This post is sponsored by Sleepypod*
While the cat carrier may not be your cat’s favorite place, it is an important part of your cat’s life, and it can be vital in an emergency. Unfortunately, for most cats, the only time they’re in a carrier is when they have to go to the veterinarian, so the association with carriers is often a negative and stressful one. Because the Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed is so much more than just a carrier, it eliminates the negative association and makes vet visits easier for both cats and vets.
About the Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed
This is not just a carrier. It’s a luxury bed, lined with ultraplush foam, that doubles as a carrier. The domed cover unzips easily, so you can adapt it to your cat’s sleeping preference even while using it inside your home. Some cats may prefer the top removed, others may like the security of the cover.
Read our review of the Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed here.
Jeannie’s cats Rudy and Sapphire – a combined 28 pounds!
The safest carrier on the market
The Sleepypod not only lets your cat travel in comfort, it’s also the safest cat carrier on the market. Velcro positioning points that secure a seat belt in place turn the Sleepypod into a safe car seat. The Pet Passenger Restraint System (PPRS) is a safety system designed by Sleepypod to secure a pet in a vehicle and restrict harmful movement resulting from a sudden vehicle stop or frontal collision. Sleepypod puts all their carriers through stringent safety tests at the same standards set for child safety restraints.
Mikel’s cat Clarabelle
Comfort and easy access during vet visits
Dr. Mikel Delgado, PhD, a feline behavior expert and post-doctoral fellow at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, loves the Sleepypod for its safety and versatility. “It’s a cute cozy bed, and it’s very easy to get my cat into it and secure it for a vet visit. I feel that the familiarity and scent help make the trip and vet visit less stressful for all of us!” Mike’s veterinarian, Dr. Wendy Salaguinto, the owner of River City Cat Clinic, agrees. “We love that the top of the Sleepypod can unzip fully, allowing us simple open access to our patients. Reaching into the depths of a carrier or “dumping” a cat from the carrier is stressful on the cat and dangerous for our team.” Dr. Salaguinto feels that most other carriers create some sort of stressor in accessibility alone. “The Sleepypod sides don’t cave in on the cat, its round design prevents the patient from huddling scared in a corner, the zipper is quiet to open, and the base is wide enough that we can do a full examination on the cat while it is in the carrier.”
Dr. Jenny Beard, the owner of Veterinary Behavior Consultants of Alabama, concurs. “Sleepypods provide the perfect opportunity to create a ‘home away from home’ for my cat patients. Owners can leave them out as a daily, comfy pet bed for their kitty; when it’s time to travel, they can simply zip the top on and bring ‘home’ with them. Kitties feel so much more comfortable when traveling in a carrier that feels, looks, and smells familiar, and is associated with happy and cozy experiences.”
Priscilla’s husband secures Mikey in his Sleepypod
Priscilla Forehand has two small and two large Sleepypods “They are the only carriers I will use,” she says, “because they keep my cats calm and comfortable, and they keep them from getting carsick”
Jeannie Meanor started using Sleepypod carriers when her kitty Bombay went to the vet clinic to get weekly acupuncture treatments for eight years. “When at home, the top was off and he slept in it,” she says. “It was so easy because you just zip the lid off and on. You can even get a heating insert which I did for cold Denver winters.”
Bombay during one of his acupuncture treatments
Deb Barnes, Past President of the Cat Writers Association and author of multiple cat books, says the Sleepypod was a godsend during her cat Jazz’s end-of-life journey, which she shares in her book Purr Prints of the Heart: A Cat’s Tale of Life, Death and Beyond. “It was easy to get his frail body in and out of, he loved the round shape, curling into it, and even when it was not being used as a carrier, he liked napping in it,” she remembers. “Being able to easily pet him and soothe him while in transport back and forth to the many, many, many vet visits was so important to my relationship with Jazz,” she adds. “The Sleepypod carrier gave me comfort during a very difficult and emotional time.”
Jazz at his prime
Deb now uses the carrier for regular trips to the vet with her other cats. “Regardless of which cat and when, someone at the vet’s office will see the carrier and fall in love with it.”
For more information, and to purchase, please visit Sleepypod.com.
*FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, which means that I was compensated to feature this content. Regardless of payment and free product received, you will only see products or services featured on this site that I believe are of interest to our readers.
Photo credits: top of post via Sleepypod Facebook page, photos of Ruby, Sapphire and Bombay ©Jeannie Menor, photo of Clarabelle ©Mikel Delgado, photo of Mikey in car ©Priscilla Forehand, photo of Jazz ©Deborah Barnes, all images used with permission.