 x 17.72 x 38.19 inches | Weight: 12.98 pounds | Materials: Alloy steel, nylon | Colors: Black, pink, blue, purple, red

What We Like
  • Sturdy frame

  • 150-degree canopy sunroof

  • Stroller, carrier, and car seat in one

What We Don't Like
  • Larger than other strollers on our list

Coming in at 21 pounds, this HPZ pet stroller is great for small or medium-sized cats. With an oval aluminum frame and rubber inflatable tires, this stroller is great for traveling on rough surfaces like gravel, sand, or even stairs. The included canopy can be opened 150 degrees, allowing your animal inside to get a wider view of the world around them. There are also three organizer pockets, a cup holder, and a large under the basket to store all your belongings.

Once you are done going for an off-trail stroll, you can fold up the stroller with just one hand. When folded up, it can be a bit chunky requiring at least three feet of space to store. 

Dimensions: ‎37 x 37 x 22 inches | Weight: 21 pounds | Materials: Aluminum, polyester

Final Verdict

Our best overall choice is the Tavo Pets Maeve Rosco Pet Protection System stroller from Tavo Pets, which offers a durable and easy-to-use stroller made with the highest quality materials. You can use the Tavo Pets set as a car seat and a stroller, and the attachments are sold in a bundle and separately so you can pick the pieces you need. For a more affordable option, the Pet Gear Happy Trails Lite No-Zip Pet Stroller is worth picking up. Compact and with an easy-to-use canopy, it will protect your cat inside without fear of them running away.

How We Tested

Our pet stroller test included 20 bestselling and well-reviewed models, which we narrowed down from a larger list of possible products. Our volunteer testers loaded up each stroller with everything they might need for a day out, including treats, a water bottle, and a collapsible bowl. We then put each stroller through a battery of tests, beginning with any leash attachments. Our pet volunteers helped us quickly determine which strollers were easiest for a cat to exit or enter.

Once our volunteer pets (or stuffed animal equivalents we also used) were secured, we tried out the strollers on a variety of surfaces, including pivoting through cones, pulling u-turns on concrete, and pushing strollers over astroturf. We also tried out bigger bumps, including concrete pavers and pipes approximately as high as your standard street curb. Finally, we had testers collapse and store the strollers, then unpack them for re-use. After going through the battery of tests, our volunteers filled out a form, providing both detailed notes and a numerical score in four categories: ease of use, maneuverability, quality, and value.

Our top picks were sent to the homes of real world testers with a cat and/or small dog for additional long term testing in the elements. The strollers were taken over concrete and natural terrain to see what the wheels and the frame could handle the best. Our testers focused on durability, ease of use, and pet comfort levels.

pet strollers
Credit:

The Spruce Pets

Other Cat Strollers We Tested

VIVO Black 3 Wheel Pet Stroller: This affordably priced pet stroller offers easy to access storage, a comfortable carriage, and decent maneuverability when on a smooth path. But the ride was more jerky with turns than the strollers on our list, and each wheel has its own brake that must be manually activated which we found to be unnessisarily cumbersome.

Pet Gear Travel Lite Pet Stroller: Weighing only nine pounds, this lightweight model is easy to fold and arrives ready to use with no assembly required. However, the carriage is not equipped with an internal tether and the maximum weight it can support is only 15 pounds.

What to Look For in Cat Strollers

Comfort

A well-made cat stroller needs to be able to be comfortable for your cat and keep them inside. Padded interiors made of foam or plush will allow your cat to relax on those nice walks outdoors. A hood that latches or snaps into place is a must, and it should also contain mesh holes allowing your cat to look out and you to look in.  

Closures

Most importantly, unless you have a cat who lives in a cat house outside, a cat closure needs to be able to keep your cat inside without them being able to escape. According to Galaxy, cats need to feel that they aren’t trapped and that they need to make sure “that there's an escape route for anything they find themselves in.” Having a mesh canopy allows them to see outside and feel less trapped.

Your cat should also be placed in a harness that you can lock into the stroller to keep them from being able to escape. 

Acclimating Your Cat

Not all cats will enjoy being placed inside a stroller and it might be more stressful than enjoyable. Galaxy believes that it’s important not to force your cat into a situation that they may not want to be in and “just because you think something would be fun for your cat doesn't mean your cat would agree, “

But if you want to take the risk outside and your cat seems a bit jittery, it’s smart to acclimate them to the carrier. If you manage to get them in the carrier, try to take them around the house and give them the chance to get used to it. Once they are outside, there will be quite a bit more stimuli that may become overwhelming if they aren’t used to their enclosure. 

FAQ
  • How can I get my cat to like the stroller?

    First, train them using a harness and then place them in the stroller in your house. But remember you can’t force them to like it. According to Galaxy, “some cats just take to it like a fish to water, but some cats, there's that feeling of being at the mercy of something else they don’t like.” 

  • How do I clean cat pee out of a stroller?

    If it has a fabric interior, you can use any traditional pet urine remover to clean it out. 

Why Trust The Spruce Pets

This article was written by Steven Asarch, a writer and product expert for The Spruce Pets. A devout cat dad of two, he has expert experience figuring out which products are perfect for them. Steven has previously analyzed testing data, tried out products at home, and provided recommendations for other categories of cat products, including catnip toyswand toyslitter disposal systems, and also wrote an exhaustive list of the essentials you should have before welcoming a new kitten into your home.

To get the best understanding of what makes a good cat stroller, he spoke with Jackson Galaxy, a cat expert who hosted the Animal Planet show My Cat From Hell for 11 seasons. He prioritized strollers with ample room, good durability, and the ability to open and close at ease.