Cat Backpacks: Cool or Cruel?
An orange tabby rides in a bubble backpack at a pet convention. What do you think? Is he enjoying himself?
Who among us doesn’t follow the adventure cats on Instagram who live lives of adventure and excitement with their humans, hiking national parks, sangfroid and safe in their cat backpacks? Am I the only one who wonders: why don’t I have a cat like that? And more importantly, why don’t I get to spend my life hiking?
When Cat Backpacks Work
Backpacks can be a super cool way to get your cat out and about, expanding the mind and exploring territory. We all know that cats need more physical stimulation and interactive play. We’ve all seen the shows, read the articles, listened to the podcasts. If you made it to this blog, I’ll lay decent odds that your home is already tricked out with super sweet cat stuff. But have you ever thought that no matter what you do, your cat just isn’t getting enough stimulation?
Explosion of the Senses: Using a Backpack to Expand Your Cat’s Imagination
The reason is that cats need both mental stimulation in addition to physical exercise. If you have an Oriental mix (extra long ears, triangular face and refined cheekbones, long body, even longer tail), I know you hear me! Highly active cats are curious and interested in everything around them. Curiosity is a sign of intelligence. Without mental stimulation, cats get bored and anxious. And destructive! The last thing you want is for your four-legged brainiac to start inventing new games involving leather furniture and curtains. Hey, it works: those games get your immediate attention.
Using a Backpack to Provide Safe Outdoor Access
A lot of us don’t have a lot of space to provide our cats with the territories that they deserve. When you live in a studio apartment, there’s a finite amount of floorspace that you have to work with. If cats have a tiny territory, I urge clients to build up and/or out. Building up means adding window perches, levels, a climbing wall, cat shelving, and cat trees built into the walls that will help your cat get tons of exercise leaping about and swinging from the rafters.
Building out means getting your indoor cat outside, but safely. This can mean harness walks, a catio, a balcony, an enclosed playpen, or supervised outdoor access. A lot of cats get into a routine of going on walks with their owners in strollers or backpacks. It’s nice for the human, because it means that you get to actually walk a bit. Anyone who’s ever walked their cats on a harness knows that there’s not usually a ton of walking involved! Rolling, yes. Sniffing, definitely. Watching birds, yes. Excitement, definitely! But you don’t get a lot of steps in. Which can make things a bit boring for the human, even though it’s exciting for the cat.
This is Naomi, and her human life partners are knocking it out of the park with her enrichment! Here she is, safely clipped into her cat stroller, enjoying a weekend Farmer’s Market.
So what’s more perfect than a combination of the two? Put your cat in a harness and clip him into a backpack. Then go for a walk together. When you get to a safe spot, a park without dogs, or a space where there’s not a ton of foot traffic, you can take your cat out of the backpack to explore on his harness. Outdoor enrichment stimulates a cat’s senses and expands the imagination! It doesn’t matter if the square footage of the home you share is the size of a postage stamp if there’s expansion of the mind!
Oscar the Reformed Stray Tries a Backpack
I was actually in Southtown the other day walking on the Riverwalk and I ran into an old friend, Gato Gris. He used to be the unneutered jerk who terrorized my brother’s cat Buddy in the courtyard of the Labor Street apartments. Gato Gris has moved on from his rabble-rousing days of squalor and living rough with his forever family who took him in. (He now goes by Oscar.) His owners had brought Oscar down to the Riverwalk in his backpack to go for a walk. Oscar likes watching the ducks.
Road Trips, Vet Visits, and Everything in Between
If your cat is trained to a harness and backpack, you’ll find travel much more manageable. Even vet visits will be less traumatic. If you can get your cat trained to riding in his backpack in the car, you’re golden. Let the roadtrips begin!
Pros:
Adventure bonding is fun!
Provides an opportunity for outdoor enrichment while keeping your cat safe!
Backpacks make travel more convenient
You get to bring your cat out into the world to socialize
Your home is less likely to be destroyed because your cat has other things to think about!
When Cat Backpacks are a Terrible Idea
Not every cat is down for this plan. Going on an adventure? Travel? Cars? Take my Bailey. Bailey identifies as an “under-the-bed-cat.” He has zero time for socializing with anyone other than me and the one catsitter he has a crush on. He thinks any activity that starts with him being corralled is destined for disaster, and he’s got a point, as this is how nail trimmings, flea treatments, and vet visits always start. Poor kitty.
Bailey’s Thoughts: Too Much World, Too Fast
Cats like Bailey have such severe anxiety that overstimulation is a real problem for them. He gets enough stimulation from his daily, controlled life. If you start adding in toys that squeak or move by themselves, his panic builds. He’s not cut out for outdoor enrichment. Many cats like Bailey were born outdoors to feral or stray mothers, who taught them that the only way to survive was to be vigilant and not trust too easily. These cats have found their forever homes, and as far as they’re concerned, they’re never leaving. They wouldn’t touch the outside world with a ten foot pole. Unless you’re talking about leaving the bedroom window open so they can watch and smell the birds. That’s an entirely different thing.
Some might encourage Bailey to work on his anxiety by slowly exposing him to more and more challenges, like harnesses, backpacks, and strollers. The thing is, a cat like Bailey is never very far removed from his mom’s instructions in his kitten hood. If he gets triggered while he’s outside, there’s a good chance he’s breaking out of that backpack or harness and disappearing. (I don’t do those kinds of consultations anymore, but check out my lost cat help, it’s completely free! 1500 found cats worldwide!)
Not All Backpacks Are Created Equal
Sometimes your cat is down, but you got the wrong backpack. Just because it’s cute doesn’t meant mean it’s comfortable for your cat. Hey, I want to see squished toe beans in acrylic bubbles as much as the next cat lover. But those bubbles can get pretty hot and uncomfortable, especially if there’s no air. Imagine if you were zipped up in a confined space. You’d want lots of ventilation on all sides so you’re not roasting in there. Remember how quickly pets can overheat. If you notice your cat panting, abort immediately.
Cookie’s starter backpack. It was the only one available that day at the pet store. You can see that he’s already just about to ready to outgrow it. But he’s enjoying himself all the same!
This is a much more well-ventilated backpack, and one that gives the cat more space to move around. Look, he loves it so much that he’s asking if it’s time for a walk. This was at 1:00 am. No, kitty. No walkies.
Room to Turn Around and (Why It Matters)
Nothing is more depressing than seeing full grown cats crammed into airless plastic bubble cases where they don’t have space to turn around. You want to get something that gives them room to turn around and reposition themselves, switch sides to get a better look at anything interesting. Comfort is key!
You also want to make sure the pack is strong and fully supported. You don’t want your friend to bounce around too much or feel unsafe. Is your cat braced for impact? Do you see the kind of body language that appears on flights that plummet suddenly from 10,000 feet? That’s another flashing red light: your cat might not be loving this.
Cats and Motion Sickness: What to Know
Something to consider: many cats get motion sickness. Heat can be a factor contributing to this. It’s impossible to keep a backpack still and even if you’re wearing it. It’s naturally going to bounce around a bit. Some cats don’t mind. Others do. If you have a cat that hates it, really hates it, then that’s probably not going to change. Have you ever gotten car sick? Or sea sick? It’s about as fun as being electrocuted. Don’t you want to protect your kitty from that?
Things to keep in mind before you and your cat start your journey:
Overstimulation can lead to an increase in stress and anxiety
Watch for signs your cat might be overheating
Watch for signs of motion sickness
Get a backpack that fits your cat
Which is it? Are Backpacks Cool or Cruel?
Answer: the real expert here is your cat.
Oscar thinks his is awesome! Bailey would HATE IT. So listen to your cat’s opinion! And remember: you know your cat!
Backpack Body Language: Abort or Green Light?
🚫 Abort Immediately
Ears flat → your cat just went full “angry velociraptor.”
Whiskers plastered back → this is no longer an adventure, it’s a hostage crisis.
Panting or drooling → kitty thinks you’re testing a mobile torture center.
Clawing to escape → you’re carrying a backpack full of rage and knives.
✅ Green Light
Whiskers forward → curious explorer mode engaged.
Ears swiveling like radar dishes → field surveillance in progress.
Sitting calm, eyes wide → your cat is livestreaming the outdoors in glorious 4K.
A cat backpack is Schrödinger’s box: inside is either a blissed-out explorer or a tiny demon plotting your downfall.
Need help training your cat to consider a life of travel and adventure? Book a consultation!
